Idowu Sobowale: Iconic scholar, journalist, institution builder, teacher, administrator gone – ACSPN

The Association of Communication Scholars & Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) has described Professor Idowu Sobowale’s death as the loss of one of the Association’s most important pioneers, custodians and builders.
Sobowale, a former Special Adviser on Education to the Lagos State Government and later Commissioner for Education, was Chairman of the Association’s Board of Trustees (BoT) until his passing today, October 8, 2026. The Association honoured him with its highest award, Fellow of the ACSPN, on September 2, 2026.
The Association’s General Secretary, Dr Solomon Oyeleye, said in a statement that the deceased was an iconic scholar, journalist, teacher, administrator, and public intellectual, and one of the towering figures in the development of communication and journalism education in Nigeria.
According to the ACSPN scribe, Sobowale was not merely a distinguished member of the communication community; he was integral to ACSPN’s institutional DNA.
He said, “His contribution to ACSPN’s emergence dates back to its inception. At the historic International Conference for Media Educators held at Babcock University in May 2012, where the idea of establishing a national association for communication scholars and professionals was first seriously advanced, Professor Sobowale supported the proposal and encouraged the process that ultimately gave birth to ACSPN. Alongside Professor Dayo Alao, he urged Professor Nosa Owens-Ibie to take up the challenge of giving the idea institutional form.
“That early intervention was significant. It demonstrated Professor Sobowale’s deep understanding that advancing communication scholarship and professional practice required not only individual excellence but also strong institutions capable of bringing together scholars, educators, and practitioners.
“After ACSPN was incorporated in 2013, Professor Sobowale served as Chairman of the Association’s Board of Trustees and presided over its inaugural General Meeting in February 2014. He later became Life Chairman of the Board of Trustees. This position reflected the enormous confidence and respect the communication community placed in his wisdom, experience, and commitment to the Association.
“As Chairman of the Board, Professor Sobowale was more than a titular leader. He remained an active custodian of the Association’s values and institutional memory. Even in his later years, he remained keenly interested in ACSPN’s affairs, offering counsel to successive leaderships and encouraging them to preserve the founding generation’s vision.
“His influence on Nigerian communication scholarship and journalism extended far beyond ACSPN. He was among the first generation of Nigerian mass communication scholars and practitioners who helped lay the intellectual and professional foundations for contemporary communication education. He taught at the Daily Times Training School and the University of Lagos. He served as Head of the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos and later at Covenant University. He also played a key role in developing the Lagos State University School of Communication, serving as its pioneer Dean.
“For generations of students, journalists, academics, and communication professionals, Professor Sobowale was a teacher in the broadest sense. His influence extended beyond the classroom and academic publications. He deeply believed in communication’s capacity to shape society, strengthen institutions, and improve public life.
“ACSPN was privileged to honour him during his lifetime. In September 2026, the Association formally recognised him as one of its distinguished inaugural Fellows for his outstanding contributions to communication scholarship, journalism, professional development, and the growth of ACSPN.
“He was a pioneer when the idea of ACSPN was still a conversation; a trustee when the Association was taking institutional shape; a chairman when its foundations were being consolidated; and a mentor when new generations assumed responsibility for its future.
“As an Association, we will remember Professor Sobowale not only for the positions he held but also for the values he embodied: intellectual courage, institutional commitment, professional excellence, service, mentorship, and an unwavering belief in the power of communication scholarship to contribute to national development.’