Enugu, Nigeria — The Nigerian media community is mourning the death of Mr. Lewis Obi, a veteran journalist, editor and media executive whose career left a lasting imprint on modern Nigerian journalism. He was 77.
A native of Amurri in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, Mr. Obi was educated at Methodist Central School, Agbani, and earned a degree in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos, where he was a distinguished student of the late communications scholar Professor Alfred Opubor.
He rose to prominence as a star features writer at the Daily Times before being recruited by the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (M.K.O.) Abiola to join the Concord Group as Features Editor of National Concord.
He later became founding editor, Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director of African Concord, one of the group’s flagship weekly magazines.
Under his leadership, African Concord emerged as a major platform for investigative and analytical journalism during Nigeria’s years of military rule. His editorial work brought him into direct confrontation with state authorities, forcing him into exile in the United States after a period of intense repression.
Renowned as a mentor with a keen eye for talent, Obi nurtured many of Nigeria’s leading journalists and public intellectuals, leaving behind a legacy defined by courage, literary excellence and professional generosity.
Lewis Obi was married and is survived by his wife and children.
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.
