CPAN Elects Officers, …Calls for end to #EndSARS Protests
Mr. Gracious Kayode Akintayo, CPAN President
Christian Press Association of Nigeria (CPAN); an association of independent Christian news writers and publishers, has elected Mr. Gracious Kayode Akintayo, Publisher, Providence Magazine, as its new President.
Others selected as members of its new executive are Edet Udoh, Publisher, The Revealer online as General Secretary, Seyi John Salau Business Day correspondent as Financial Secretary and Mrs. Bukola Adetoye of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as Treasurer.
In his acceptance speech, Mr Akintayo promised to provide a sound leadership towards ensuring glorious future for CPAN as well as promoting professionalism amongst its members in Christian news reportage.
While assuring that the new executive would focus on the core vision of the association to accelerate its progress, Akintayo called for unity and togetherness among CPAN members towards taking the association to greater heights.
His words: “Together with the other executive members and the entire CPAN members, by the grace of God, we shall enthrone, establish and entrench good legacies with a quality leadership that we all will be proud of as CPAN members.”
Therefore, he called for unity of purpose and synergy among the members towards building on the strength of the association to attain its goals.
Meanwhile Mr. Gracious Akintayo on behalf CPAN has enjoined the Nigerian youths protesting against police brutality in the country to eschew violence and wanton destruction of properties in their protests across the country.
While commending the youths for their protests against the human rights abuse by some of the officers of the recently disbanded Nigerian police unit, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Akintayo urged the youths to suspend their on- going protests for dialogue with the Nigeria authorities in order to stop further loss of lives and destruction of properties/infrastructures across the country as a result of their protests.
The CPAN president who decried the shootings and shedding of innocent blood in the course of the nationwide #Endsars protests by the Nigerian youths, called on Nigerian government to probe the killings for the sake of justice and fundamental human rights.
He also appealed to the youths to follow the path of peace by engaging the government in a dialogues on their agitation in a constructive and peaceful manner, instead of resorting to violence and lawlessness.
Akintayo urged Nigeria’ President Muhammadu Buhari to recogise the role, importance and contributions of the Nigerian youths in nation building by giving the youths the opportunity to make their contributions.
“Every good government understands that the basis of providing good governance and conducive environment is to create a room for her youths to develop and build their future and the world generally.
“What is happening in Nigeria at the moment are pointers that the present generation of Nigerian youths are wiser and are learning faster.
“Therefore, the government should do all it’s capacity to ensure that the Nigerian youths are pacified, assured and their confidence restored,” Akintayo advised.
