The Governor of Oyo State has constituted a communication team, which marks his first appointment since his reelection for a second term in the April 11 governorship election.
A statement by the state’s Head of Service, Soji Eniade, announced the appointment of a veteran broadcaster and branding strategist, Yomi Layinka, as Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy to the governor.
Also on the team is a former Punch journalist, Akin Oyedele, who was named Senior Special Assistant on Print and Broadcast; while the governor appointed an Ibadan Polytechnic top official, Femi Ipadeola, as his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs.
Eniade says the appointments take immediate effect.
Layinka was trained in Dramatic Arts at the then University of Ife (now ObafemiAwolowo University)under the tutelage of Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka in 1980.
He later underwent postgraduate training for Advanced Diploma in Marketing at the University of Lagos; while he is currently studying towards a PhD in Political Marketing at the University of Salford, Manchester.
Layinka was a founding member of staff of the then Television Service of Oyo State(now Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State), where he served as producer in 1982 when the station debuted; and later a founding executive director of Channels Incorporated, owners of Channels Television, in 1991.
As a branding strategist, he has designed and produced many award-winning radio and television advertisements and corporate documentaries for leading brands in Nigeria and across Africa; while he was also the executive producer of the American-owned Swift Studio.
Until his new appointment, Layinka was the chief operating officer of the BCOS, as well as a senior special assistant to Ajimobi during the governor’s first tenure.
Oyedele was a University of Lagos graduate of Mass Communication, where he emerged as overall best graduating student of his class.
He was a chief correspondent with the Punch Newspaper until 2010 when a former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, appointed him as special assistant on Media.
He also served as special assistant on media relations to Ajimobi between December 2014 and May 2015 before his latest reappointment into a higher position.
Ipadeola, who has held top administrative and board management positions in public and private sectors was the Dean, Faculty of Business and Communication Studies, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, until his new position.
His over two decades career trajectory in print and broadcast journalism, public relations, advertising, non-profits, corporation organisations and the academia has earned him expansive mix of experience in media and communication.
An English Studies alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ipadeola had postgraduate education in Communication and Language Arts at the University of Ibadan and has participated in more than 60 professional development courses within and outside Nigeria.
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