Headline

Thisday Group Announces New Executive Appointments

Published

2 years ago

July 20, 2021

Editor

The board of directors of THISDAY Group has announced new executive and senior appointments for THISDAY Newspapers and the Arise News Channel, with immediate effect.

Following the approval of the board, Shaka Momodu after a 7-year stint as the Editor of the Saturday and Sunday titles of the newspaper, has been appointed as the Editor of THISDAY.

He succeeds Mr. Bolaji Adebiyi, who was promoted to the position of Managing Editor (Print and Digital). Mr. Israel Iwegbu was announced as the Deputy Managing Director, THISDAY.

By this promotion, Momodu becomes the first person, who started his journalism career with THISDAY as a rookie reporter, to rise through the ranks to emerge as the editor of the most influential newspaper in the country.

He is expected to enrich the editorial content of the newspaper for the benefit of the paper’s esteemed readers.

Also, the Deputy Editor of THISDAY, Mr. Davidson Iriekpen, has been appointed Editor of THISDAY, the Sunday Newspaper, while the Editor of the Saturday Newspaper, Mr. Yemi Adebowale was reappointed on same position by the board.

Similarly, Mr. Olawale Olaleye, who was the Deputy Editor of the Sunday Newspaper was promoted to the position of Deputy Editor of THISDAY, just as the Group Business Editor, Mr. Obinna Chima was also promoted to the position of the Deputy Editor of THISDAY.

In the same vein, Mr. Festus Akanbi, the Deputy Editor of the Saturday Newspaper has been promoted to the position of the Deputy Editor of the Sunday Newspaper; the News Editor, Mr. Alike Ejiofor, was also promoted to the position of Deputy Editor of the Sunday Newspaper, and Mr. Ahamefula Ogbu, has been promoted to the position of the Deputy Editor of the Saturday Newspaper.

The Capital Market Editor, Mr. Goddy Egene was also promoted to the position of Group News Editor, while the Maritime Editor, Mr. Eromosele Abiodun is the new Group Business Editor.

For ARISE News Channel, the new Deputy Managing Directors are Mr. Bayo Awosemo and Mr. Emmanuel Efeni; and the Managing Editor is Mr. Christian Ogodo.

The board also announced the appointment of Mr. Summer Sambo as the Director of News (Abuja) and Mr. Yemi Ajayi as Director of News (Lagos) for Arise News Channel.

Similarly, the Director of Engagement & Guest Liaison for Arise News Channel is Mr. Joseph Ushigiale and Tobi Soniyi is the Deputy Director of News (Abuja). Mr. Ohi Odiai is the Deputy Director of News (Lagos) for Arise News Channel.

Momodu, born March 12, 1968, was promoted editor of THISDAY, The Sunday Newspaper in June 2018, after over four years in the job as the Editor of THISDAY, The Saturday Newspaper. He had risen through the ranks to become an associate Editor of the Saturday Newspaper, where he was promoted to Editor of the Saturday title.

He brings into the job his invaluable experience that spans over 20 years.

Momodu is a graduate of Political Science, Edo State University now Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma. He is currently doing an executive programme at the prestigious Yale School of Management, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America.

Momodu attended Okotie Eboh Grammar School, Sapele between 1982 and 1986 before proceeding to one of the nation’s foremost state universities, the Edo State University, Ekpoma between 1992 and 1996. He joined THISDAY as a reporter in 2000, and a year later was promoted to senior reporter.

In 2003, he was promoted to state correspondent and was posted to Governor’s Office, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

He left the post in 2007, when he was promoted to deputy editor of The Glitterati, a lifestyle pull-out section inside the Sunday Newspaper. He was later appointed as associate editor of the Saturday Newspaper; a position he held until his appointment as the substantive Editor of the Saturday Newspaper.

An experienced journalist with over two decades’ cognate professional experience, he has extensive contacts within the nation’s business and political community. Momodu, in the course of his career, has anchored many investigative stories, profiled and interviewed over 200 political and business leaders, viz. governors, legislators and top-notch CEOs. He has attended many seminars, conferences and training courses both within and outside the country.

Iriekpen attended Ogun State Polytechnic, Abeokuta and the University of Ibadan. He joined THISDAY Newspapers in 2000. His commitment to his job, saw him being moved from the sub-desk to Sunday paper, where he anchored international and political stories. In 2007, he was moved again to cover Judiciary, a beat he covered so diligently and effectively to the admiration of lawyers. As a result of the way and manner he covered the courts and other legal and constitutional matters, in 2010, he was made the Judiciary Editor.

In 2012, he was elevated to the position of Group News Editor, a position he held till 2018, when he was appointed Deputy Editor Daily.

Adebowale, 53, was reappointed the Editor of Saturday THISDAY Newspaper. A British Chevening Scholar, he holds over 28 years’ experience in media, advertising and Public Relations. Before joining THISDAY, he had worked in places like Vanguard, Newswatch, The Punch, MTN Nigeria and the Yorkshire Post Newspaper in the United Kingdom.

