The passing of Doyin Okupe, former presidential spokesperson and ex-Director-General of Peter Obi’s 2023 Presidential Campaign Organisation, has marked the end of an era in Nigerian politics.
Okupe, who died at the age of 72 on March 7, 2025, reportedly battled cancer, leaving behind a rich legacy of political influence, media engagement, and public service.
Throughout his career, Okupe was known for his outspoken personality, strategic political moves, and deep involvement in Nigeria’s governance.
He played pivotal roles in various administrations, from serving as a media adviser to former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan to leading campaign efforts for several presidential aspirants.
Here are 25 key facts about the late Doyin Okupe:
1. He was born on March 22, 1952, in Iperu, Ogun State.
2. He was the son of Chief Matthew Adekoya Okupe, a banker at Agbonmagbe Bank.
3. He attended St. Jude’s School in Lagos, Igbobi College, and the University of Ibadan, where he studied medicine.
4. He worked at St. Nicholas Hospital and other medical institutions before venturing into politics.
5. He co-founded Royal Cross Medical Centre with Dr. Seyi Roberts and Dr. Ladi Okuboyejo, serving as its Managing Director.
6. In 1994, he and Dr. Seyi Roberts saved a gunshot victim’s life, showcasing his dedication to medicine.
7. He founded and published a health newspaper called Life Mirror.
8. He entered politics in 1983, contesting for a House of Representatives seat under the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
9. He served as National Publicity Secretary of the National Republican Convention (NRC) in the early 1990s.
10. He was detained in 1996 during General Sani Abacha’s military regime.
11. He was disqualified from contesting the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) primaries in 1998.
12. He was appointed Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Olusegun Obasanjo.
13. He contested for Ogun State governorship under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2002.
14. In 2012, he was appointed Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan.
15. He served as spokesman for PDP presidential aspirants, including Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, Bukola Saraki, and Atiku Abubakar.
16. He left the PDP in 2017 to join the Accord Party, only to be expelled in 2018 for supporting Bukola Saraki’s PDP campaign.
17. He rejoined the PDP in 2019 and became a campaign spokesman for Atiku Abubakar.
18. He later joined the Labour Party (LP) and was briefly announced as Peter Obi’s running mate before a substantive vice-presidential candidate was selected.
19. He faced EFCC investigations in 2012 over alleged unexecuted contracts in Benue and Imo states.
20. During the 2019 elections, he supported Atiku Abubakar, while his son Ditan Okupe backed Muhammadu Buhari.
21. He survived COVID-19 in 2020 along with his wife.
22. His son, Bolu Okupe, made headlines in 2021 after publicly coming out as gay while living in Paris.
23. He was married to Aduralere Okupe and had two children.
24. He came from a prominent family, with brothers Kunle, Owo, Wemi, and Larry Okupe, and sisters Aina Okanlawon and Bisola Ayeni.
25. Despite political shifts, both he and his son Bolu later supported Peter Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign.
Doyin Okupe’s career was marked by resilience, controversy, and influence. His contributions to Nigerian politics, media, and public affairs will remain a subject of discussion for years to come.
