Some notable stakeholders of the Sports Writers of Nigeria (SWAN), Lagos State Chapter, have called for an end to the leadership crisis in the chapter, which was once the pride of sports journalism in Nigeria.
The stakeholders’ group, led by two former chairmen of the state chapter, Frank Ilaboya, and Tony Ubani, pledged to align with other well-meaning Nigerians, associations and groups to dialogue towards restoring peace in Lagos SWAN.
Speaking yesterday in Lagos, Ilaboya said 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 association, which he described as the oldest beat and most vibrant association under the Nigeria Union of Journalism (NUJ).
He said that the lingering crisis was 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 regretted the 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, 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, Ubani, stressed that the crisis is destroying the great contributions of the Ministry of Sports Development, which 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.
“That is why we have come together as the Concerned Stakeholders of Lagos SWAN to muster strength in ensuring that peace return to the association,” he said.
The post Stakeholders seek end to Lagos SWAN crisis appeared first on Guardian Nigeria News.
