Two title editors, their deputies, and key managers have been asked to tender their resignations by the management of Punch Nigeria Limited, the publisher of PUNCH online and newspaper titles.
The development comes in a shake-up that targeted high-level employees of the leading Nigerian independent media organisation.
Specifically, the Editor of the daily title, The PUNCH, Adedayo Oketola, and the Editor of PUNCH Weekend Titles, Olusola Fabiyi, were shown the way out last Friday.
In a similar development, the media organisation directed the Deputy Editor of The PUNCH, Olaniyi Odebode, to resign.
The firm, however, redeployed the Deputy Editor, Weekend Titles, Yusuff Moshood, to PUNCH Digital, the company in charge of its digital platforms, as Deputy Editor.
Others who also received such directives outside the Editorial Division of the organisation were the Controller, Business and Finance, Bayode Olukotun; General Manager, Corporate Services, Olufolakemi Gbemuotor; and the Chief Accountant, Michael Adegbola, PREMIUM TIMES gathered.
While the affected editors were asked to give one-month notice in their resignation letters, the affected top admin and finance officials were asked to give a three-month exit notice.
The PUNCH announced its decision to force the senior members of staff to resign on Friday based on a resolution of the company’s board.
The forced resignations came about a year ahead of the affected personnel’s retirement age or end of tenures.
For instance, one of the affected senior managers, Mrs Gbemuotor, was due for retirement next year after putting in 34 years as an employee.
The two title editors, Messrs Oketola and Fabiyi, who were appointed for a three-year renewable tenure each in March 2022, were, by their appointment dates, expected to have until early next year to complete their terms in office.
According to a publication it posted on its website announcing the shake-up in the leadership of the editorial division on Saturday, the company acknowledged “their positive contributions to the company’s strategic objectives.”
It equally acknowledged the contributions of Mr Odebode, the outgoing Deputy Editor, The PUNCH, who served in various capacities at the organisation during his 31-year stint.
But, PUNCH was silent on the non-editorial managers affected by what it said was “part of a recent restructuring exercise across the company’s divisions.”
In the changes announced by the management, the Business Editor of The PUNCH, Oyetunji Abioye, was appointed the new editor of The PUNCH, in an acting capacity.
The company also announced Samson Folarin, the Features Editor of the paper’s Weekend Titles (Saturday PUNCH & Sunday PUNCH) as acting Editor, Weekend Titles.
The outgoing editor of The PUNCH, Mr Oketola, and the Editor of the newspaper’s Weekend Titles, Mr Fabiyi, will hand over to their successors on Monday, July 22, 2024.
The company also approved the appointment of the Editor, PUNCH SportsExtra, ‘Tana Aiyejina, as the successor of Olaniyi Odebode, the Deputy Editor, The PUNCH, in an acting capacity.
The company acknowledged the contributions of Mr Odebode, who served in various capacities in PUNCH during his 31-year stint, and wished him well.
Tessy Igomu, the current Editor, Healthwise, is to take over from Yusuff Moshood as the Deputy Editor, Weekend Titles, in an acting capacity. Mr Moshood was redeployed to PUNCH Digital as the Deputy Editor.
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