Dr. Doyin Okupe, a prominent Nigerian physician, politician, and former presidential aide, passed away at the age of 72 in a hospital on Victoria Island, Lagos State, on Friday, 7th March.
According to family sources, Dr. Okupe had been critically ill in the weeks leading up to his death, after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was first diagnosed with prostate cancer 16 years ago and later developed sarcoma in his right shoulder. Despite undergoing treatment, including a trip to Israel in October 2023 for further care, his condition worsened, and he tragically succumbed to the illness after experiencing a brief remission.
Born on 22nd March 1952 in Iperu, Ogun State, Dr. Okupe was the son of Chief Matthew Adekoya Okupe, a banker at Agbonmagbe Bank. He received his early education at St. Jude’s School in Ebute Metta, Lagos, before attending Igbobi College in Yaba, Lagos, and the University of Ibadan in Oyo State.
A respected figure in Nigerian politics, Dr. Okupe served as Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Olusegun Obasanjo at the onset of the Fourth Nigerian Republic. He was also a prominent contender in the 2002 People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries in Ogun State, alongside Gbenga Daniel. In 2012, President Goodluck Jonathan appointed him as Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs. More recently, he served as the spokesperson for the Peter Obi presidential campaign.
Dr. Okupe is survived by his wife and children.
