Osoba, Adefaye Laud Customs Comptroller General As He Receives NIJ Fellowship Award

The Chairman Governing Council of the Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Aremo Olusegun Osoba, has commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for his sterling qualities and leadership in the Customs service.

Osoba, who spoke at the special convocation for the conferment of Fellowship Award on Adeniyi at the Sir Kensington Adebutu Media Resource Centre, NIJ in Lagos on Wednesday, stated that he was elated that the Customs Comptroller-General was the first alumnus of the journalism institute to be awarded a fellowship, having enrolled as a student of the school in 1989.

“This is a great occasion. We have seen the Comptroller-General of Customs grow from grace to grace, having passed through this NIJ. He is the first alumnus to be awarded a fellowship.

“We have all seen his leadership and how he has transformed the Customs service, raising its contribution to the national coffers from just billions of naira to trillions of naira. He was elected chairman of the World Council of Customs. Aside from all these developments, we are proud that he has committed to self-development and gone on to write his thesis, and now will have a PhD, ” Osoba said.

The provost of NIJ, Gbenga Adefaye, stated that Adeniyi was one of the institute’s shining lights and met the fellowship criteria.

He stated that Adeniyi performed excellently from the time he was in charge of public relations at the Customs, and that he rose through the ranks. He noted that his life of service was worth emulating.

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‎The recipient, who was honoured, thanked the NIJ management and noted that the values, discipline, and self-development habits he learned at the school were what had helped him become who he is today. Dignitaries and officials of the Customs were in attendance.

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‎”I am grateful to the management for this award. Right from when I came to NIJ to study. Those values I learned followed me in 1989. I have lived a life of discipline and continuous self-development. Thank you to NIJ and those who have impacted.

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‎”I also thank our President who has given me the honour to lead the Nigeria Customs Service at a time like this,” says Adeniyi.

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‎In appreciation of the award, the Comptroller General, who hails from Modakeke in Osun State, said having made consultations with the management of NIJ, he would build a two-storey building to house a multimedia resource center as this will further train the students towards a rich immersive experience in storytelling elements like text, image, audio and animation. Adeniyi urged the students to invest in themselves, as the future is waiting for them.

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‎The Nigeria Police Band provided entertainment to honour the fellowship awardee.

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‎Among those who were at the Special Convocation were the Chairman of the Nigeria Sports Commission, Alhaji Shehu Dikko; officials of the Customs Service; retired members and friends of Bashir Adeniyi; the publisher of Vanguard newspaper, Sir Amuka Pemu; Ray Ekpu; and others who are members of the Governing Council.