Personality in Focus
Akporiaye Takes Over As NANTA President, Assures Continuity
By Eric Elezuo
In line with the constitution and guidelines governing the affairs of National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mrs. Susan Akporiaye has officially taken over the affairs of the association. She took over from the immediate past president, Mr. Bankole Bernard, who steered the group for two consecutive terms.
In her acknowledgement speech to the teaming members of the association, Akporiaye assures continuity while at the same time details a new beginning.
Pledging to achieve more together with everyone on board, she called for effective strategies’ to address local challenges in the travel and tourism world as well as the damage the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic has caused.
Below is her detailed statement:
CONTINUITY AND THE BIRTH OF A NEW BEGINNING:
Dear members of NANTA, our principals, elders and the media.
This morning, our president, who is now the immediate past president, my brother and friend, Bankole Bernard wrote to hand over the affairs of the association to me in line with consultation with our Board of Trustees and the executive members.
Yesterday, the Chairman, Board of Trustees, most able gentleman and leader, Mr Steve Isokariare also sent a message to put me on notice to steer the wheel of our progressive association for the next two years.
While the uncertainty that becloud our dear nation, industry and the world persisted due to Covid-19, many expressed anxiety about the possibility of the change in baton at this uncertain times….which is human.
While this line of thought gained ground, particularly with the desirable need to postpone our Kano AGM which could have afforded us the opportunity for me to present my manifesto to you as your incoming President but also to formally adopt our established physical handover protocols.
Nonetheless we all have to deal with the realities of the “Force Majeure” situation that Corona Virus have brought upon us. By God’s grace we shall overcome it.
So we have digitally taken over and all the legal protocols for hand over have taken place overseen by our very capable Board of Trustees.
On one hand you are assured of continuity because I was one of the outgoing executives of the last administration.
On the other hand this is the birth of a new beginning as the incoming exco takes over under my leadership as the 44th President of NANTA.
We must admit that while we have global challenges brought on by COVID-19. We also do have some pertinent local challenges facing our members and their businesses which we must confront and come up with effective strategies to address.
In due course the incoming executives shall engage and consult with all of you as stakeholders in order to establish and validate our priorities.
I will then be articulating these priorities with strategies on how to move us forward.
I know there is a huge challenge to re-access our reach and physical engagement process in view of covid 19 and the impact on global Travel.
We are conscious of the pressure to rebound and gain immediate foothold yet determined to guide our members to follow established federal and states governments protocols on covid 19 and practice safety and social distancing as recommended by health officials globally.
This statement is to assure you all including our Friends and Principals that NANTA is united and in safe hands under my watch.
The Watchword under my Watch will be TEAMWORK .
As stakeholders you all have ideas not just the excos. As President i will ensure you all have the right platform to provide inputs for continuous engagements whether physical or digital.
But I reassure you as President my priorities will be YOUR priorities.
Therefore, the new exco and I will in due course address you all on the course we wish to chart, praying for assistance, suggestions and presence in all we shall endeavor to do on your behalf.
Once again, let me express my profound gratitude to Mr Bankole Bernard, the board of trustees, elders, my fellow partners in leadership, all zonal leadership and members, not excluding our very supportive friends in the travel and tourism and the media.
Having accepted to stand and hold forth as the 44th NANTA president, I ask God Amighty to grant me wisdom and knowledge to lead this great body and make it greater than ever before.
Together Everyone Achieves More (TEAM NANTA)
Thank you all so much and may God bless Nigeria and may God bless our beloved NANTA.
Susan Akporiaye
National President NANTA
Former Presidential Spokesperson, Doyin Okupe has reportedly passed away.
TheNewsGuru reports that the senior adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan and, recently, the Director-General of Peter Obi’s 2023 Presidential Campaign died at 71, after a long struggle with cancer.
In October 2023, Okupe was hospitalized with prostate cancer and was flown to Israel for treatment.
However, it was learnt that his condition did not improve as expected.
Okupe had a history of prostate cancer, first diagnosed 16 years ago, and a later bout with sarcoma in his right shoulder.
Following his milestone achievements as Chairman of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), the Chairman/CEO of Executive Group, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan has been officially announced as the Patron of the Police advocacy initiative in Lagos State, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP can report.
The POCACOV is the Nigeria Police Force advocacy initiative to help young people avoid cultism and other vices. It uses advocacy, awareness, and sensitization to help young people avoid vices by conducting community outreaches to schools, inner cities, rural areas, and urban centres. It also helps to rehabilitate and reintegrate those who have been cut in the web of cultism, crimes, and social vices.
It would be recalled that Dr. Ayo Ogunsan took up the Chairmanship job about a year ago and was able to use his grand standing as the Board Member of Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), prime supporter of security news beat association National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), and leadership of non-profit initiative, AKEM Foundation to champion his work and various impacting activities in the past one year. This is why POCACOV through its National Coordinator, ACP Olabisi Oluseyi Okuwobi on behalf of the Inspector General of Police announced his official elevation into the role of Patron of POCACOV in Lagos State.
The United Nations POLAC International Peace Advocate, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan expressed his gratitude to the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun and the National Coordinator, ACP Okuwobi for the new role and promised to give direction to the new Chairman, Mr. Moses Oladimeji which will lead to improved performance of POCACOV in Lagos.
‘I will keep raiding our communities with love. We will give them food, shelter, etc. Police will do the Police work but I will do the policing of love’, Ogunsan affirmed.
This piece is contributed by Oki Samson
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Shamsedeen Ogunjimi as the new Accountant General of the Federation after a rigorous selection process.
A statement by Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), Bayo Onanuga said his appointment, approved on Tuesday, takes effect from 7th March 2025, the same day the incumbent Oluwatoyin Madehin will retire.
Ogunjimi, 57, was first named as Madehin’s successor last December.
“A selection committee later chose him through a competitive, rigorous, and merit-based process involving Directors of Accounts in the Federal Civil Service. The committee conducted the process through three stages: a written assessment, an ICT proficiency test, and oral interviews.
“The selection process underscores President Tinubu’s commitment to promoting transparency, excellence, and competence in key public service positions,” the statement read in part.
Ogunjimi graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy.
He also obtained a Master’s in Accounting and Finance from the University of Lagos.
He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.
President Tinubu congratulated Ogunjimi on his appointment, and urged him to discharge his duties in the service with integrity, professionalism, and dedication to Nigeria’s service.
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