DevReporting appoints UNILAG VC, former LASU VC as foundation’s advisory board chairs

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Folasade Ogunsola, and former Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU), Olanrewaju Fagbohun, have been appointed as chairs of the advisory board of the Development Reporting Africa Foundation (DRAF), the non-profit arm of DevReporting.

Ms Ogunsola, a professor of medical microbiology, and Mr Fagbohun, a professor of environmental law, were appointed alongside four other members of the six-member advisory board.

Samson Ademola, DevReporting’s Project Manager and Associate Editor, has also been appointed the pioneer Executive Director of the foundation.

The appointments were announced on 29 October, during the unveiling of DRAF at the University of Lagos.

The event also featured the premiere of LG’s Billion in the Dark, an investigative documentary by DevReporting examining the prolonged local government leadership crisis in Osun State, as well as a fundraising initiative to support the foundation’s activities.

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana delivered the keynote address, while publisher of PREMIUM TIMES and CEO of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Dapo Olorunyomi, chaired the event.

New foundation

DRAF is the non-profit arm of Development Reporting Services Limited, publishers of DevReporting.

The foundation said it was established to strengthen development journalism, advance research, promote public accountability and foster partnerships that contribute to sustainable development across Africa.

The foundation is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Mojeed Alabi, Team Lead and Editor-in-Chief of DevReporting.

Apart from Ms Ogunsola and Mr Fagbohun, other members of the advisory board are Blessing Ahmed, Managing Partner of Blue Diamond Law Firm; Oluwole Alabi, an obstetrician and gynaecologist; Theophilus Abbah, Director of Daily Trust Foundation; and Bolaji Abimbola, Managing Director of Integrated Indigo Limited.

The organisation said the advisory board would provide strategic guidance and support the foundation’s institutional development and partnerships.

Ademola takes charge

Mr Ademola brings more than a decade of experience in programme management, research, journalism and media capacity development, including managing donor-funded initiatives across Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa.

He previously spent about eight years at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), where he managed programmes supported by the MacArthur Foundation, Gates Foundation and Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), including grant-making to more than 25 media organisations.

Reacting to his appointment, Mr Ademola thanked the Board of Directors for the confidence reposed in him.

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“I am grateful for the confidence reposed in me to lead the Foundation. I accept this responsibility with humility, a strong sense of purpose and a commitment to building an institution that makes meaningful contributions to development journalism and sustainable development across Africa.”

He said he looked forward to working with the board, advisers, partners and other stakeholders to translate the foundation’s vision into programmes with measurable impact.

Mr Ademola also outlined proposed programmes, including youth civic engagement through campus documentary screenings, training, mentorship and youth-led accountability projects across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

He said the fundraising initiative would help mobilise resources for these programmes and other activities aimed at strengthening public-interest journalism and citizen participation in governance.

Foundation seeks partnerships

Building on DevReporting’s experience in investigative journalism, media capacity development and collaborative reporting, DRAF said it aims to strengthen the role of evidence-based journalism in promoting accountability and improving development outcomes.

The foundation is seeking partnerships and support from institutions and individuals committed to public-interest journalism and sustainable development.