Kayode Adeoti, a National Pilot journalist has indeed carved an indelible imprint for himself when it comes to objective, timely, and well-sourced reportage of court proceedings and profiling of legal practitioners in Kwara State. It is against this backdrop, the veteran newsman, who currently heads the Judiciary Desk of National Pilot, is billed to be decorated with medal of honour by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Young Lawyers’ Forum (YLF), Ilorin branch, on Sunday.
Adeoti is to be honoured during the YLF award night slated to hold 6pm at the Elite Hotel, Offa road, GRA, Ilorin.
Other personalities to be awarded are; the immediate out-gone chairman of the Ilorin NBA, Issa Manzuma, ex-chairperson of the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Ilorin branch, Ronke Adeyemi, Head Chambers, Bayo Ojo & Co., Taye Oniyide, Dr. Folorunsho Ahmad Hussein of the faculty of law, University of Ilorin among others.
Also detailed for the award are the incumbent General Secretary of the NBA who doubles as the pioneer chairman of YLF, John Mayokun Dada and Jamiu Muhammed, who is the immediate past chairman of the forum.
The occasion is the inaugural award night of the YLF and Adeoti is the first journalist in Ilorin to be honoured by the legal association.
In a letter signed by the Chairman of the association, Barr. Dauda Olayinka Jimoh, dated 26th November, 2019, Adeoti will be decorated following his impact on professional journalism, public orientation and development of legal profession.
The executive of the YLF, according to the letter sent to National Pilot Adeoti, will receive a medal award for propagating the activities of the association on the pages of National Pilot newspaper.
The statement reads “A very vibrant youth, non Lawyer though, Mr Kayode Adeoti of National Pilot who has promoted and positively projected YLF through his journalism by constantly reporting the activities of YLF and Young Lawyers in ilorin on the pages of their newspaper: National Pilot will be honoured with our Medal.”
It further stressed that the award is a way of appreciating and reciprocating the various contributions of the individuals to the development of the judiciary.
It added saying, Adeoti exemplifies how to use the press for progressive and developmental initiatives, fight demagogues of all parties, remain devoted to public welfare, not satisfied within merely printing news but investigative news reporting which is typical of National Pilot Newspaper.
Recall that the MD/Editor-in-chief of the medium, Alhaji Billy Adedamola, during the tenure of the immediate past chairman of the NBA, bagged a lifetime award of the NBA.
The astute journalist made his debut into the journalism profession over a decade ago. He was initially a freelance reporter at African Voice, a Lagos based print medium. He also had a period of tutoring with the Kwara State Television Authority under the tutelage of Mr Abayomi Adeniji, Mr Garuba Abdulakeem, Joseph Lere Dada, Mr Beki, among others.
The YLF was established in Nigeria about 10 years ago to fight for the interest of the young lawyers who were believed to be unjustly treated by their principals.
YLF was established in 2015 in Ilorin, with the incumbent General Secretary of the NBA, appointed the pioneer chairman.
Dada, who is at the helms of affairs of the forum for only 90 days conducted a peaceful poll which brought in the Jamiu Muhammad-led executives of the YLF.
Muhammad wielded much clout during his time as chairman of the Forum for two years, and in 2017, another hitch-free election propelled Dauda Olayinka Jimoh to the position of chairmanship of the forum.
Come Sunday at the award event, history will be made as Jimoh will hand over to a new executives at the YLF award night which will be chaired by Mumini Kabiru Alawaye.
Alawaye emerged chairman of the Forum few weeks ago, in an election that was keenly contested.
Mr. Kayode Adeoti is an alumni of the Federal Polytechnic Offa, where he obtained his Higher National Diploma certificate in Mass Communication.
The ace journalist also holds a PGD cerificate and currently pursuing his second degree.
