Business a.m.
The League of Nigerian Columnists (LNC) has announced the death of Yakubu Mohammed, its vice-president and a prominent figure in Nigeria’s intellectual, academic and public life, describing his passing as a significant loss to national discourse.
Mohammed, who also served as a university pro-chancellor, was widely regarded as a principled administrator and a senior voice within Nigeria’s community of writers and commentators. In a statement signed by Anthony Kila, its secretary general, the LNC said Mohammed had played a central role in strengthening the organisation’s credibility and influence in public debate.
During his tenure as vice-president, Mohammed was credited with helping to shape the League’s institutional direction, offering mentorship and counsel to colleagues and younger writers. The LNC said his leadership was marked by “wisdom, steadfastness and profound institutional knowledge”, qualities that helped entrench the group’s reputation for intellectual seriousness and independence.
Beyond the League, Mohammed built a reputation as a disciplined and ethical administrator in higher education, where he served as pro-chancellor. Colleagues described him as a firm believer in the role of strong institutions in national development, and as someone who brought rigour and integrity to governance in academia.
As a columnist, he was known for writing that combined clarity of thought with moral seriousness. His commentary frequently addressed issues of governance, democracy and national development, and was aimed at challenging complacency and raising the standard of public debate. The LNC said his work contributed “meaningfully to Nigeria’s democratic conversation” and inspired reflection across professional and civic circles.
The League said Mohammed’s death would be felt not only among its members but across Nigeria’s wider network of journalists, scholars, administrators and public intellectuals. “His voice, discernment and exemplary character will be sorely missed,” the statement said.
The LNC extended condolences to Mohammed’s family, friends and colleagues, and said it would honour his legacy by recommitting itself to the values he embodied, including intellectual honesty, public responsibility and the careful use of language in service of society.
