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President Bola Tinubu has paid tribute to renowned mass communication scholar, Professor Idowu Sobowale, who led Nigeria’s first nationwide opinion poll to predict the outcome of the 1979 elections.
Sobowale, a distinguished academic, journalist, and former Lagos State Commissioner for Education, died at the age of 85.
In a condolence message issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu described his death as a major loss to Nigeria’s academic community, media profession and generations of students who benefited from his scholarship and mentorship.
He recalled Sobowale’s commitment to evidence-based journalism, noting that his emphasis on empirical evidence over opinion informed his pioneering role in conducting the nationwide opinion poll ahead of the 1979 elections.
“Professor Sobowale was committed to intellectual excellence, professional ethics, and the training of young Nigerians. His life’s work helped strengthen the foundations of media education and professional journalism in the country,” Tinubu said.
The President also recalled Sobowale’s service in Lagos State, where he served as special adviser before becoming commissioner for education, describing his performance in both positions as commendable.
Tinubu commiserated with the deceased’s family, colleagues, former students, and the wider academic and media communities, as well as the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria, where Sobowale served as chairman of the Board of Trustees.
He acknowledged the late professor’s contributions to mass communication education and his lasting influence on journalism and media studies in Nigeria.
The president urged those mourning him to draw comfort from his legacy of service, scholarship, and mentorship, praying for the repose of his soul.
