A Tribute to Dr. Patrick Dele Cole
A Tribute to Patrick Dele Cole
Dr. Patrick Dele Cole ( PDC) passed away on 17 October 2026 at the age of 86, left a significant and lasting imprint on Nigerian journalism that many of the younger generation may not know about.
Leadership at the Daily Times (1976–1980)
Cole’s most defining media role came when he was appointed Managing Director of the Daily Times in 1976. At the time, the paper (then one of Africa’s largest and most influential) was under government control after the Murtala Muhammed administration acquired a majority stake. Despite this, Cole is widely credited with restoring its professional standing and influence.
Under his leadership, the newspaper regained stability, strengthened its reputation for analytical reporting, and once again became a major platform for national debate. He deliberately protected editorial independence rather than turning the paper into a government mouthpiece, insisting that journalists should report freely and hold power accountable.
Talent recruitment and newsroom culture
Cole was a skilled talent scout. He recruited and brought back to Nigeria two of the most influential journalists of the era:
– Dele Giwa who then working at the New York Times and Dr. Stanley Macebuh -an academic and liberal thinker teaching in the United States.
These appointments helped raise the intellectual and professional quality of the newsroom.
He also introduced popular and distinctive features such as the celebrated “Page 7,” literary reviews, and other columns that expanded the paper’s appeal and depth.
Institutional innovation: the Editorial Board
One of Cole’s most enduring contributions was the introduction of a formal Editorial Board at the Daily Times, modelled on the American system. This structure separated the formulation of the newspaper’s institutional opinions from day-to-day news reporting and feature writing. The model proved highly successful and was later adopted by virtually every major Nigerian newspaper.
Cole later applied the same approach at The Guardian, where he served as a director and long-time member/consultant of the Editorial Board after helping support the paper’s emergence in 1983. His presence helped give The Guardian’s opinion pages intellectual weight and independence.
Broader impact on Nigerian journalism
Cole is remembered as a bridge between academia and the newsroom. As a Cambridge-trained historian with a doctorate, he brought scholarly rigour, structured thinking, and a commitment to public accountability into Nigerian journalism at a critical period. He demonstrated that journalism could be both intellectually serious and commercially viable, and that media institutions could maintain integrity even under political pressure.
President Bola Tinubu, in his tribute, specifically highlighted Cole’s role in upholding the press’s duty to hold public officials accountable and strengthen democratic governance.
In summary, Patrick Dele Cole’s media legacy rests on three pillars: restoring the stature of the Daily Times, recruiting exceptional talent, and institutionalising the Editorial Board system that still shapes Nigerian newspapers today. He is widely regarded as one of the key figures who helped professionalise and intellectualise Nigerian journalism in the late 1970s and beyond.
