Matilda Omonaiye/
The family of late journalist and media entrepreneur, Dotun Oladipo, has announced September 10 and 11, 2026, for the funeral rites of the former President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP).
Oladipo, Publisher of The Eagle Online and a prominent figure in Nigeria’s digital media industry, died on Tuesday, August 25, at the age of 56.
According to funeral arrangements announced by the family, a Service of Songs will be held on Thursday, September 10, at DayStar Church, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos.
The burial service will take place at the same venue on Friday, September 11, after which his remains will be interred.
Oladipo’s death has continued to draw tributes from colleagues and professional bodies across Nigeria’s media industry, where he built a career spanning traditional journalism and the rapidly expanding digital publishing landscape.
He served as President of GOCOP from 2017 to 2021 and was one of the foundational members who helped steer the association through its formative years, when online publishers were seeking greater professional recognition and credibility within Nigeria’s media establishment.
GOCOP President, Danlami Nmodu, described Oladipo’s death as a painful loss to the Guild, recalling his contributions to the development of professional online publishing in the country.
“Dotun played an important role in the development of GOCOP. He led the Guild for four years at a time when there was still a lot of work to be done to establish online publishers as an important part of the media. His contribution will always be remembered,” Nmodu said.
According to him, Oladipo brought to the leadership of GOCOP a combination of newsroom experience and an understanding of the commercial realities of digital publishing.
“Dotun understood journalism and he understood the business of publishing. He was passionate about the place of online media in Nigeria and he gave his time to the growth of the Guild. We are saddened by his passing,” Nmodu added.
Before establishing The Eagle Online, Oladipo had built a distinguished career in mainstream journalism, including serving as Political Editor of The Punch. His transition into digital publishing placed him among the generation of Nigerian journalists who helped establish online news platforms as influential players in the country’s media ecosystem.
Beyond GOCOP, Oladipo was a member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria) and remained active in initiatives aimed at strengthening journalism and online publishing in Nigeria.
His death has attracted condolences from prominent Nigerians and media organisations, including President Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, both of whom paid tribute to his professional contributions and commitment to journalism.
For colleagues and associates who worked with him across the newsroom and digital publishing industry, the September funeral ceremonies will mark a final farewell to a journalist whose career bridged two defining eras of Nigerian journalism — the traditional newspaper newsroom and the digital publishing revolution.
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