By: Abdullah Oladejo and Samuel Gbayesola
The Great Independence Hall Press Organization, University of Ibadan, on Friday, August 1, 2025, held its official handover.
The handover ceremony, held at the IndyPress Secretariat, saw the dissolution of the outgone Editorial Board led by Ayodele Aduwo as the Editor-in-Chief and Toluwalope Ayeye as Deputy Editor-in-Chief.
The editorial administration also had Ochi Maduabuchi as the Managing Editor, Peter Sonaike as Feature Editor and Favour Bamijoko as Entertainment Editor.
An internal meeting of the organization on March 3, 2025, had earlier seen Sonaike Peter and Ochi Maduabichi assume the roles of Acting Editor-in-Chief and Acting Deputy Editor-in-Chief, respectively. The pair has continued to manage the organization’s editorial and administrative functions.
Under the close mentorship of outgoing Editor-in-Chief Ayodele Aduwo and Deputy Editor-in-Chief Tolulope Ayeye, the duo of Peter and Nnamdi had gradually assumed leadership responsibilities within the organization.
Addressing attendees, outgoing Editor-in-Chief, Aduwo Ayodele reaffirmed the values of editorial mindfulness, conscious leadership, and unwavering excellence.
He reminded the new Editorial Board members and others within the organization of the need to remain accountable and uphold IndyPress’s foundational principles.
Mr. Ayodele Aduwo, who described IndyPress as the moral compass of the student body and the wider university community, called on the new leadership to champion journalism that is impact-oriented, socially just, ethical, and accountable.
“The burden of IndyPress consciousness is heavy, so much that it can’t be carried and at the same time cannot be dropped. Being a member of IndyPress is more than a title, it is about being the conscience of the students, the heart of the Students’ Union and the critical voice of the University community. Leadership here means carrying a vision and holding power accountable, even when it is uncomfortable,” Aduwo said.
“The conscience of the University’s mandate, students community and Nigeria as a whole is an open wound for us, and only the truth can heal it,” Aduwo added.
Under Aduwo-led administration, IndyPress carted home four main UCJ Awards, including Best Story, Best Editorial, the Best Hall Press and Overall Best Press Organization Awards. Some members of the organization also won individual awards.
Additionally, the organization was recognized by the National Wire, a mainstream journalistic outlet, as the Best Campus Journal in the country, with its two reporters, Sonaike Peter and Tolulope Ayeye, emerging as the first and second runners-up of National Wire Business Journalism Awards respectively.
Sonaike Peter, the newly appointed Editor-in-Chief of IndyPress, acknowledged the outgoing leadership’s efforts in promoting issues-oriented reporting, encouraging members to maintain a strong commitment to journalistic excellence.
Sonaike Peter charged members of the Editorial Board to carry the burden of the organization with the sense of responsibility it demands and deserves.
“The baton of leadership has taken place and it is very important that the new leadership of the organization carries the burden of campus journalism with all sense of responsibility,” Sonaike Peter said.
Members of the new Editorial Board include Sonaike Peter as Editor-in-Chief, Ochi Maduabuchi as Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Ojerinola Tunde as Features Editor, Gbayesola Samuel as Politics Editor, Adekunle -Oni Daniel as Sports Editor, Olayinka Ambali as Interview Editor and Abdullah Oladejo as News Editor.
Additionally, Tolulope Ayeye and Favour Bamijoko would serve as Editorial Adviser and Projects Coordinator respectively.
IndyPress Organization is a forty-one-year-old organization, situated at C-Block, Great Independence Hall of Residence.
