30th September, 2017
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
Dr Qasim Olalere Akinreti of the Voice of Nigeria, VON on Friday emerged the new Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Lagos State Council.
Akinreti defeated Mr Leye Ajayi of the News Agency of Nigeria by 288 to 272 votes to emerge winner of the NUJ election held at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Eko FM, Agidingbi, IKeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
Abiola Beckley of Daar Communications also won by 282 votes defeating Innocent Anaba of the Vanguard who polled 275 votes to emerge as the Vice Chairman of the Council.
Akinreti Olalere Qasim was born 10th October, 1967. He obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1979 from the Seventh Day Adventist Primary School, Ibadan. By 1985, he got his West African School Certificate, WASC from Loyola College. Two years later, in 1987, he got the Higher School Certificate (HSC) from Oduduwa College Ile ife.
He was later admitted into University of Ibadan and graduated with a B.ED Special Education (Communication and Language Arts) in 1991.
Two years later, he was admitted into Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos and came out with a Post Graduate Degree, PGD Journalism in 1993.
At a time when virtually nothing is known about Online Journalism in Nigeria, he saw the future and proceeded to Nottingham Trent University Nottingham,UK and came out with MA Online Journalism in 2003 and became the first Nigerian at home to have a degree in that field.
His desire for knowledge knew no bounds. Upon his return to Nigeria, he proceeded to Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, where he obtained Mphil Mass Communication (Broadcasting) in 2015. He rounded up his educational pursuit with a Ph.D from the same university in 2017.
A very lively fellow, humble to the core, Akinreti Olalere Quasim has myriads of professional qualifications. They include: Certificate Challenges of 21 st Century Journalism(2008); Certificate Digital Media Production , Rhodes University South Africa, 2008; Certificate Human Rights Reporting(2007) ; Certificate Media leadership Academy , US (2006); Certificate Train The Trainers Course (Media), Poynter Institute of Media Studies, Florida ,US(2006);Certificate World Bank Institute (Media Leadership Training)(2006);Certificate Internet Broadcasters Course, Caldecott /Singapore Media Center , Singapore(2000); Certificate Effective Public Relations (Chattered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (1995) ;Certificate Effective News Writing(1994) and Certificate Computer Appreciation and Desktop publishing , BM Computer School ,Lagos(1994).