A former presidential spokesperson Dr Doyin Okupe is dead.
Sources close to the family confirmed that Okupe had been critically ill in the weeks leading up to his demise. It was reported that his death was linked to cancer, following a prolonged battle with the disease.
Okupe was first diagnosed with prostate cancer 16 years ago and later developed sarcoma in his right shoulder. In October 2023, he was hospitalized with prostate cancer and was flown to Israel for treatment, but his condition did not improve as hoped.
Born in Iperu, Ogun State, Okupe was the son of Chief Matthew Adekoya Okupe, a banker with Agbonmagbe Bank. He attended St. Jude’s School in Ebute Metta, Lagos, and Igbobi College in Yaba, Lagos, before earning a medical degree from the University of Ibadan.
Okupe co-founded the Royal Cross Medical Centre in Obalende, Lagos, alongside Dr. Seyi Roberts and Dr. Ladi Okuboyejo, serving as the center’s Managing Director and contributing significantly to healthcare delivery in the region.
Okupe transitioned into politics and became the National Publicity Secretary of the National Republican Convention (NRC) during the Third Nigerian Republic. He later served as Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Olusegun Obasanjo and as Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan.
In 2022, Okupe was briefly the vice-presidential candidate for the Labour Party before stepping down. He later became the Director-General of the Labour Party’s Presidential Campaign Organisation for the 2023 elections but resigned from the party in January 2024, citing ideological differences.
He described the Labour Party as a “Special Purpose Vehicle” used for contesting the 2023 presidential elections after his abrupt departure from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Okupe was married to Aduralere Okupe, and they had children, including Ditan and Bolu. In April 2020, he and his wife tested positive for COVID-19 but later recovered.
Okupe faced severe health challenges in his later years, battling prostate cancer and sarcoma. His health deteriorated significantly before his passing on March 9, 2025.
