Professor Idowu Akanbi Sobowale, a veteran journalist, communication scholar and pioneer of opinion polling in Nigeria, has died at the age of 85.
A family member, Akinniyi Sowunmi, announced his death in a statement, saying the respected academic passed away on Thursday, October 8, 2026.
Sowunmi described his death as a major loss to Nigeria’s communication community, particularly members of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals in Nigeria.
The family also announced that information about his burial arrangements would be made public later.
Sobowale previously lectured at the University of Lagos, where he taught communication research, research methods, and techniques for collecting and analysing data.
He later became a professor of journalism at Lagos State University, where he served as the pioneer dean of the School of Communication between 2004 and 2007.
He was widely recognised for introducing precision journalism and opinion polling into Nigerian journalism.
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After obtaining his PhD from Syracuse University in the United States in 1978, Sobowale established a public opinion polling desk at The Punch newspaper, helping to advance data-driven reporting in the country.
Beyond journalism and academia, he also served in the Lagos State Government.
He worked as special adviser on education under the administration of former Governor Lateef Jakande before becoming commissioner for education during Bola Tinubu’s governorship from 1999 to 2003.
In recognition of his contributions to national development, Sobowale received the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) in 2006.
His death marks the end of a distinguished career that contributed significantly to journalism education, communication research and the development of opinion polling in Nigeria.
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