Founder of Eagle Online Newspaper, Dotun Oladipo Dies at 56

Dotun Oladipo, founder of The Eagle Online_ and President Emeritus of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, GOCOP, is dead

Hale and hearty earlier in the day, Oladipo reportedly developed a health issue on Tuesday evening while on his way to a meeting.

He reached out to his doctor by phone with the assistance of someone nearby. Unfortunately, frantic attempts by the doctor to revive him proved unsuccessful.

With no apparent indication that death was imminent, several people have said they had spoken with him earlier in the day.

Curiously, time and unforeseen circumstances had also placed Oladipo in danger in March 2025, when he, his wife and daughter narrowly survived the Otedola Bridge tanker fire.

His mechanic, Rotimi Olaleye, died in the incident, while Oladipo’s vehicle was destroyed.

That incident provided a rare glimpse into his life outside his professional role as a publisher and GOCOP leader.

Dotun Oladipo was a Nigerian journalist, digital media publisher and one of the pioneers of organised online publishing in Nigeria.

A newshound with impeccable nose for news, and an uncommon passion and commitment to the pursuit of truth, he worked at various times with Newswatch magazine, The Punch and Nigerian Tribune newspapers respectfully.

He was best known as the Publisher/CEO of The Eagle Online and for his leadership role in the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers.

Oladipo launched The Eagle Online in January 2011, making him one of the early adopters of digital journalism in Nigeria.

He was also involved in the founding of GOCOP in 2013, when the organisation initially operated as the Nigerian Online Publishers Association.

Oladipo became the second President of GOCOP in 2017 and served two consecutive two-year terms. In October 2021, he handed over to Maureen Chigbo, publisher of Realnews.

He remained active in GOCOP after his presidency. At the Guild’s 2024 conference, he was identified as President Emeritus and Chairman of its Ombudsman/Disciplinary Committee.

At the same conference, Oladipo delivered a presentation on website optimisation, with particular emphasis on improving the performance and visibility of online news platforms.

Beyond GOCOP, Oladipo was inaugurated in October 2024 as the pioneer President of the Innovative Media Partners Cooperative Multipurpose Society (IMPCMS), alongside Nkanu Egbe and Dolapo Otegbayi.

The cooperative was inaugurated by the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment to promote resource sharing, training, collaboration and networking among media professionals.

Oladipo had a far-reaching reputation in Nigeria’s online media industry. A 2024 profile marking his 55th birthday described him as a pioneer of digital journalism, a team builder and strategist, while highlighting his longstanding involvement in building GOCOP.

The profile also noted that he helped establish GOCOP’s official website and served as the organisation’s chief scribe before becoming president.