Lagos SWAN Election

THERE is a direct relationship between sports development in a country and the quality of sports journalism available in that country. People tend to heap all the blame in our sports on the administrators only, forgetting that the media have a role to play.

It is the duty of responsible sports media to report sports generally across the board, and not concentrate only on football, they should keep the sports authorities constantly on their toes by exposing their inadequacies, while not forgetting to give praise when it is due.

About eighty per cent of Nigerian sports writers are based in Lagos, and if you look at the story of the Founding Fathers, it has always been so since independence.

Recently Lagos SWAN held its election at which 183 voters chose their new Executive members. In a dramatic reversal of the old order, a television man, Niyi Oyeleke polled 123 votes to beat his newspaper opponent Babs Oyetoro who polled 59. One vote was voided. The last time a TV person, Yinka Craig led Lagos SWAN was thirty years ago, and but for the brief stint of radio men Tony Akiotu and Emeka Odikpo, newspaper men have been dominating, or is it monopolizing the leadership of Lagos SWAN.

The long list is endless - Lagos Prince Lat Ogunmade, who handed over to Rilwan Omosun, Chris Okogie, Tony Nezianya, Seyi Fasugba, Tony Ubani, Emeka Enechie and by popular acclamation, the most successful tenure was that of Frank Ilaboya who climbed on board as an independent producer. But that is just part of the story.

Since Ogunmade’s exit in 1981 to lead the national body there were growing concerns of outsiders’ imposition on Lagos SWAN, which translated to marginalisation of the Yoruba in Yoruba land. But I don’t think there was any deliberate effort to deny Lagosians or south westerners from the position. The problem was dissipation of energy and bad strategy.

The recent election was an all-Yoruba affair, devoid of any tribal coloration and was anchored on manifestoes. With members from the electronic media doubling those of the print, Niyi Oyeleke of NTA gained advantage over Babs Oyetoro of the SoccerStar. Yet I heard grumbling of rigging!

Gentleman, Babs Oyetoro has put the election behind him and everyone is looking forward for Oyeleke to deliver on his promises. If sports is professionally reported by the hub of Nigerian journalism, Lagos, sports will improve in the country. But out of the 183 sports writers who voted recently, how many of them are GENUINELY in sports journalism, are majority of them not masquerading as journalists to eke out a living?

Oyeleke’s SWAN need to sort out the original from the fake and thereafter set to improve the quality of sports reporting. I advise him to cultivate a good working relationship with the National SWAN, and other state chapters rather than see Lagos SWAN as the “authentic”.

Goodluck to Oyeleke and he should not forget the son of whom he is. His daddy, the late Ambassador Tunde Oyeleke was a reputable sports commentator in Radio Nigeria before becoming an international diplomat for Nigeria.

SWAN founding fathers

THE Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) was founded on June 1964 and the following were in attendance at the inaugural meeting held at the King George V Stadium, Onikan, Lagos.
1. Babington Bakre (late) Daily/Sunday Express
2. S.B. Oshuntolu (late) Daily/Sunday Express
3. Sola Oluwole Daily/Sunday Express
4. Taiwo Okutubo (late) Daily/Sunday Express
5. Olabode Thomas Daily/Sunday Express
6. Shittu Sanimonu ‘photographer’ Daily/Sunday Express
7. Joe Latona Daily/Sunday Times
8. Cyril Kappo Daily/Sunday Times
9. Ajibade Fashina-Thomas Daily/Sunday Times
10. Maurice Domboh Daily/Sunday Times
11. Tokunbo Fashogbon (late) Daily/Sunday Times
12. O. Ladipo (photographer) Daily/Sunday Times
13. Akin Adedayo (photographer) Daily/Sunday Times
14. Bonar Ekanem (late) West African Pilot
15. Henry Nwigwe West African Pilot
16. Tunde Coker West African Pilot
17. J.A. Thompson Morning Post
18. Abiola Laguda (late) Morning Post
19. Isola Folorunso (late) Radio Nigeria
20. Fabio Lanipekun-on journalism programme in England.

