Yusuf Bakare
Kwara correspondents Chapel has broken an over 40 year’s record in achieveing a hitch free transition of leadership with the full copoperation of all members speaking with a voice.
Biola Azeez, the Kwara state correspondent of the Tribune newspapers emerged as the new Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kwara State Council.
Azeez’s emerged by affirmation marking the end of Abdulhakeem Garba-led executive tenue of six years of two terms ushering in new leadership for the elite corp of journalists reporting happenstances in the state of harmony.
Others members elected by affirmation were Ibrahim Alege of TVC as Vice Chairman, Sikirat Shehu of BusinessDay as Financial Secretary and Afusat Agunbiade of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
However elections were keenly carried out for two offices in the chapel; office of the Chapel secretary and the Auditor.
After the votings, Mosunmola Ayobami of Western Post defeated Olufemi Akobi of AIT by 27 votes to 4, while Oluseyi Dasilva of Arise TV triumphed over Taiye Joseph of Daily Graphics in another closely watched race.
The new leadership is expected to build on the achievements of the outgoing executive in promoting professional excellence and strengthening collaboration between the media and public institutions in Kwara State.
In his acceptance speech, Biola Azeez commended the immediate past executives of the chapel on standard set, pledging that his administration would improve on professionalism and welfare of members.
He also said that efforts would be made to improve on relationship with governments and other newsmakers in the state in order to perform more effectively and serve as watch dog of the society.
For his own part, Oluseyi Dasilva of ARISE NEWS TV elected as Auditor said that he would ensure a duty as watch dog of the congress, representing the Chapel as ears and eyes of members.
He added that he would ensure transparency and accountability in all financial dealings as affecting the chapel presenting a free and fair opinion of findings at periodic intervals as stipulated by the constitution of the Union.
End.