Comrade Lawrence Ibitoye has assumed office as the new Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Online Chapel, following his emergence at an election held on Monday, September 21.
Ibitoye emerged alongside other newly elected executives, including comrade Atobaba who was elected as Vice Chairman and Pastor Dare Daniel as Secretary of the chapel.
The election followed the completion of tenure by the immediate past Chairman, comrade Ayodele Abere, who led the chapel on two occasions before the leadership structure reverted to the Online Chapel arrangement.
The electoral process, which was supervised by the NUJ leadership and the Electoral Committee led by Comrade Niyi Alade, was largely peaceful and witnessed wide participation by members of the chapel.
It was gathered that Mr. Emmanuel Adeniran had earlier obtained a nomination form to contest the chairmanship position but later declined to submit the form and voluntarily withdrew from the contest. Following his withdrawal, the electoral committee affirmed comrade Ibitoye as Chairman in line with the Union’s guidelines.
In his valedictory remarks, the outgoing Chairman, Mr. Abere, expressed appreciation to members of the chapel for their love, support and cooperation throughout his tenure. He urged members to extend the same spirit of unity and support to the new administration for the continued progress of the chapel.
Abere also formally handed over the properties and documents of the chapel to the NUJ leadership and the electoral committee, marking a seamless transition.
Subsequently, the Chairman of the Ekiti State Council of the NUJ, Mr. Kayode Babatuyi, administered the oath of office to Ibitoye and other newly elected executives, formally ushering them into their respective positions.
The swearing-in ceremony marked the beginning of a new administration expected to consolidate on the achievements of previous leaderships while addressing contemporary professional and welfare needs of members.
In his acceptance speech, the newly inaugurated Chairman, comrade Lawrence Ibitoye, pledged that his administration would prioritize members’ welfare, professional development and capacity building.
He assured that the new leadership would organise regular training and retraining programmes to equip journalists with relevant skills to adapt to emerging trends in journalism and the dynamic digital media environment.
“Leadership is not by taking a position, but by bringing opportunities to the members,” Ibitoye said, stressing that his administration would be service-driven rather than position-driven.
The new Chairman also called on members to tap from the wealth of experience of veteran journalists and leaders within the chapel, noting that mentorship and knowledge sharing would help younger journalists improve professionally and uphold ethical standards.
Ibitoye promised to promote consultation, honesty, cooperation and collective responsibility in the running of the chapel’s affairs, while working closely with the state leadership of the NUJ to strengthen journalism practice and expand the Union’s reach across the state.
Also speaking, the newly elected Secretary, Pastor Dare Daniel, thanked members for the confidence reposed in the new executive and pledged that the leadership would build on the solid foundation laid by previous leaders.
He assured members of an inclusive administration that would be responsive to their concerns and committed to the growth of the chapel.
Members of the chapel who spoke at the event expressed optimism that the new administration would usher in renewed vigour, unity and professionalism in the activities of the Online Chapel.
The Online Chapel remains one of the vibrant chapels under the Ekiti State Council of the NUJ, comprising journalists practicing in online and digital media platforms.
