Nigeria's media marketing industry mourns Marketing Edge founder, John Ajayi

The media and integrated marketing communications industry in Nigeria is in mourning following the death of John Ajayi, the esteemed Founder and Publisher of Marketing Edge.

His passing is considered a monumental loss to the profession he helped shape.

Ajayi was a respected journalist, brand strategist, and visionary entrepreneur.

He built Marketing Edge into a leading platform for insights on marketing, advertising, and branding in Nigeria, championing ethical reporting and nurturing young professionals for decades.

His organization described him as a mentor, a builder, and a pioneer of brand journalism. Tributes have poured in from across the industry, highlighting his humility, work ethic, and transformative impact.

Princess Adeola Shittu, Publisher of Event Diary Lifestyle, shared an emotional tribute, recalling her last conversation with Ajayi. She described him as a mentor whose guidance shaped her career and whose legacy will continue to inspire.

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council, also expressed deep sadness, noting his death is a painful loss to the entire media and marketing community. The NUJ praised Ajayi as a visionary entrepreneur whose work elevated industry discourse and inspired many.

Ajayi is remembered as a force for innovation and excellence, devoted to the growth of marketing communications in Nigeria.

His legacy of integrity, professionalism, and commitment is expected to influence the sector for years to come.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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