Concerned Lagos SWAN members want end to crisis

Some prominent members of the Sports Writers of Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Lagos State Chapter, have raised their voices over the seemingly unending crisis of leadership in the state chapter. 

The concerned stakeholders group led by two former chairmen of the state chapter, Hon. Frank Ilaboya, and Mr. Tony Ubani, said they are ready to team up with other well-meaning Nigerians, associations and groups to dialogue towards bringing peace back to Lagos SWAN.

Ilaboya, said Tuesday in Lagos that the crisis of leadership where the state chapter has two chairmen in place, one coming after the other, does not speak well of the chapter which stands out as the oldest and most vibrant association under the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

He noted that, the most painful part of it all is the inability of Lagos SWAN members, young and old, to access the association’s secretariat built specifically for members at the Lagos National Stadium, in Surulere.

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“Members now hang around at the National Stadium complex, Lagos instead of comfortably having good times at the SWAN secretariat building.

“The prolonged crisis which has forced the premature abandonment of the secretariat by all members is fast making the edifice desolate and dilapidated.”

Another former Chairman of Lagos SWAN, Mr. Tony Ubani who is also the Group Sports Editor of the Vanguard Newspapers, regretted that the great contributions of the Ministry of Youths of Sports that donated the plot of land for the secretariat and the sacrifices made by the Lagos SWAN members in putting together a peaceful and vibrant association in over 40 years or more, are gradually being destroyed.

“That is why we have brought ourselves together as the Concerned Stakeholders of Lagos SWAN to muster strength in ensuring that peace returns to the association,” he said.