Date: 2016-06-30

Abdulwaheed Bibire of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) Ilorin and Olayinka Owolewa of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), have been elected as Chairman and Secretary of Kwara chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN).

The election took place on Thursday, June 30, at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Press Centre, Ilorin.

Bibire, who was former Vice-Chairman of the association and other members of the new executives were elected unopposed.

The Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Mallam Adisa Akodudu, while declaring them elected, said that they have met all conditions as spelt out in the constitution of the association and of the NUJ.

Other members elected in the well attended congress that was supervised by a National Officer, Alloy Chukwuemeka are Feruke Yusuf of The Herald Newspapers (Vice Chairman), Abdulrosheed Okiki of Radio Kwara (Assistant Secretary) and Toyin Saheed of National Pilot as the Treasurer.

The Chairman of the Electoral Committee commended the out-gone executives for their support throughout the process of the election.

The Chairman of Kwara NUJ, Mallam Biodun Abdulkareem charged the new executives to emulate the out-gone executives by building on their achievements and also break new grounds.

The General Manager of the NTA, Alhaji Ibrahim Mojeed, former Chairman of Kwara NUJ, Alhaji Tunde Akanbi.

Bayour Issah of Sportspro International, Chairman of the Correspondents Chapel, Layi Olanrewaju and the immediate past Chairman, Bunmi Adedoyin charged the new executives to sustain the legacies of the past executives.

They also called on them to embrace professionalism, transparency and accountability in the discharge of their duties.

The Supervisor, Alloy Chukwuemeka commended the immediate past executives on their achievements, which he said, placed Kwara SWAN among the first four in the country.

He charged the new executives to take advantage of the right atmosphere created by the out-gone executives, and to hold regular congress and also introduce yearly programme.

He reminded them that the national SWAN election will come up in Ilorin between July 12th and 13th.

In his acceptance speech, Bibire said he will concentrate on periodic training and retraining of members in order to uphold professionalism, even as he pledged to prioritise members' welfare.

Earlier in his valedictory speech, the immediate past Chairman, Bunmi Adedoyin said that despite the challenges witnessed, they were able to lay a legacy, a solid foundation for Kwara SWAN, which he implored the new executives to build upon.