He was an ebullient journalist whose forte was investigative journalism. He took that brand of journalism to an enviable height before he was murdered on Sunday October 19, 1986 through a parcel bomb at the age of 39.
Twenty-six years ago today, the media world, nay, the whole world was shaken to its foundation by a parcel bomb that exploded in Lagos in the home of the editor-in chief of Newswatch Magazine, Mr Dele Giwa.
By the time the commotion caused by the explosion was over in a matter of minutes, Dele Giwa, one of the world's best journalists, had been reduced to shreds. Dele Giwa was dead; and the world watched in incredulity.
Shortly before his death he took a critical look on the high rate of shocks and surprises Nigerians undergo daily and wrote: "Nigerians have been shocked to the state of un- shockability." The journalist was right. Nigerians are able to absorb all these shocks and surprises because our shock absorbers are very strong and reliable. Be that as it may, no matter how strong these shocks may be, it is going to lose its strength and reliability someday.
About two years to his death, on 30th August, 1984, as if he was sure his life would be ended in the most brutal manner, Dele Giwa wrote this: "No evil deed can go unpunished. Any evil done by man to man will be redressed, if not now, then certainly later, if not by man, then certainly by God, for the victory of evil over good can only be temporary."
As we mourn today, let us believe that one-day, the Question: "Who Killed Dele Giwa?" would be answered to the satisfaction of the whole world.
