Jare OLUKOTUN
-As foremost community paper inaugurates monthly discourse
Former Commissioner for Information and Strategy and publisher of an Ejigbo based community newspaper, Echo News, Hon. Kehinde Bamigbetan, will be the guest speaker at the 5th year anniversary of the foremost community newspaper, THE IMPACT, coming up in Ikorodu.
The anniversary is scheduled to hold at the Falcoms Bar & Lounge, 34 , FRCN Road, opposite Mobil filling station, after St. Margret Nursery & Primary Schools, Ebute-Ipakodo, Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Ikorodu Division, Lagos, Southwest, Nigeria, on Friday, September 27, 2019.
The celebration is themed: “Professional news organizations and their impacts on the society: Community media perspective”.
A release , signed by the Publisher/Reporter-in-Chief, THE IMPACT Newspaper, Kunle ADELABU, states that the celebration is divided into two parts – anniversary and inauguration of a monthly discourse.
The celebration will also be used to commemorate the 2019 World News Day (WND).
“Your foremost community newspaper (print and online), THE IMPACT , clocked 5 this year and we deemed it fit to bring together our readers, admirers, patrons and others to celebrate this feat.
“We are using the occasion of this unique celebration to inaugurate a monthly discussion initiative on issues affecting Ikorodu Division, Lagos State and Community Journalism and to also commemorate the 2019 World News Day (WND).
The Chairman of Ikorodu-Oga Development Association (IKODASS) and former Clerk/Permanent Secretary, Lagos State House of Assembly, Otunba Ganiyu Abiru, and former Rector, Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, Mr Ayodeji Iginla, will chair the two sections of the celebration. While Otunba Abiru will chair the anniversary section, Mr Iginla will oversee the discussion section.
His Royal Majesty, Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, Emugoriade I, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, is the Royal Father of the Day, while, His Eminence, Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun and Alhaja Abiodun Ogunniyi, are Father and Mother of the Day respectively.
Also according to the release, the Special Guests of honour are Sen. Adeseye Ogunleye, former Minister of Works, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asipa Kaoli Olusanya, Vice Chairman, APC, Lagos East Senatorial District, Otunba Ayodele Elesho, former Commissioner for Information, Lagos State, Hon. Babajimi Benson, Member, House of Representatives, Abuja, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, the Majority Leader, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Nurudeen Solaja, Member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Prince (Barr.) Rotimi Ogunleye, former Commissioner for Physical Planning & Urban Development, Hon. (Chief) Mrs Adebimpe Akinsola, former acting Commissioner for Tourism, Arts & Culture, Lagos State, and Mr Idowu Ajanaku, former Special Adviser, Information & Strategy, Lagos State among others.
The six local government chairmen – Hon. Wasiu Adeshina, Hon. (Princess) Jumoke Jimbo-Ademehin, Hon. Adeola Banjo, Comrade Sesan Daini, Hon. Fathiu Salisu and Hon. Wasiu Agoro, councilors and other eminent personalities are guests of honour.
Others were Mr Oluwatoyin Gafaar, Director-General, Lagos State Sports Council, Otunba Saheed Ibikunle, Member, SUBEB, Prince Akeem Olukunga, Member, Governing Board, Lagos State Sports Council, Hon. Ola Animashaun, former Member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Sunmi Odesanya, former Member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Barr. Lekan Ijelu, a legal practitioner , Dr Taiwo Hassan, Medical Director, Ebute-Metta Primary Health Centre, Dr Adeyemi Idowu, medical practitioner, Mr Samuel Sogunro, Rector, Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, Dr Taiwo A.G Okeowo, Barr. Saheed O.K Shillings, Mayor Deen Sanwoolu, Mr Bayo Oteju and Mr Taiwo Obe, Founder, Journalism Clinic and Pelu Awofeso, a travel journalist among others.
Discussants were Prince Ganny Awobajo, publisher, Ikorodu News, Alhaji Monzor Olowosago and Mr Japthet Odesanya,
Speaking further on the monthly discourse, the Publisher of the community news medium stated that:
“THE IMPACT Square Online ,which is a discourse on various issues affecting our society ,was introduced online in July 2016. The initiative, since its introduction, has been setting the pace for others to follow and imitate.
“It has also helped , in no small measure ,in bringing issues affecting the division to the front burner for discussions and in the process , proffering solutions to some of these issues.
“The beauty of this initiative is that it has raised the level of interactions between residents and political, traditional, opinion and community leaders.
“Through this initiative, we have conducted debate among local government chairmanship aspirants across the six councils in Ikorodu division, engaged some of the aspirants for the State and National Assemblies during the last general elections, engaged the council chairmen on their performances during their first year in office as well as engaged other individuals on other burning issues among others.
He stated that bringing people in the community together once in a month is a way of engaging them on burning issues, thereby, sustaining what started online in the process.
“To sustain this tempo, THE IMPACT Group is set to make the interactions physical in a true community setting and to achieve this, we shall be partnering with a prominent hospitality business in Ikorodu, FALCONS BAR & LOUNGE, located at Ipakodo in Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area and a reputable production outfit, Shoots”.
Aside Falcoms Bar & Lounge and Shoots, which are the major partners, other businesses supporting the celebration are IREP – iIkorodu Division Rebirth Foundation, TA Home of Skills, Bit ‘n’ Bytes Café & Printing, Foto Visions, Headway events, TA Home of Skills, Ikorodu-Oga Development Association, Ultra media, Organization of Party Entertainers of Nigeria (OPEN) and Bolano Designs & Printing among others
For further information, please, call Kunle 08055407717, Bash 08033019244, Steve 08023387733 and Azeez 08026809406.
