The late Public Relations (PR) veteran and pioneer president of Association of Corporate Communications and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB), Mallam Kabir Dangogo has been laid to rest in his home state, Kaduna according to Islamic rites.
According to a statement signed and released by his son, Ahmed, earlier in the day, the globally renowned PR heavyweight died on Thursday, March 6, 2025 after a protracted illness.
“With a heavy heart, pain and sadness but total submission to the will of Allah, we announce the death of our father, uncle, boss, friend and associate, Mallam Kabir Dangogo which occurred on the night of March 6, 2025 after a protracted illness,” the statement reads in part.
Dangogo retired from Union Bank of Nigeria PLC in 2005 as an Assistant General manager and head of the Corporate Affairs Department.
He had transverse several companies and agencies in his working career as editor, lecturer, public relations manager, author, publisher, advertising agent, and adviser on corporate and reputation management.
Tribute, Tributes and more tributes
However, since the news of his death broke early this morning, Nigerians from all works of life, particular those in the Public Relations practice have expressed shock as well as paid glowing tributes to the man referred by many as doyen of PR in Nigeria.
Earlier, President of ACAMB, Rasheed Bolarinwa on behalf of the Association said Dangogo was a great man and should be celebrated.
“He was a great man and should be celebrated. We take solace in the fact that ACAMB Stood by the family all through his ill-health but Allah knows best for taking him at this time. And his legacy lives on,” Bolarinwa said.
A former president of ACAMB, Dr. Eddy Ademosu in a condolence message said the late PR titan played his roles perfectly and will be sore missed.
“Truthfully, we are (All) passage of time. Mallam Dangogo’s time has finally come, and it pleases his Maker to call him home.
“Assuredly, Dangogo played his roles perfectly, making impacts as much as he could particularly in the banking industry where he had a successful career. He was the pioneering President of ACAMB and indeed, one of its founding fathers.
“Definitely, the brand image professionals in the industry have lost an astute, committed and forthright player.
May his indomitable soul rest with the Creator, and may the good Lord comfort the bereaved family, friends and associates. My sincere condolence,” he said.
A former President and Secretary General of the African Public Relations Association (APRA), Yomi Badejo-Okusanya in his tribute described the late Dangogo as ‘diligent and meticulous, always ensuring that procedure was followed’.
“I mourn today one my predecessors in office, Secretary General Mallam Kabir Dangogo.
“As SG elected in Accra in 2003, he assisted tremendously in laying the foundation for APRA as it is known today and making the transition from FAPRA seamless. It was on this foundation we built.
“Mallam was diligent and meticulous, always ensuring that procedure was followed. His insistence often projected him as unyielding and unbending, but that was who he was and he had no apologies for it.
“His sickness towards the end of his life robbed us of further valuable additions he would have made, as it slowed him down considerably.
“Undoubtedly, he will be remembered for his immense contributions to the profession, APRA, NIPR, ACAMB and so many others.
Adieu Mallam. Rest in PR, your beloved profession.”
Another PR guru, Dr. Kunle Ogedengbe has this to say about the late pioneer ACAMB president
“He will be remembered for advertising profession, academics and others. He was a quiet achiever. An embodiment of trust and mentorship. I gained a lot from him. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.”
For the former Chairperson of the Lagos Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Nkechi Ali-Balogun, Mallam Dangogo’s death was a personal loss. She went down memory lane on how Mallam Dangogo pushed her to greatness in PR and never stopped extending a helping hand.
“Mallam was pivotal in my becoming the first female Chairperson of the Lagos Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations. He supported me in connecting with PR heavyweights like Hajia Lami Tumaka, Eddy Wikina, and the late President Bob Ogbuagu. Mallam Kabir Dagogo believed in me. While the late Gbade Sanda introduced
me to the NIPR, it was Mallam Kabir who nurtured me personally.
When he first proposed the idea of forming the Association of Corporate Affairs Managers of Banks (ACAMB), he ensured that I was included as a founding member. Today, ACAMB has evolved into a highly reputable financial sector public relations group with over 350 members, and I am honored to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees,” her tribute reads in part.
Another respected PR practitioner, Yushau A. Shuaib could not believe his ears when the news of the death of Mallam Dangogo was passed to him early this morning by his son. He however took solace in the consolation that Mallam Dangogo’s legacy will continue to inspire generations of PR practitioners.
“My father died a while ago! Janaza will be at Sultan Bello Mosque Kaduna after Jumuat prayer, Insha Allah
“This was the sombre message that greeted me on my phone from Sadiq Kabir Dangogo, son of the legendary Mallam Kabir Dangogo, as I awoke for the Ramadan Sahur at 4:00 AM on Friday, March 7, 2025. For a moment, I was paralyzed by disbelief. I pinched myself to ensure it wasn’t a nightmare and sought further confirmation. The reality soon sank in: the man who had inspired countless African public relations professionals was no more.
“Mallam Kabir Dangogo was not just a name in the field of public relations; he was an institution. His contributions to the profession were monumental, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations of PR practitioners,” Shuaib said in his tribute.