The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has formally appointed Chief Dr Paul Edeh, Esq., Chairman of the Benue State Football Association (BSFA), as a member of its Board of Trustees (BoT), with Edeh urging the Association’s national leadership to prioritise the construction of its National Secretariat as a lasting legacy.
SWAN President, Mr. Isaiah Kemje Benjamin, accompanied by the Association’s Secretary-General, Ambassador Ikenna Victor Okonkwo, presented the BoT badge to Edeh during a visit in Abuja.
In a statement signed by Amb. Okonkwo, Mr. Benjamin said the visit was to formally convey the honour on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC) and SWAN members across Nigeria and in the diaspora.
“We are here on behalf of the National Executive Committee and SWAN members across Nigeria and in the diaspora to formally present this badge to you. Your appointment was unanimously endorsed in recognition of your longstanding support and contributions to the growth and development of SWAN,” Benjamin said.
President Benjamin commended Edeh’s contributions to the Association, particularly his role in conceiving the SWAN 60th Diamond Jubilee anniversary.
Responding, Edeh urged the SWAN leadership to focus on projects that would leave a lasting institutional legacy, particularly the National Secretariat, as pledged funds begin to come in.
“No matter what you do in leadership, if you don’t leave a legacy, you will come back to the same circle again,” Edeh said.
He described the construction of the SWAN National Secretariat as a defining project for the current administration, stressing that its completion would provide the Association with a permanent home and strengthen its institutional identity.
“The secretariat is one project that can define this administration and give future generations something to remember you by,” he added.
Edeh also congratulated Benjamin, Okonkwo and other NEC members on their return for another three-year term, describing their emergence as a reflection of confidence in their leadership.
The SWAN President, in turn, emphasised the importance of the Board of Trustees in providing guidance and support to the national leadership, particularly on issues affecting the Association’s progress.
“We expect members of the Board of Trustees to provide advice and guidance whenever the leadership requires your intervention, particularly on matters affecting the progress of SWAN,” the SWAN President said.
The SWAN supremo disclosed that the Association was working towards establishing a common communication platform for members of the Board of Trustees to strengthen engagement, improve collaboration and ensure that their experience and counsel contribute meaningfully to SWAN’s development.
