News Investigators/ Ali M. Ali, the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), has commended three retired senior management staff of the agency for their dedicated service and significant contributions to the growth, credibility and professional development of NAN.
Mr Ali gave the commendation on Friday at a send-forth ceremony organised to honour the former Editor-in-Chief, Mufutau Ojo; former Editor-in-Chief and Special Assistant to the MD on Editorial Matters, Ephraims Sheyin; and former senior management staff, Manga Amusa.
He described the retirees as valued members of the NAN family whose years of service had contributed significantly to maintaining the agency’s reputation for objectivity, reliability and authenticity.
According to him, the three professionals devoted between 12 and 35 years of their lives to NAN, during which they played important roles in news gathering, editing, gatekeeping and the overall development of the agency.
The managing director said their retirement should not be regarded as a farewell, stressing that they would remain valued members of the NAN family despite leaving active service.
Mr Ali described the two former editors as “gatekeepers of the truth” who contributed to protecting NAN’s credibility at a time when artificial intelligence, digital media and fake news were creating new challenges for journalism.
He particularly commended Mr Ojo for bringing calmness, intellectual depth and professionalism to the newsroom, describing him as a disciplined, gentle and easy-going professional.
According to Mr Ali, Mr Ojo’s ability to provide intellectual guidance and maintain composure under pressure contributed to the stability and effectiveness of the newsroom during his years of service.
He also praised Mr Sheyin for his “professional eagle eye” and exceptional attention to detail, saying that his ability to identify errors complemented Mr Ojo’s intellectual approach to news production.
The MD said the complementary skills and professional qualities of the two editors contributed greatly to NAN’s editorial reforms, improved news production and overall successes.
He noted that their experience, dedication and commitment helped strengthen the agency’s editorial standards and preserve its reputation as a reliable source of credible information.
Mr Ali also described Mr Amusa as a dedicated professional who brought his accounting expertise to bear on the agency’s audit and marketing operations.
He said Mr Amusa’s contribution went beyond his official responsibilities, as he demonstrated a strong commitment to the financial discipline and institutional development of NAN.
The managing director explained that disagreements between Mr Amusa and a former Director of Finance were driven by professional passion and commitment to the agency rather than personal differences.
He said the experience demonstrated that professionals could disagree on issues while remaining united by a common objective and commitment to the success of their organisation.
Mr Ali urged staff to learn from such examples by separating professional disagreements from personal relationships and by always putting the interest of the agency above individual differences.
He congratulated Hadiza Aliyu on her appointment as the new Editor-in-Chief, describing her elevation as a product of competence, experience and commitment rather than gender.
According to him, Mr Aliyu had spent about 34 years in the newsroom and had acquired extensive experience in news desk operations, editorial processes, attention to detail and leadership.
“Her gender is just a bonus. She is there on the basis of her competence,” Mr Ali said, urging staff to give the new Editor-in-Chief the necessary cooperation and support.
The managing director stressed that leadership was not determined merely by titles but by the ability to inspire, motivate and command the confidence and respect of colleagues.
He said NAN under his leadership had continued to place emphasis on competence and ability, adding that the agency recognised the enormous contributions and potential of its female workforce.
Mr Ali noted that women currently occupied several key positions within the agency, reflecting management’s commitment to promoting professionalism, competence and inclusive leadership.
He said NAN had remained vigilant in protecting its credibility, particularly in the face of fake news, digital media and the pressure on journalists to break news ahead of competitors.
The MD expressed confidence that the editorial team had maintained NAN’s professional standards, noting that there had been no major incident in nearly three years in which the agency misled the public in its haste to break news.
He described the retirees as professionals who had demonstrated mutual respect, dedication and commitment to NAN, stressing that their contributions and experience would be greatly missed.
Mr Ali urged heads of desks and other senior editorial staff to accord the incoming Editor-in-Chief the necessary respect, cooperation and support to enable her succeed in her new position.
He further commended the retirees for their respect for leadership and professionalism, saying that their conduct strengthened mutual respect and cooperation within the management team.
The managing director prayed that their retirement would usher in a new chapter filled with good health, prosperity, peace and fulfilment, assuring them that the NAN family would remain available to celebrate their successes and share in their moments of grief.
“Soldier come, soldier go, the barracks remain,” he said, stressing that the friendships, professional relationships and memories built at NAN would endure beyond retirement.
Mr Ali urged the agency’s professionals to sustain the values of competence, dedication, teamwork and credibility demonstrated by the retirees,
He said that NAN would continue to rely on the collective experience and commitment of its staff to achieve greater heights.
NAN
