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August 22, 2025 by Ntakobong Otongaran
•Dr. Asein signing the condolence register at The Nation head office, Mushin, Lagos, during the visit...yesterday. With him are other officials of the commission. PHOTO: LEKAN ALE
- She was champion in changing copyright narrative, says Asein
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, has expressed grief over the passing of The Nation’s Assistant Editor (Arts), Miss Evelyn Osagie.
Miss Osagie died at a Lagos hospital on Sunday after a brief illness.
She was 49.
Edun, who was the Chairman of the Management Board of Vintage Press, publishers of The Nation titles, described Miss Osagie’s death as a “sore loss” to journalism and the creative sector.
The minister was at the newspaper’s corporate head office in Mushin, Lagos, on Wednesday to commiserate with the management.
In a condolence message, the minister wrote: “Rest in perfect peace. You will be sorely missed by all.”
He acknowledged the late Miss Osagie’s influence in the newsroom and even beyond Nigeria’s creative community.
Also yesterday, the management of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) paid a condolence visit to The Nation corporate head office in Lagos over Miss Osagie’s death.
The NCC team, led by the commission’s Director-General, Dr. John O. Asein, was received by the Editor (Daily), Mr. Adeniyi Adesina.
Asein signed the condolence register and delivered a heartfelt tribute to Osagie.
“We are one of the top beneficiaries of her hard work, dedication, and commitment. Evelyn believed in the creative sector and went above and beyond even when no one was watching. She was everywhere, pouring her energy into her work, her poetry, her performances, and mentoring others,” Dr. Asein said.
He recalled one of her final contributions to the commission’s activities, saying: “One of the very last pieces she wrote connected with the NCC. It appeared on her women’s page, featuring our director’s office. She did it quietly, without prior discussion, and came to me only after it was published.
“Evelyn was a major champion in changing the copyright narrative. Over the last five or six years, I don’t know if anyone else in Nigeria’s print media wrote more about copyright than she did. She had already earned a place in our hearts and our Role of Icons. She chose to leave the stage before her last line, and we owe her a duty to continue from there.”
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Asein also highlighted the late Miss Osagie’s passion for children and youths through the Copyright and Creativity Club and her wider contributions to arts, literature, and creative advocacy.
Responding on behalf of The Nation newspaper, Mr. Adesina described Osagie as a rare professional whose dedication and warmth left a lasting impression on colleagues and interns alike.
“She was so hardworking and friendly with everyone. She treated interns like daughters and acted as a mentor and mother in the newsroom. Her energy, commitment, and humility were exceptional,” he said.
The Editor recalled Miss Osagie’s leadership of the women’s page.
He said: “I invited her to take charge of the women’s page in addition to her other duties. She didn’t argue; she simply started the page, and everything went smoothly.
“She would sleep in the office to meet deadlines, go out on assignments, return late, and still work overnight. Her tireless dedication inspired everyone around her.”
He also recalled the late journalist’s final days, saying: “Two weeks ago, she went on an assignment to cover the late Mabel Segun for the women’s page. The week she died, she was in the office producing her pages on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday, she went out on an assignment, and that night called her sister to say that she was unwell.
“By Friday, she was taken to a hospital, and by Sunday morning, she was gone. Her passing was so sudden and shocking, but we have accepted it as God’s will. All we can do now is preserve her memory and honour her legacy.”
English (US)