Encomium
THE Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun Newspapers, Mr. Femi Adesina has parried over rumours insinuating he would be appointed Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the President of the Federal Republic.
In a phone chat with ENCOMIUM Weekly on Friday, May 15, 2015, the veteran journalist was non-committal on the speculation.
“Please, leave me out of this. I only spoke with you as a friend.”
Multiple sources, however, informed us that Adesina is likely going to succeed Dr. Reuben Abatti who would definitely go with his boss of over four years (Dr. Ebele Goodluck Jonathan).
ENCOMIUM Weekly even learnt that Adesina already has the support and backing of his boss, Dr. Orji Uzor-Kalu.
“Everything being equal, Mr. Femi Adesina would become the Special Adviser to in-coming President Muhammadu Buhari. He would have a cabinet status. Meaning, he would be attending the Federal Executive Council Meeting,” said one of our sources.
Mr. Adesina was one of the many influential journalists who worked for the actualization of the Buhari presidency. Despite his boss (Orji Uzor-Kalu) being a founding member of the defeated PDP, the fearless columnist and ace writer struck a balance between his conviction, independence and sympathy of the tabloid.
He even accepted many controversial anti-Buhari adverts, including the repulsive and the widely condemned ‘death wish’ sponsored by Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose.
It was after Buhari was declared winner, he explained he was actually working for the former Head of State and three-time presidential aspirant before he eventually kicked out incumbent Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday, April 11, 2015 poll.
Others being tipped for the top media job are the All Progressives Congress National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Muhammed and Director, Directorate of Media and Publicity of the President-elect, Mallam Garba Shehu.
With a journalism career spanning almost 30 years, Femi Adesina who is a second-term National President of Nigeria Guild of Editors, has virtually seen it all.
“The story has been that I have climbed every rung of the ladder. I didn’t attain this position by sudden flight. Every position from reporter to staff writer, senior writer, deputy feature editor, features editor, deputy editor, editor, director of publication, deputy editor-in-chief and now to Editor-in-Chief (and Managing Director), I climbed every rung and did not skip any step. I have paid my dues. And I would say God has been faithful to me,” he confessed in one interview with ENCOMIUM Weekly.
Femi Adesina is also a minister of the gospel.
– UCHE OLEHI
