Nigerian education journalists reelect Mojeed Alabi as EWAN chairman

The Education Writers’ Association of Nigeria (EWAN), a group of journalists across print, broadcast and online platforms reporting education, has reelected the Head of the Development Desk at PREMIUM TIMES, Mojeed Alabi, as its chairman for another three-year term.

The election was conducted on Thursday during the association’s annual general meeting (AGM) at the International Press Centre (IPC), Ogba, Lagos.

Other new executive members of the association committee include Iyabo Lawal, Education Editor of Guardian Newspaper, as vice chairperson; Funmi Ogundare of ThisDay Newspaper as secretary; and Christiana Alabi-Akande, Managing Editor of DevReporting, as assistant secretary. Other members are Tayo Olorunyomi, Saidat Alausa, and Oyeniran Apata.

The electoral process was supervised by a committee chaired by Sam Nzeh, an editor with Daily Times Newspapers. The committee also comprised Adegunle Olugbamila, a former education editor at The Nation Newspaper, and Medinat Kanabe of the Voice of Naija news platform, who served as secretary.

Alabi speaks

In his acceptance speech, Mr Alabi expressed gratitude to the immediate past executive committee and the association’s members for entrusting him with another term. He acknowledged that the decision to reelect him reflects the association’s confidence in his leadership.

Mr Alabi emphasised the association’s commitment to impactful interventions in the education sector. He reaffirmed the importance of quality reporting and advocacy in driving change.

“It is often said that the reward for hard work is more work. I believe this aptly captures the decision of our esteemed editors and members who have returned us to the ring for another three years of service. It is both an honour and a challenge that we wholeheartedly embrace,” Mr Alabi stated.

He further emphasised the association’s need to focus on impactful interventions in the nation’s education sector.

He reaffirmed the new executive committee’s commitment to upholding quality reporting and prioritising advocacy as a tool for driving change in the education sector.

“This new term offers us the opportunity to advance the goals of this noble organisation. Beyond reporting, advocacy remains a critical tool, and we reaffirm our commitment to rededicate ourselves to the progress of this great association. With your continued support, we are confident that EWAN will achieve new milestones and create lasting impacts,” he said.

About Alabi

Mr Alabi is an award-winning development and investigative journalist, currently serving as the Head of the Development Desk at PREMIUM TIMES, Nigeria.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, and a Master’s certificate in Diplomacy and Strategic Studies from the University of Lagos, Nigeria.

Head of the Development Desk at PREMIUM TIMES, Mojeed Alabi

In his career, Mr Alabi has received numerous awards and recognition for his outstanding work in journalism.

He was awarded the Ibrahim Shekarau Prize for Education Reporter of the Year at the Nigerian Media Merit Awards in 2012 and 2017. He also won the Human Rights Reporter of the Year at the Nigerian Media Merit Award in 2018.

Additionally, he received the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting in the print category in 2016 and 2018. He was also honoured with the Golden Pen Report of the Year by the Nigerian Breweries Plc in 2017 and 2018.

Mr Bello Alabi has participated in several international conferences and fellowships. He was a recipient of the WHO Fellowship to the Road Safety Conference in Brazil in 2015. He also attended the Global Investigative Journalism Conference in South Africa in 2017 and in Sweden in 2023.

In 2022, he participated in the Global Partnership for Change by Nigerian and European universities in Germany, and he also attended media and researchers’ collaboration conferences in Tanzania and Kenya in 2023.