Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state, Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan has enjoined President Bola Tinubu to name the national press centre in Abuja after Lisa Olu Akerele.
Afripost reports that Akerele was the first bureau chief of the defunct Concord newspapers founded by the presumed winner of the June 12th 1993 presidential election, late Kasimowo Olawale Abiola clocked 70 years today.
Olaosebikan, has enjoined Tinubu to name the edifice after the media guru.
The APC chieftain who served as Chief Press Secretary to a former governor of Oyo state, Alhaji Lamidi Adesina made this declaration via a statement made available to Afriposot on Thursday.
Olaosebikan in the press statement asked the government led by Tinubu to name the National Press Centre at the Radio House, Abuja after Akerele.
He said that this is important in order to encourage upcoming professionals in the country.
Olaosebikan said that this would make them to be more patriotic and take national development with greater commitment.
He described Akerele as a great journalist and writer who used his reports, writings and social activities to attract both social and capital investments to Abuja during the infancy of the territory.
He described Akerele, as one of the builders of the FCT.
Olaosebikan said, ‘Today, Abuja Nigeria’s seat of power ranks among the most functional and beautiful capital cities in Africa and the world. Effects of the current massive development being carried out by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government would make anyone feel proud of the city.
“There were engineers, architects, land surveyors, quantity surveyors, builders, journalists, lawyers, teachers, technicians, artisans, etc. who made Abuja what it is today. Many of these professionals went out of their way to voluntarily offer and implement great ideas and projects that made things work in Abuja. “They believed in Abuja and genuinely worked for its success pro bono.
“In the history of FCT, Olu Akerele opened the first well-established newspaper bureau in the heart of the city, as the head of Concord Newspapers owned by the late Chief MKO Abiola, the business mogul, great philanthropist and most loved democrat.
“He (Akerele) also made history as the first journalist in Nigeria to be designated as a Bureau Chief. And as they say, the occupant of an office determines the strength of the office; Olu Akerele not only ran the bureau effectively but also exuded panache and power as the Bureau Chief of Concord Newspapers from 1986 to 1993.
“I therefore, appealed to the Tinubu-led administration to honour Akerele as one of the early impact makers on the FCT”.
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