Notable stakeholders of the Sports Writers of Nigeria (SWAN), Lagos State chapter, have raised their voices over the seemingly unending crisis of leadership in the state chapter that was once the pride of sports journalism in Nigeria.
The concerned stakeholders group led by two former chairmen of the state chapter, Hon. Frank Ilaboya and Mr. Tony Ubani, said they are ready to team up with other well-meaning Nigerians, associations and groups to dialogue towards bringing peace back to Lagos SWAN.
Ilaboya, said Tuesday in Lagos that the crisis of leadership where the state chapter has two chairmen in place, one coming after the other, does not speak well of the chapter which stands out as the oldest-beat and most vibrant association under the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He added that the situation has lingered for too long unresolved and this is fast affecting the credibility of sports journalism in Nigeria as Lagos has the biggest number of sports related media outfits and the largest number of members across the country.
Ilaboya noted that, the most painful part of it all is inability of Lagos SWAN members, young and old, to access the association’s secretariat built specifically for members at the Lagos National Stadium, in Surulere.
“Members now hang around at the National Stadium complex, Lagos instead of comfortably having good times at the SWAN secretariat building.
“The prolonged crisis which has forced the premature abandonment of the secretariat by all members is fast making the edifice desolate and dilapidated.”
Another former chairman of the Lagos SWAN in its progressive years, Mr. Tony Ubani, also a member of the concerned stakeholders group committed to resolving the crisis and Group Sports Editor of the Vanguard Newspapers, stressed that, the great contributions of the Ministry of Youths of Sports,that donated the plot of land at the National stadium for the building, the commitment of the Lagos State government and other notable organisations and individuals that spent millions of naira to build the edifice and the sacrifices made by the Lagos SWAN members in putting together a peaceful and vibrant association in over 40 years or more, are gradually being destroyed.
“That is why we have brought ourselves together as the Concerned Stakeholders of Lagos SWAN to muster strength in ensuring that peace returns to the association.”
Other members of the Concerned Stakeholders Group who are also committed elders of the association, include; Mr. Pat Omorodion, the assistant group sports editor of the Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Adekunle Salami, group sports editor, New Telegraph Newspapers, Mr. Chris Okpara, group sports editor, Guardian newspaper, Mr. Dapo Sotuminu, former group sports editor of Compass Newspspers.
Others members are Mr. George Aluo, former group sports editor, the Sun Newspapers and presently the chairman of the Nigeria National League, Blessing Nwosu of Silverbird TV and Gloria Adeshi of SuperSports.
