Dan Ochima Agbese, journalist and former managing director, Newswatch Books Limited, 73, May 20. Born in Agila, Ador local government area of Benue State, he was educated at Native Authority School, Otobi, 1957-1959; Government Teachers’ Training College, Keffi, 1960-1962; University of Lagos, 1970-1973; Thomson Foundation, Cardiff, UK, 1976; Columbia University, New York, USA, 1976-1977. He was staff writer, New Nigerian newspapers, 1967-1970; chief sub-editor, The Nigerian Standard, Jos, 1974-1976; assistant editor, The Nigerian Standard, 1978-1980. Agbese was appointed general manager, Radio Benue, Makurdi, 1980; special adviser and director of information, Benue State, 1980-1982; editor, New Nigerian, Kaduna, 1982-1984; co-founder and managing director, Newswatch magazine, Lagos, 1984. He was elevated to the position of deputy editor-in-chief/deputy chief executive, Newswatch, 1994-2010. He became managing director, Newswatch Books Limited, May 2010, until he retired from Newswatch Communications Limited, on May 5, 2011, alongside other directors. Agbese is a winner of the prestigious Pitman Prize Award, Columbia University and several other awards. He is now an executive director of MayFive Media Limited.

—  May 22, 2017 @ 1:00 GMT