Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed, a veteran journalist, columnist and co-founder of Newswatch Magazine, died on Tuesday, January 13, at the age of 75 after a prolonged illness in a Lagos hospital.
Mohammed’s death comes less than two months after the passing of another Newswatch co-founder, Dan Agbese, who died on November 17, 2025.
Mohammed had launched his memoir, Beyond Expectations, on November 4, 2025.
He was reportedly battling a prolonged ailment before his death.
Mohammed, who held a Bachelor’s Degree in Science (Bsc), was born on April 4, 1950.
He hailed from Ologba in Dekina LGA of Kogi State.
He attended St Joseph’s Primary School, Ayangba, in 1964; Government Secondary School, Okene, from 1965 to 1969; the University of Lagos from 1972 to 1975; and Glasgow College of Technology in Scotland from 1978 to 1979.
His journalism career included stints as associate editor at New Nigerian Newspapers from 1976 to 1980, managing editor of the same organisation in 1980, and deputy editor at National Concord between 1980 and 1982.
Mohammed later served as editor of National Concord from 1982 to 1984 before becoming co-founder and executive editor of Newswatch between 1984 and 1986.
He was managing editor of Newswatch from 1986 to 1994 and subsequently served as deputy chief executive officer of Newswatch Communications Limited from 1994.
Mohammed was also a director at Yadara Nigeria Limited and Lastop Limited.
He was a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Commonwealth Journalists’ Association (CJA), and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE).
The veteran journalist also served as pro-chancellor and chancellor of the governing council of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU).
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