Day of Honour: Bola Ogunlayi Bags NUJ Zone B Exemplary Leadership Award
Alhaji Bola Ogunlayi, former Secretary of the Oyo State council of Nigeria Union of Journalists, under the Adewumi Faniran led administration, has been honoured with Excellence and Exemplary Leadership Award by the Zone B of the Union comprising of six councils, namely: Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ondo and Ekiti States.
Bola Alafe, as foundly called, is a Socialite, multi-talented Reporter, pain staking Editor, Researcher, Entrepreneur with penchant for excellence as well as former board member of Ekiti State University Governing Board.
At the event tagged Public Lecture and special recognition of outstanding media professionals with the theme: “Nigeria @ 64: Journalism in The Face of Socio-Economic Challenges” , Ogunlayi’s impeccable contributions and achievements in Journalism among fourteen other awardee was a cynosure at the Iwe Iroyin Press Centres, venue of the ceremony.
Presenting the award, Vice President, NUJ Zones B, Princess Ronke Afebioye – Samo, hailed Ogunlayi’s exceptional impacts in the pen pushing profession.
Samo, who enumerated the nightmare of the media in the face of economic challenges called for special intervention for men of the fourth estate of the realm, while urging journalists to show understanding as they collectively bear the hardship of the national passage into economic freedom.
In a keynote address, Former Permanent Secretary Ministry of Information, Ogun State, Barrister Demola Badejo noed that social media had virtually turned everyone into a reporter, harped on the need for trained journalists to distinguished themselves as professionals in the reportage of news.
Badejo enjoined journalists to tap from the experiences of the giants in the profession and take advantage of the digital technology to boost their relevance
Deliverying the public lecture entitled: “Nigeria @ 64: Journalism in The Face of Socio-Economic Challenges” former executive director of Tell Magazine, Mr Dare Babarinsa , lamented the non patronage of government to newspapers company, saying the trend had crippled the economy of the print media.
Babarinsa, called for subventions to print media houses in order to keep their business afloat and as well shore up the standard of broadcast in the country 
He canvassed more investment in the training of journalists saying it’s when they’re trained that they can effectively educate their audiences.
The well attended event had in attendance, former chairman NUJ Oyo State council, Mr Adewumi Faniran, former NUJ Zone B Vice President, Mr Cosmos Oni, Chairman Oyo State League of Veteran Journalists, Mr Banji Ogundele, and Former Chairman, League of Veteran Journalists in Oyo State,Alhaji Kola Animasahun.
