Chief Whip of the Senate and founder of The Sun Publishing Limited, publishers of Daily Sun, Saturday Sun, Sunday Sun and Sporting Sun, has formally stepped down as Publisher of the newspaper company.
In his place, Barr Neya Uzor-Kalu, who was recently appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of the company, steps in to double as Publisher/Chairman.
The recently reconstituted board of The Sun has as members the following: Barr Neya Uzor Kalu; Onuoha Ukeh (Managing); Mr. Mike Awoyinfa, Mr. Iyke Ekeoma, Alhaji Kabiru Mohammed Shuaibu, mni, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Goka, Mr. Abayomi Fatusin and Engr. Niyi Babatunde. Barr Obinna Kalu was reappointed as Secretary to the board.
Senator Kalu had stepped aside from the board prior to contesting the senatorial election in 2019, to concentrate on his assignment as a lawmaker.
Barr Neya Uzor-Kalu has a degree in Law and an MSc in Finance from the University of Buckingham, United Kingdom. She has 12 years experience crafting and implementing business initiatives across industries and functions.
The new board chairman/publisher, who is currently a businesswoman and entrepreneur spanning across various industries, had previously worked in the banking sector, for five years, in the role of Human Resource Manager.
Mr. Awoyinfa, pioneer Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun Publishing Limited, was on the former board. He retired as MD after eight years of nurturing the company from infancy to become a newspaper reckoned with in the country.
Prior to pioneering The Sun with his friend, the late Pastor Dimgba Igwe, Awoyinfa was the Editor, weekend Concord. He is a consummate journalist and author of business books and biographies.
Mr. Ekeoma, a graduate of Political Science and Communication Arts, is a seasoned broadcast journalist, media strategist and television production entrepreneur.
He worked for many years at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Imo Broadcasting Corporation as News Editor and newscaster, after which he served as Chief Press Secretary to many governors of Abia State, including Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, immediate past Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (elected governor); Navy Captain Temi Ejoor (military administrator) and Col. Ike Nwosu (military governor). He also served as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu when he was Abia State governor.
Mrs. Goka, who had a high-profile career in the oil and gas industry, has the record of being the first woman to be appointed Deputy Managing Director, Agip Oil Company Limited. She also served as General Manager, Public Affairs at Agip Oil, among other responsibilities.
Daughter of the late Chief Hezekiah Oladipo Davies, former Minister in the First Republic, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Evansville, Evansville, Indiana and degree in Law from the University of Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, England respectively.
Mr. Fatusin holds a degree in History and Strategic Studies from the University of Lagos. He is a businessman with interest in hospitality, real estate and oil sector.
Engr. Babatunde is a civil engineer with over 20 years experience in planning, design and construction management. He is Chief Executive Officer of Builder’s Shop Centre Group, a civil engineering, manufacturing, material finishing and hospitality firm in Nigeria.
He holds a B.Sc degree in Civil Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Osun State and has a certificate in Hotel Design and Development from Harvard University Graduate School of Design.
Ukeh, who holds a Master’s degree in Communication Studies from Lagos State University, has been Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, The Sun Publishing Limited, for close to three years.
An alumnus of also the Pan-African University (Lagos Business School) and Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Ukeh also holds certificates in Transportation and Logistics from the Canada Institute of Traffic and Transportation, Ontario. A newspaper columnist and author, he was editor, Saturday Sun and Daily Sun, before being appointed MD/Editor-in-Chief.
Obinna Kalu holds an Executive Doctorate degree, obtained in 2014, an LLM (Common Law) from University of Ilorin and a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LL.B) from Abia State University, obtained in 1999.
After attending the Nigerian Law School, he enrolled as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 2001. He worked at Development and Peace Commission, Benin City as Legal Officer Programme Manager and Head of Justice Delivery Department. He also served as a member of Edo State Prison Monitoring Committee between 2004 and 2005.
Kalu joined The Sun Publishing Limited as General Counsel in 2013 and currently heads the Company’s Legal Department. In 2016, his job schedule was expanded, following his appointment as the Company Secretary.
