Ahead of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Oyo State Council election, the incumbent Chairman, Comrade Ademola Babalola has inaugurated a campaign committee as he plans to contest for a second term in office as the chairman of the union.
The inauguration ceremony which took place yesterday at Dapo Aderogba Hall, Iyaganku, Ibadan had in attendance past chairmen and leaders of the union including Comrade Gbenga Ayoade, Comrade Mogaji Soladoye Adewole, Comrade Cosmas Oni, Comrade Lanre Ogundipe, Comrade Victor Oluwadamilare, and Comrade Wale Ojo-Lanre respectively.
The past leaders in their respective goodwill messages at the inauguration ceremony, scored Ademola Babalola led administration high and commended him for sustaining the legacies he met on ground and for bringing unprecedented transformation to the union within the three years of his first tenure.
They however urged him to continue with the feat and not deviate from the path of honour he has been towing when he assumed office for the second term so as not to betray the confidence the members of the union have in him.
Earlier in his speech, Comrade Ademola Babalola appreciated all the past chairmen and members that attended the inauguration ceremony despite the short notices sent to them.
Comrade Babalola who used the opportunity to reeled out some of the achievements he recorded in his outgoing first tenure, promised that welfare of the members of the union will form top priority as well as bringing back the glory of the Pen group of school in line with the vision of the founders in the union during the second tenure.
As part of his plan as well, Comrade Babalola promised that he would start an elderly council meeting on a quarterly basis with the first one coming up in March 2023 with a view to honouring the elders, getting them involved, and contributing their ideas for the growth of the council in Oyo state.
He further disclosed that the late former Governor of Oyo state, Senator Isiaq Ajimobi’s family has donated a new hall to the union and the foundation laying ceremony will come up on the 16th of December, 2022.
The campaign committee inaugurated has Oluwole Ige of Nigerian Tribune Newspaper as the Director-General and Ramat Alade of ALGIO as Secretary.
Other members of the committee are Jeremiah Oke, (Correspondent Chapel), Lekan Shobowale (BCOS Chapel); and Akinkunmi Adedoja (ALGIO) among others.
The committee is saddled with the task of creating formidable awareness about the successes of Ademola Babalola’s administration in all Chapels and reach out to delegates within Oyo State.
Babalola, who is seeking a second term was elected the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists in December, 2019 when he defeated the then incumbent Chairman, Comrade Adewunmi Faniran (fanny power) with wide landslide.
However, Ademola Babalola would be elected for second term as the Chairman of the union unopposed because no member of the union obtained nomination form to contest against him as at the time of closing of nomination form. He would be the second person to achieve that feat after Comrade Wale Ojo Lanre in the history of the union in Oyo State.
