By Bayo Bernard
The President of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN), Anya Njoku has said that his tenure will experience adequate reportage of the industry. It’s a new dawn for the association, Njoku said during the inauguration of a new set of executives, who will run the affairs of the association for the next three years.
Other members of the executives are Bayo Bernard ( Vice President), Dapo Olawuni ( Secretary General), Samson Echenim (Ass. Secreatary), Onigbinde Yinka (PRO), Esther Komolafe- Hasan ( Treasurer), and Joy Enamuna (Financial Secretary).
The event also witnessed the absorption of members of other maritime journalists’ association, including, Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria (MAJAN), League of Maritime Editors, as part of the ongoing reconciliatory effort to bring all the maritime journalists together under one umbrella.
A press statement released in Lagos by the association’s, Secretary General, Dapo Olawuni said that this was the major highlight of the inauguration ceremony held at the International Maritime Press Centre in Apapa to usher in the newly elected executives.
According to the statement, members who were brought back into the MARAN fold include; Ray Ugochukwu who hitherto was president of MAJAN, and his Secretary, Mr. David Oladimeji.
Others are; Mr. Leye Ajayi, Femi Orioye, Friday Odoemena and Obiajulu Agu. This is the first stage in the ongoing re-conciliatory efforts, the next few weeks will witness the influx of other aggrieved former members back into the Association, the statement said.
Njoku said the reconciliation was in fulfillment of an agreement signed by MARAN and three other associations at a meeting supervised by the National President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Mr. Waheed Odusile.
At the end of the meeting held at the Rockview Hotels in Apapa three years ago, the four associations agreed to coalesce into a single body; Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN)
The three other associations that signed the agreement included; League of Maritime Editors, MAJAN, and the Association of Maritime Journalists (AMJON)
According to Njoku, “The war is over, there is no need for bickering, the door of MARAN has equally been opened to other qualified journalists covering the maritime sector and intending members should submit their applications for consideration.”
Njoku noted further that MARAN will experience a boost after reconciling journalists back under one umbrella in compliance with a Ministerial directive issued by Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi three years ago.
Amaechi had noted then the need for journalists to speak with one voice.
According to Njoku, all heads of maritime agencies should take note that MARAN has now implemented the ministerial directive.
