Restoring the integrity of SWAN

Restoring the integrity of SWAN
(A paper presented as part of the activities to mark the Diamond/60th Anniversary Celebration of the Sportswriters Association of Nigeria, SWAN).
When our executive came into office in February 1992 following the Kaduna elections of December 1991 and subsequent official swearing-in at the National Institute of Sports, Lagos, SWAN was in crisis and in a state of despair.The association was deeply enmeshed in crisis. The loss of confidence in the national leadership at the time had reached a breaking point. Genuine sports journalists, particularly sports editors, and critical stakeholders had dissociated themselves from SWAN leadership at the national level as the association had been hijacked and infiltrated by non-professionals. The integrity and sanctity of SWAN had been eroded.The then national leadership under Prince Lat Ogumade in turn accused sports editors of plotting to establish a rival/parallel body. This triggered mutual suspicion and the emergence of splinter groups and the likes. Accusations and counter accusations of extortions of government, patrons, and corporate bodies further dragged the image of SWAN to the mud. This sad state of affairs culminated in the removal of the Prince Lat Ogumade led national leadership and the setting up of a caretaker body led by Chris Ogwu then of The Guardian. I joined the committee from the Imo Broadcasting Service (IBS) as a member , and Chairman Imo SWAN. Other members were Dele Ojesoba then of the NTA and Tony Akiotu of FRCN.
At the 1991 National Convention in Ibadan, hosted by Oyo SWAN, state chairmen unanimously resolved to constitute themselves into an Electoral Committee with a new caretaker committee headed by Mr. Steve Alabi (now a lawyer and Royal Father ) to midwife the election of a new national executive council . The presidency was zoned to Lagos but the electoral umpires insisted all contestants must appear before the national Elective Delegates’ Conference in Kaduna. They were also made to present manifestos before the delegates.
There were four contestants all from Lagos chapter. They included; yours truly, Fan Ndubuoke (having moved from IBS to Champion Newspaper and then National Sportslink), Dele Ojesoba (NTA), Tony Akiotu (FRCN), and Animashaun (Radio Lagos).At the end of the transparent process, I was elected President of SWAN, with Mallam Sani Zaria (then of New Nigerian Newspaper)as deputy. Other notable officers included * Mr. Clinton Thompson (now late) - 1st Vice* ⁠Domino Johnson - Secretary and Mallam Mohammed Bello as Treasurer among other dedicated members of the executive.
Expectedly, we inherited a battered and crisis-ridden association, but were determined to embark on a rescue mission. We were intentional and strategic in our approach. We didn’t assume office in December 1991 when we were elected, but instead decided to embark on consultations and reconciliation. Our first point of contact were the editors and chief executives of Sports oriented media houses. 1.Stakeholders Engagement and Media Tour were top on our agenda.
We immediately embarked on consultations with critical stakeholders; sports editors, patrons, and corporate organisations, who had hitherto abandoned and dissociated themselves from SWAN. We also engaged the splinter groups to reconcile differences. How could we run a truly professional sports writing organization without the doyens of the industry . The highlight of this was our historic visit to the late iconic and legendary SWAN Grand Patron and Africa’s real Pillar of Sports, Bashorun MKO Abiola, at his Ikeja residence. The massive and overwhelming turnout of respected and seasoned sports journalists and elders delighted him. His confidence in SWAN leadership was restored.On hearing that the new Exco had broken the jinx of opening bank account , he immediately issued a cheque of ₦100,000 and a brand-new Super Salon Gallant car for the SWAN Presidency. On a lighter note, I recall the memorable incident when I was being introduced to him as FAN Ndubuoke, he jokingly asked; "Will this FAN rotate?" to which everyone chorused "Yes". May God rest his Kind soul.
2. Sanitising Membership:One of the causes of disaffection was the invasion of the association by quacks; we were challenged to restore professionalism by first; * Making NUJ card-a prerequisite for being a member of SWAN.* Restricting full membership to bona fide sports journalists earning their livelihood from the sports desk of recognised media houses.* Classifying Sports Council PROs and media correspondents covering general beats as Associate Members without eligibility for elective offices.* Mandating state chapters to replicate these reforms.
3. Restoring the image of SWAN was a task that must be done. Consequently, we ended the culture of extortion in whatever form and repositioned SWAN as a credible partner in sports development.
To address the issue of harassment of our members trying to gain access into sports events, we designed, produced and introduced the SWAN National Identity Card, still in use till date .
Restored affiliations with continental and global bodies such as the African Sports Journalists' Union (ASJU), where I later served as Secretary-General, and the International Sports Press Association (AIPS), where I became an Executive Committee Member as Africa’s representative .Many SWAN members became registered AIPS members during this period.With the support of the Federal Government we struggled and fought to relocate the Secretariat of ASJU from Zaire (now the current DR Congo) to Abuja.The question is; "What happened to that secretariat when we left office?"
4. Strategic Contributions to Sports Development.
We restored SWAN’s rightful place in shaping national sports policy.Organised a landmark Sports Summit in 1992, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos. The gathering of sports experts , administrators, journalists and former footballers was to brainstorm on how Nigeria could qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the first time. The sustained campaign contributed to Nigeria’s qualification for her first-ever World Cup in 1994.-We advocated and secured statutory inclusion of sports writers on the boards of all national sports federations. A practice still sustained till date.
-It is to the credit of SWAN under our leadership that a department of public relations was created within the secretariat of Nigeria Football Association with one of us, late Austin Mgbolu as the pioneer head .
We built credibility to the point where SWAN attention, recognition and awards, became highly coveted and sought after. For instance; at our final Award Night held at the prestigious Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, about eight state military governors were in attendance and it featured high-profile Nigerian artists who entertained and thrilled the audience. That was at the standard SWAN was elevated to. -Achievements and LegacyUnder our leadership, SWAN:-Regained its lost prestige and influence in the Nigerian sports ecosystem.-Restored professionalism, discipline, and credibility.-Cemented its role as a watchdog, and partner in sports development.-Elevated the welfare, dignity, and status of sports journalists.-Became a formidable voice nationally and internationally.
Reflection and Advice:It is painful to observe that in recent years, SWAN has again been hijacked and infiltrated by non-professionals, leading to a relapse into the very quagmire we laboured to rescue it from decades ago.Today even social media commentators, PROs as well as civil servants are priding themselves as sportswriters .SWAN must return to its founding principles and objectives, which include: coordinating professional sports journalists, training and retraining of members, promoting sports development, and defending the rights and welfare of its members.
SWAN must aim to contribute to the growth of Nigerian sports through advocacy, and collaborative relationships with other sports industry stakeholders.We should stop ridiculing our organization before government and corporate interests for pecuniary interests.SWAN ought to reposition itself as a credible partner in sports development and upholding the dignity, integrity and professionalism envisioned by the founding fathers.Appreciation:I remain grateful to the founding fathers of SWAN for their foresight, and to all who, in different capacities, positively shaped the evolution of the association. It was an honour to serve SWAN and contribute to the cherished legacies .Lastly, I want to thank my team and all the state chapters at the time whose scrutiny kept us on our toes, culminating in the success recorded during the period arguably referred to as "Golden Era" of SWAN. I wish you all a Happy Diamond/60th Anniversary Celebration, blessings and enabling grace from God to steer SWAN back to its Noble and enviable status. Thank You All.
...FAN Ndubuoke(Ksc)SWAN President (1992–1996).