Adebowale has won numerous awards in journalism, including the 2000 Commonwealth Media Award by Fletcher Challenge Paper, New Zealand; the 1999 African Journalist of the Year Award by the African Journalist Foundation, AJF, South Africa and the Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA) in 1999.

The THISDAY Saturday Editor was educated at the University of Cambridge, University of Leeds, Ogun State Polytechnic, Baptist Academy, Lagos, Immaculate Heart Comprehensive Secondary School, Maryland, Lagos and St. Agnes Primary School, Maryland, Lagos.

Olaleye joined the THISDAY family on December 9, 1998, where he rose from being an intern to becoming the Group Politics Editor and later, Deputy Editor on Sunday.

A graduate of Mass Communications from the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (former Ogun State Polytechnic), Ojere, Abeokuta in Ogun State, he also holds a Master degree in Communication Studies from the Lagos State University, LASU. A noted political reporter, Olaleye had undertaken some development courses over time, including a media operation course at the Kofi Annan Centre in Accra, Ghana and an Executive Development Programme on Leading Teams for Optimal Performance by the TEXEM Group.

Chima joined THISDAY in 2010 as a Business Correspondent and was appointed Group Business Editor in 2018. He started his career in 2006, with National Mirror Newspapers as a Business Reporter, immediately after graduating from Imo State University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics. He also worked briefly with The Punch Newspaper and Business Hallmark Newspaper as Business Correspondent respectively, as well as with Profund Securities Limited as a Research and Planning Officer.

Chima is presently a doctoral student of Policy and Strategic Studies at Covenant University, Ogun State. He holds a Master of Science Degree in Research and Public Policy from the University of Lagos as well as a Master of Science in Economics from the Lagos State University. He has attended courses on business journalism in Nigeria, which includes Bloomberg Media Initiative in Africa; Advanced Training on Financial Journalism, Press Media Association, London; Advanced Writing and Reporting Skills (AWARES), Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos; and Thompson Reuters Training on Financial Journalism, Uganda, among several others.

Akanbi boasts some 30 years experience in Journalism. He began his journalism career with the old Daily Times in 1991, from where he joined The Punch in 2000 and rose to the position of Assistant Editor, (Business) until he joined THISDAY as Sunday Business Editor in March 2008.

In 2015, he became a deputy editor, THISDAY (Sunday) until he took a leave of absence to work with former Minister of Finance as a Special Assistant on Communications, in February 2016.

He later worked as an Assistant Director, Federal Inland Revenue Service between 2017 and September 2020. He returned to THISDAY as Deputy Editor, Saturday.

Akanbi, who holds a Master degree in History from the University of Lagos, is currently a doctoral student of History and Strategic Studies of the same University.

Alike, a graduate of Accounting and a Master holder in Banking and Finance from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, joined THISDAY as Energy Correspondent in 2008 and was promoted to the position of News Editor in 2018. Prior to then, he was an Energy Analyst with BusinessDay Newspaper. He had also gathered experience in public service from the Enugu State Local Government System, where he rose to become a senior staff member.

Ogbu is a graduate of Mass Communication from Federal Polytechnic, Oko (then Anambra State Polytechnic), where he obtained HND. Thereafter, he obtained a Master of Business Administration in Marketing from Federal University of Technology, Owerri, before obtaining a Post-graduate Diploma and Master of Art in Linguistics and Communication Studies from the University of Port Harcourt.

He had held the positions of Judicial Editor, Editor, House of Representatives as well as covered the Presidential Villa, Abuja from where he was posted to the Saturday Desk as News Editor, before the current promotion

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Fuel Subsidy Removal: FG, Labour Meeting Ends in Deadlock

Published

2 days ago

June 1, 2023

Eric

Talks between the Federal Government and organised labour over the removal of fuel subsidy ended in a deadlock on Wednesday as they failed to reach a consensus following the hike in petrol pump prices to over N700 from N195 per litre by oil marketers.

The hours-long meeting which was held at the Presidential Villa was to, among other things, prevent a labour crisis following the recent increase in the petrol pump price occasioned by the discontinuance of petroleum subsidy.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited said it had adjusted the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit to reflect the market realities. The agency, however, failed to state the new prices of petrol.

However, several retails outlets sold the product between 600 and N800 in Lagos, Abuja , Ogun and some other states.

The National Public Relations Officer, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chief Chinedu Ukadike, pointed out that the hike in the cost of PMS would trigger galloping inflation in the country, stressing that some outlets in the South-East were currently dispensing the product at N1,200/l.

Ukadike stated, “Once NNPCL retail stations have adjusted their pumps to reflect the new price, there is nothing you can do about it; that is the new price. As I speak with you, all of them are now selling at the new prices. The situation is so bad, that somewhere in Ebonyi State our members informed us that it is now N1,200/litre.

“We thought the President would remove the subsidy through a seamless means because the source of this petrol is the NNPCL. They are the ones subsidising petroleum products, they are the people who use their revenue to subsidise this product.’’

The IPMAN spokesperson expressed worry over the rate of increase in inflation and hardship that would come as a result of the latest hike in petrol price.

