Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has issued an executive order renaming the Benue Printing and Publishing Corporation to Dan Agbese Printing and Publishing Corporation.
The order honours journalist Dan Agbese, who died on November 17, 2025.
The statement announcing the order was released on Friday by Solomon Iorpev, Technical Adviser to the Governor on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communication.
The renaming follows an announcement made during a live broadcast marking the Golden Jubilee anniversary of Benue State.
Governor Alia said the move recognizes individuals who have contributed to the state’s development.
The new name will apply in all official documents, communications, legal instruments, signage, branding materials and public references.
Relevant ministries, departments and agencies have been directed to take steps to ensure full compliance and implementation.
Alia said the renaming will preserve Mr Agbese’s legacy and promote responsible journalism, ethical publishing and intellectual development in the state.
He urged media practitioners, writers, students and public servants to uphold the values exemplified by the late journalist.
Dan Agbese was editor of The Nigeria Standard and New Nigerian newspapers and served as General Manager of Radio Benue in Makurdi.
The media icon was a founder of NewsWatch magazine and served as its editor-in-chief until April 2010.
He held degrees in Mass Communications and Journalism from the University of Lagos and Columbia University, New York.
Agbese wrote several books, including Nigeria Their Nigeria, Fellow Nigerians, The Reporter’s Companion, Style: A Guide to Good Writing, and The Columnist’s Companion: The Art and Craft of Column Writing.
Before his death, he maintained weekly columns in newspapers such as Daily Trust and The Guardian and ran a media consultancy with colleagues Ray Ekpu, Yakubu Muhammed and Soji Akinrinade.
