Veteran journalist, historian and former Nigerian diplomat, Dr. Patrick Dele Cole, has died at the age of 86.
Cole died in London on Saturday morning, October 17, 2026, family sources confirmed. He had reportedly been ill in recent weeks and had just been discharged from the Intensive Care Unit.
A family source told THEWILL, “He left ICU a few days ago. He had been doing poorly in recent weeks leading to this end.”
Born on August 4, 1940, Cole celebrated his 86th birthday just two months ago. He was a prominent figure across media, diplomacy and academia.
Cole began his career in journalism, serving on the editorial board of The Guardian newspaper before rising to become Managing Director of the Daily Times, one of Nigeria’s most influential newspapers at the time.
He later joined public service as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Argentina and Brazil.
Beyond journalism and diplomacy, Cole was widely respected as a historian and public affairs analyst, known for his contributions to discourse on governance, politics and national development.
He was part of a generation of Nigerian public intellectuals whose careers spanned media, public administration and international relations. As of the time of filing this report, the family is yet to announce burial arrangements.
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