By David Adeoye
The Managing Director (MD) of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mallam Ali M. Ali, on Thursday enjoined the Oyo State Government to take full advantage of the agency’s services.
Ali said this in Ibadan while paying a courtesy visit to the state Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr Akin-Funmilayo Williams.
NAN reports that the state Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mr Dotun Oyelade, was also in attendance.
The MD eulogised the administration of Gov. Seyi Makinde for doing remarkably well concerning the state’s developmental programmes.
He, however, urged the state government to take advantage of the services of the agency, saying that “If you don’t amplify your voice, nobody else will amplify it for you”.
The NAN boss, while underscoring the global relevance of NAN as Africa’s biggest news content provider, said it has over 400 reporters and 12 zonal offices across Nigeria.
“What we do at the News Agency of Nigeria is to take local news to the state level, state news to the national level, and national news to the international level.
“We have, over the years, gone into collaboration and partnership with global news brands, like AFP, Reuters, Xinhua (Chinese News Agency), and a host of others.
“We have in specific places district correspondents, and what they do is to bring out grassroots news that otherwise would have been overlooked by the major media organisations.
“The public says that if it’s not in NAN, then it can’t be true because in NAN, we have a vigorous process of gatekeeping.
“All of NAN’s editorial staff are thoroughbred professionals, who are trained and retrained,” he said.
According to him, the advent of digital media has promoted the mischievous practice of generating and spreading fake news.
“This is why we say that host communities, especially where we have our offices, should take advantage of NAN,” Ali said.
He appreciated the Commissioner for Lands for his prompt response to the agency’s recent complaint over an infringement of rights on the premises of its Ibadan office.
He extended his gratitude to the state governor and government for protecting the rights of the citizens.
“Thank you for protecting our rights and listening to us. Surely, a government that gives a listening ear is a government that will go far,” he said.
Ali gave kudos to Oyelade for his contributions to the media, describing him as a great asset to the media world and an inspiration to virtually all of the younger broadcasters.
In his response, Oyelade described NAN as a people-centric organisation for its interest in grassroots information, veering off the usual paths traditional and even social media cross.
“As for us in Oyo State, it’s a no-brainer to say that we can only be excited by hosting an organisation like NAN, and then a competent professional like the leadership, in the person of the Managing Director, Mallam Ali,” he said.
The information commissioner promised continuous collaboration with the agency in effectively propagating the state government’s activities globally.
The Commissioner for Lands equally pledged continuous collaboration with NAN.
On the MD’s entourage are his Special Adviser, Alhaji Abdulhadi Khalil, and the Ibadan Zonal Manager, Mr Adebayo Sekoni.
Others are a Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Mr Moses Solanke, and an Assistant Editor-in-Chief, Mr Remi Koleoso. (NAN)
Edited by Remi Koleoso and Moses Solanke
