African media icon, PUNCH chairman, Wale Aboderin, dies at 60

ITREALMS:

An African media icon and chairman of Punch newspapers, Mr. Wale Aboderin, has died on Wednesday, May 30, 2018, at 6.05am, at the age of 60 after a brief post-surgery ailment, reports ITRealms.

His death, ITRealms gathered, is coming barely a year after Mr. Aboderin was elected the Board chairman of the African Media Initiative (AMI) in Nairobi, Kenya.

Late Mr. Aboderin, ITRealms also gathered, was a trained commercial pilot at the Burnside-Ott Flying School, Florida, United States. The former student of Government College, Ibadan, Wale, was appointed chairman of the company’s board of directors in 2012.

His tenure witnessed groundbreaking changes in the editorial quality, management and fortunes of PUNCH, including a hugely successful redesign, the launch of several digital initiatives and the newspaper’s win of several local and international awards.

A popular sports enthusiast in Nigeria, late Mr. Aboderin is the founder and owner of Dolphins Basketball Club, a leading African female basketball club, with local and continental honours. He is a former chairman of the Lagos State Basketball Association and a former member of the Nigerian Handball Federation.

Late Mr Aboderin, ITRealms gathered, passed away after a heart surgery at the First Cardiology Consultants, Ikoyi-Lagos and was the older brother of actress and singer, Wunmi Obe. He is survived by a wife, Titilayo, and two children.

 Ayo Midele/GEE

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Wale Aboderin takes over from Ncube @AMI as chair

ITRealms:

The Board of the African Media Initiative (AMI) has elected Mr. Wale Aboderin as the new Chair of the organization, at a session in Nairobi, Kenya, reports ITRealms.

Aboderin takes over from the maiden chair, Mr. Trevor Ncube, Executive Vice-chairman of South Africa’s Mail & Guardian, who has steered the organization since its inception in 2008.

Disclosing this, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the African Media Initiative, Mr. Eric Chinje, applauded Mr. Ncube, and his early co-Chair, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, for the valuable support and guidance of AMI during its formative years.

He also said that Mr. Aboderin, a Nigerian businessman is the Chairman of PUNCH, Nigeria’s leading newspaper group headquartered in Lagos; PUNCH publishes three print and two digital newspapers, and runs four major print presses across Nigeria.

Mr. Aboderin trained as a commercial pilot at the Burnside-Ott Flying School, Florida, United States. He was appointed chairman of the company’s board of directors in 2012. His tenure has witnessed groundbreaking changes in the editorial quality, management and fortunes of PUNCH, including a hugely successful redesign, the launch of several digital initiatives and the newspaper’s win of several local and international awards.

A popular sports enthusiast in Nigeria, Mr. Aboderin is the founder and owner of Dolphins Basketball Club, a leading African female basketball club, with local and continental honours. He is a former chairman of the Lagos State Basketball Association and a former member of the Nigerian Handball Federation.

“I thankfully accept this role and I believe AMI should help African media bridge the communication gap between policymakers and the citizens to allow for a two-way feedback engagement,” Mr Aboderin said. “During my tenure I will champion the AMI cause everywhere and ensure that Africans stop being suspicious about homegrown initiatives and support this organization.”

Further, Chinje said, with over two decades of direct involvement in media, Mr Wale brings a wealth of experience to the organization. Stressing he would surely help AMI refocus its work around the four major pillars of activity around which a new strategy is being developed, namely “strengthening media capacity (thematic specialization); content development and promotion; research; and performance incentives for media professionals.”

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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