Encomium
THERE is palpable anxiety among the staff of Lagos Television (LTV) over the rumour that their Permanent Secretary, Mr. Mubashiru Adekunle Ajanaku may soon be redeployed to another ministry.
The rumour has it that the governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode is planning to appoint a general manager after redeploying the permanent secretary.
Many of the workers are worried that so soon the man that has made life and work enjoyable will be leaving them. The man came into the television station less than two years ago and since his arrival their lives and working conditions have never been the same.
Their salaries which usually came two or three weeks late before the arrival of Ajanaku now come even before the month ends. All their allowances and pecks of office which were denied them before under one guise or the other were promptly given to them as at when due when Ajanaku took over.
Many of them now go home during festivals with smiles on their faces and gifts in their bags and car boots.
All necessary equipment to boost their performances were provided by the new man on the block.
And now, the man who provided all of these will soon be posted to somewhere else. Not a few of the staffers are happy about this rumour of redeployment.
Another issue that is also agitating the minds of the staffers is who becomes the new general manager that will replace Mr. Ajanaku. There are rumours that of all the 11 directors that were interviewed for the position, two have been penciled down as the likely successor of Ajanaku. The two, according to the rumour are Ms. Funke Moore, the Director of Current Affairs and Mr. Deji Balogun, the Director of Programmes. Again, the staffers are divided between the two. While some are rooting for Ms. Funke Moore because of her humility, good human relations, prudence and the fact that she is a woman (no woman has headed the parastatal), others are rooting for Mr. Deji Balogun for the mere fact that he is a man and was very close to their former boss, Mr. Olalekan Ogunbanwo.
Ms. Funke Moore is a graduate of Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Ogba; Lagos State University, Ojo, where she bagged a Masters in Literature in English.
She is a widow with two grown up children. The two children are already graduates and working. Her first child is a lawyer and the second a dentist.
Mr. Deji Balogun is equally married with children.
Both have been in service for more than two decades and have served in different departments of the broadcasting house.
– TOLANI ABATTI
