Dele Giwa: Doctor recounts final moments of journalist after 1986 assassination

Dr. Dokun Adedeji has recounted the final moments of Dele Giwa, the founding Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch Magazine, who was assassinated via a parcel bomb on October 19, 1986, in Lagos, Nigeria.

Speaking at the launch of ‘Dele Giwa’s Granite Journalism’ at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Adedeji described the severity of Giwa's injuries after he was rushed to the First Foundation Medical Centre in Ikeja. The doctor recalled that Giwa, who was 39 at the time, remained conscious and asked, ‘Dokun, se mi o ni ku sha? (I hope I will not die?)’, while also inquiring about the safety of his wife, Funmi, and daughter, Aisha.

Giwa died at approximately 1:00 pm that day. The assassination occurred during the military administration of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, shortly after Giwa had been questioned by the State Security Service. The book launch, organized by Newswatch alumni, features Giwa’s writings for Daily Times, Sunday Concord, and Newswatch magazine.