The umbrella association for maritime journalists in Nigeria, Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) has elected new executives to pilot the affairs of the association for the next three years.
The election which was conducted by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at the association’s International Maritime Press Centre in Apapa, Lagos saw Mr. Godfrey Bivbere of Vanguard Newspapers emerging as the President of the association, unopposed.
Mr Bivbere took over the reins of the association from a caretaker committee headed by Mr Adegboyega Oni which was installed in late 2022 to sanitise the association.
Others elected are Gboyega Oni, Vice President; Babajide Okeowo, Secretary General; Pearl Ngwama, Assistant Secretary General, Abah Collins, Financial Secretary; Joy Mmereole Okoli, Treasurer; and Sandra Chukwuyene, Auditor/PRO.
The Oath of Office was administered on the newly elected officers by the Chairman of the Lagos Chapter of the NUJ, Mr Adeleye Ajayi, a former President of the association.
Speaking after the new executives were sworn in, Bivbere assured members that the hard work starts immediately while promising to work with every MARAN member to restore the association to its rightful place.
“The work starts now; I am going to work with every MARAN member to return MARAN to its rightful place. This executive is going to work assiduously for the benefit of every MARAN member” he said.
Earlier, the Lagos NUJ Chairman urged the newly elected executives to carry every member of the association along in order to achieve the desired result for the association.
He urged the newly elected president of the association, Bivbere to operate an open-door policy and listen to the advice of every member in order to have a successful tenure devoid of rancour.