Thompson was elected President, Domboh, Secretary and Fashina-Thomas aka Jabby, Publicity Secretary. At inception the composition of SWAN showed clearly that it was newspaper based and dominated. Isola Folorunsho was the only electronic media practitioner, but over the years, SWAN became a free for all and today all sorts of characters claim membership.

In six years time, 2014, SWAN will be fifty years old, a golden opportunity to target for the full restoration of the original noble ideal of the professional body.

On Yinka Craig

GOOD evening Fabio. Sorry to disturb you this late, but I did it after reading your column a while ago on Yinka Craig’s health. SAD. I’m Yiljap. He taught me sports reporting and casting at the NTA TV College in Jos in 1985 and actually invited me to join him “tour the world” because be believed in my ability. What’s the bank account I can put a bit of something into just to show appreciation for job done and to express my confidence in him too as I pray for his healing too. Yiljap Abraham.
PRTV Jos 2348053532596

Fabio thanks on your writing on Yinka Craig. I don’t know the young man much but I appreciate his TV life. Fabio long time but I am always face to face with you every Sunday when I read your column.
EBINO TOPSY 2348055001735

Good afternoon I have just read your piece on my great mentor, Uncle Yinka Craig. I love it and I believe God has done it from what I read from Uncle Tunde Fagbenle’s column this morning. What we need now is prayers. I love both of you. You all inspired me into what I do today i.e. advertising, PR and marketing. Thanks. Yinka will not die now amen.
Tayo Mabeweje 2348033186739

Dear Fabio. According to our discussion yesterday about Mr. Yinka Criag I implore the family to take him to the Synagogue Church of All Nations for healing through the man of God Senior Prophet T.B. Joshua, that with God all things are possible.
Prince Adewale 2348051938766

On Yinka Craig’s health, N38m is a lot of money to many Nigerians but wait a minute, let us ask those who stole our money now facing power probe to finance his treatment from their loot. Maybe we can forgive them and not prosecute. How much is N38m to what they stole? Afterall it is our money or ask each Rep and Senator in the National Assembly to donate his or her daily feeding allowance of N114, 000 each for Yinka if the greed and glutton in them will let them do it.
Fagbemi Taiwo Ijebu Ode.

Man U for Premiership, Chelsea for Champions League

ONE is in a generous mood to please fans, supporters or fanatics of the Big Four in the English Premiership. I didn’t know “Feeling for Arsenal” published two weeks ago would go down so well with the Gunners fans and I am completely bowled over by their humility in accepting my assessment of their performance this season.

With the two semi finals of the European Champions League over, Liverpool, thoroughly outplayed by Chelsea last Wednesday are ending the season without any trophy like Arsenal. But they will never walk alone.

The Premiership title is beyond Liverpool and Arsenal, while Manchester United and Chelsea are poised for a double; share the titles, or one of them finishing with nothing. When Man U played goalless with Barcelona in the first leg of the semis, I thought they were lucky to escape a pounding. In the second leg at Old Trafford, Barcelona held them by the gruff of the neck, but mother luck stayed with Man U. The Champions League journey is going groggily.

Chelsea, on the other hand, played the two legs against Liverpool, most convincingly, and they exhibited the stuff of incoming champions. Something tells me that Manchester might end up winning the Premiership and the aura of Roman Abramowich will follow Chelsea to his native Russia to win the Champions League for the first time. But how will the Russian police cope with the invading English fans, about 40,000 of them?

Apart from security, accommodation problems are envisaged. When I went to Moscow for the 1980 Olympic Games, the electronic media stayed in a newly constructed Cosmos Hotel with capacity for 7,777 journalists. The Grand Hotel in Moscow for print media accommodated 10,000 people. But today these two hotels will not be adequate for the English fans. But trust some of them will not mind staying in the bar, as long as there is enough booze. May 21 roll along.