By: Abdulhafeez Oyewole
The newly elected National President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Dr Usman Oladipo Akanbi, has been conferred the prestigiously collegiate title of ANA Fellow after his victory at the 42nd International Convention of the Association.
A Senior Lecturer and an Agricultural Scientist with the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) was conferred and decorated the elevated Fellow by the immediate Past President of the Association, Mr Camilus Ukah shortly after the Electoral Committee's Chairman, Dr Frank Ogbeide, announced Dr Akanbi and his team as the winners of the concluded election.
FACTUAL NAIJA NEWS reports that the investiture is a prelude to the swearing in of the Former Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) in Kwara State, Dr Usman Oladipo Akanbi, as the National President of the writers' body.
The lecturer, who is the founder of Imode Writers Residency, defeated his contender, Hajia Farida Muhammed, the immediate past Vice President of the Association to clinch the number one seat in an election held and announced on Saturday night at the Mamman Vasta Writers Village Hall in Mpappe, Abuja.
In the same vein, the winner of this year's NLNG Prize for Literature and also a university lecturer, Dr Obari Gomba became the Vice President after defeating the immediate Past Ex-Officio 2, Associate Prof. Greg Mbajiorgu; while Dr Joan Oji emerged as the National General Secretary of the Association, taking over from Maik Ortserga, who by ANA Constitution, is automatically the Ex-Officio 1 of the Association.
Also the immediate Past Chairman of ANA Kwara, Mal. Abdur-Rahman Adebayo (ARA) Aderinoye secured the Assistant Secretariat seat after beating his contender, the immediate past legal adviser, Bentex Torlafia.
Stephen Kekeghe won his rival, Mrs. Lola Gbogbo to become the Auditor-General of the Association, while Chimankpa Ogbueri defeated Umar Yogiza to become Ex Officio 2.
While Bala Nagidi beat Matthew Taiwo to clinch the PRO North, High Chief Matthew Odono returned unopposed as the PRO South.
Other new National Executive members that their positions are unopposed are Mike Assoh (Legal Adviser), Stella Toruemi (Treasurer), Keyna Eshika (Financial Secretary), and Maik Ortserga, who is now an automatic Ex-Officio 1.
In his closing remarks, the immediate past ANA President, Mr Camilus Ukah described the election as the most credible, transparent, freest and fairest election he hoped and promised the Association.
In his address, the newly elected ANA President, who described his team's emergence as a new dawn for the Association, appreciated every member for their support and sued for peace and cooperation of all members of the Association.
"I thank everyone that have supported us. I thank all members of the Association. It is a new dawn and it is time for us to unite together and move the frontiers of creative industry further more," he submitted.
Here's the breakdown of the scores announced by the electoral board at the dinner night marking the end of the 42nd ANA Convention in Abuja:
PRESIDENT
- Dr Usman Oladipo Akanbi (140)
- Hajiya Farida Mohammed (86)
VICE PRESIDENT
- Dr Obari Gomba (251)
- Associate Prof. Greg Mbajiorgu (63)
SECRETARY GENERAL
- Dr Joan Oji (132)
- Mr. Wole Adedoyin (77)
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
- Mal Abdur-Rahman Aderinoye (132)
- Mr. Bentex Torlafia (67)
LEGAL ADVISER
- Mike Assoh (Unopposed)
TREASURER
- Ms Stella Toruemi (Unopposed)
FINANCIAL SECRETARY
- Dr Keyna Eshika (127)
- Mr. Freeman Okosun (75)
AUDITOR
- Dr Stephen Kekeghe (107)
- Mrs. Lola Gbogbo (67)
PRO NORTH
- Mal. Bala Nagidi (142)
- Mr. Taiwo Matthew (71)
PRO SOUTH
- Matthew Odono (Unopposed)
EX- OFFICIO 1
- Mr. Maik Ortserga (Automatic)
EX-OFFICIO 2
- Chimankpa Ogbueri (120)
- Mr Umar Yogiza Jnr. (67)
Photos from the event;
