By Seyifunmi Odunuga
A national leader of the South West Group of Online Journalists (SWEGOP), Dapo Falade, has been appointed as Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to Senator Kola Balogun, the lawmaker representing Oyo South Senatorial District.
Falade’s appointment came 48 hours after the resignation of Mr Rotimi Johnson popularly known as Ojasope as the SA Media and Communication to Senator Balogun.
Falade, who is also the publisher of an online newspaper, Newscoven, and a former deputy editor of Nigeria Tribune, expected to bring his experience to bear in promoting activities of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Lawmaker.
The appointment was contained in a statement, dated 30 October 2021 issued from the office of the Senator and signed by Chief Omilabu Gandhi.
Mr Johnson had, in a letter, dated 28 October 2021, informed the senator of his decision to resign from his position.
Accepting the resignation, Senator Balogun and his political team thanked Ojasope for putting his service at his disposal as the Special Adviser (Media) and wish him well in all his future endeavours.
Mr Falade is an experienced journalist whose duty has taken him to many parts of the country.
He was, until 31 May 2020, a Deputy Editor with Nigeria’s oldest surviving newspaper, the Nigerian Tribune.
He was variously the Correspondent of the Nigerian Tribune in Ekiti State (October 2007 to November 2009).
Between November 2009 and May 2011, Mr Falade covered the activities of the Oyo State government. He was also the Correspondent of the newspaper covering the Senate between October 2012 and February 2014.
He was the Correspondent of the Nigerian Tribune in Rivers State from February 2014 to August 2016 when he was redeployed back to the headquarters of the newspaper in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
He is a holder of B.A. (History) and M. A. (History), both from the University of Ibadan. He also has a Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) in Journalism from the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ), Abuja