“This hike in petrol price will definitely lead to galloping inflation and will worsen the hardship already being faced by the Nigerian masses. It is not something to cheer about. It came as a surprise and in the coming days, we will see the very harsh ripple effects,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Ukadike has called on the Federal Government and the NNPCL to give other marketers the opportunity to start importing petrol in order to create competition in the sector.

“The NNPCL is importing and has not given people the opportunity to join them in importing so as to see whether private sector operators can import the product cheaper or not. So there is no competition. In a deregulated regime, there must be competition, everyone with capacity should be allowed to import,” the IPMAN official stated.

When asked whether other marketers could resume imports since the government had finally deregulated petrol prices, Ukadike replied, “Marketers can import, but let me tell you some of the factors militating against this. The first is that there won’t be availability of dollars.

“You will source your dollar from the parallel market and if you are not careful in doing this, and you go into the importation of petroleum products, you might not ‘come out of it alive’ at the end of the day.

“So what we are saying is that those advantages that NNPCL has, should be shared with other major importers of petroleum products. If it is through crude buy-back, they should let us know so that independent players such as IPMAN members can come together and be able to use it in the buy-back model.’’

He added, “For independent marketers, the most important thing is that there should be availability of petroleum products, and the government should open up the space for importers and investors to come in.”

NNPCL, the sole importer of petrol into Nigeria for several years running, confirmed the hike in petrol price in a statement and a new pricing template released to marketers nationwide.

But the move has sparked a groundswell of anger across the nation with the Nigeria Labour Congress demanding an immediate reversal of the decision.

The union also said it would hold an emergency meeting on Friday on the fuel price increase which had triggered hoarding and scarcity across the country with attendant rise in transport fares, goods and services.

The fuel price hike by the oil firm is coming 72 hours after President Bola Tinubu declared in his inaugural address on Monday that the subsidy regime had ended.

To pacify the growing anger over the situation, the FG hastily summoned some labour leaders to a meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday evening.

The meeting had in attendance the NLC President, Joe Ajaero and his Trade Union Congress counterpart, Festus Osifo, former NLC President and immediate past governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, Permanent Secretary, State House, Tijjani Umar, Head of Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPCL, Mele Kyari, and others, however, ended in a deadlock as the labour and government teams failed to reach a consensus.

Speaking at the end of the meeting, Joe Ajaero, said “As far as labour is concerned, we didn’t have a consensus in this meeting.”

He faulted the NNPCL over an official release published hours earlier reviewing the petrol pump price in its filling stations nationwide.

He said the move puts the labour unions in a difficult position on the negational table.

“That’s the principle of negotiation. You don’t put the partner, ask them to negotiate under gunpoint. The prayer of the NLC is that we go back to the status quo, negotiate, think of alternatives and all the effects and how to manage the effects this action is going to have on the people. If it is an action that must take off.

“The subsidy provision has been made up to the end of June. And before then, conscious people, labour management, and the government should be able to think of what will happen at the end of June. You don’t start it before the time,” Ajaero said.

The Punch

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Breaking: Founder, DAAR Communications, Raymond Dokpesi is Dead

Published

5 days ago

May 29, 2023

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The Founder of DAAR Communications, owners of the foremost radio and television stations in Nigeria, Raypower and African Independent Television (AIT), High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, is dead.

Reliable sources said the High Chief died while exercising on a treadmill on Monday afternoon.

The source said Dopkesi suffered a stroke some weeks ago.

Details soon…

Headline

I Stand on Rule of Law, with Our Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, PDP, Says Dele Momodu

Published

5 days ago

May 29, 2023

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

Frontline journalist and Director of Strategic Communications of the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Council in the just concluded Presidential election, Chief Dele Momodu, had said that he remains a loyal member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and will always stand on the side of rule of law, and with the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

Momodu made the revelations in a statement he signed himself, noting that the last election, which brought Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to power, was savagely manipulated by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He praised the steps Atiku, and the presidential candidate of the Labour candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, have taken in seeking legal redress.

The statement in details:

I STAND ON RULE OF LAW

My position on the state of our country NIGERIA is simple and straightforward. I’m a loyal member of PDP who owes absolute allegiance to Nigeria and its Rule of Law. My political party PDP and others passionately hold the view that the last Presidential election was savagely manipulated by the ruling party APC and the cases are already in courts. Nothing will make me abandon my party on the altar of convenience and profit. Win or lose, I will continue to stand on this principle without any malice or prejudice against those who think otherwise. Democracy is a game of choice and I’m resolutely standing by our candidate, the former Vice President ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR (GCON) who has taken the honorable and peaceful step of going to court to seek redress. This is the only way we can deepen our hard earned Democracy. Sacrifice is not always convenient but painful.

I salute and respect The Wazirin Adamawa and others like my dear friend and Brother, former Governor Peter Obi, the Labor Party Presidential candidate, for promoting the best tenets of Democracy in Nigeria and I’m willing to encourage them rather than discourage their onerous quests…

CHIEF DELE MOMODU