By Bilesanmi Abayomi
In the build-up to the second press briefing for the 2021 Local Government elections in Lagos, key media practitioners and political communicators gathered in Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in a show of synergy between the press and local governance.
The photograph from the event, now serving as a symbolic memento, captures the outgoing Executive Chairman of Agboyi-Ketu LCDA, Mayor Dele Oshinowo, flanked by prominent figures in grassroots political communication and community journalism.
Those at the centre of the image include Bilesanmi Abayomi (popularly known as KOKO), Publisher of Kosofe Post; media influencer, Tunji Ebenezer; Olusegun Apena, correspondent with Kosofe Reporter; Ayo Idowu, former Chief Press Secretary to Ikosi-Isheri LCDA; Lekan Lawal, Publisher of Kosofe Inside Out; and Opeyemi Azeez, Chief Press Secretary to Agboyi-Ketu LCDA.
On the left side of the frame are Demola Osibajo of Global Voice; grassroots representative, Oluwaseyi Odufowokan, a former chairmanship aspirant in Ikosi-Isheri LCDA; the late Taiwo Fadipe, former Chief Press Secretary to Kosofe Local Government; and the Council Manager of Agboyi-Ketu LCDA at the time.
The gathering, which preceded the 2021 local government elections, was seen as more than a routine engagement. It underscored the strategic role of the media in promoting transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness at the local level.
Observers say the image stands as a lasting testament to the collaborative efforts between political leadership and the media in advancing democratic values in Kosofe and beyond.