Veteran Nigerian journalist and former Editor at PM NEWS, Mr. David Oko Odey, has died at the age of 63 after a brief illness.
He passed away in his hometown of Okuku, Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State. He is survived by his wife and two children.
Tributes have continued to pour in from across the media industry, including colleagues, senior journalists and the management of Independent Communications Network Limited (ICNL), publishers of PM NEWS and TheNEWS magazine, who described him as a disciplined editor with strong commitment to accuracy and newsroom standards.
Born on January 1, 1962, Odey spent more than three decades in journalism.
He trained at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism in Lagos, obtaining a Diploma in 1989, and later earned a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Lagos in 2003.
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He began his career in Calabar as a reporter and acting News Editor at the Herald of the New Kingdom Newspaper before moving to Today’s Choice Magazine as Senior Sub-Editor.
He later worked in editorial roles at PM NEWS, Evening Express, Midday Newspaper and Newsbreak Newspaper, earning a reputation for speed, precision and discipline.
In September 2004, Independent Communications Network Limited appointed him Deputy Editor of PM NEWS, where he played a key role in editorial coordination and newsroom operations.
Former presidential adviser and veteran journalist, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, described him as a reliable professional who upheld journalism ethics and ensured accuracy and timely publication of news.
Colleagues remember him as a quiet but firm editor whose work helped shape younger journalists and strengthen newsroom discipline across the organizations he served.