The Secretary-General of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Mr Olabanji Oladapo has been accused of nepotism and abuse of office, in running the affairs of the Public Relations department of the association.
This allegation was made by Phemmy Adetula, the Public Relations Officer of NOC, in a memo dated February 16, 2022, titled: “My Travails In The Hands Of The NOC Secretary-General.”
He said his official responsibilities have been submerged by Oladapo, saying exposing his nepotism is his ‘greatest contribution as a patriot to the Olympic movement on Nigeria ‘
According to Adetula: “the SG decides the media men that travel for NOC events even without recourse to my office. For example, Debo Oshundun to Morrocco. The same Debo Oshundun to Bayelsa State for NOC Olympic Day Run and yet again, the same man for NOC AGM in Bayelsa.
“This man has not written, published or broadcast a single story for NOC but the SG has neglected the pressmen that help in day and night, even with short notice.”
He also said the SG jettisoned attempt by his office to recruit mediamen to be accredited to Birmingham Commonwealth Games through their association named Sports Writers Association of Nigeria SWAN).
“The SG told the Nigerian media men to report to his office for the media accreditation to Birmingham Commonwealth Games. I did a little write up to his office to monitor and control by going through their process card-carrying.
“The SG gave the same Debo Oshundun, who is not a card-carrying member of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and who he has anointed to take over from me as the next Public Relations Officer to recruit reporters that will travel with him to the games, throwing away all the laid down plans I have submitted and approved by himself, the SG of the NOC. These and many more I have been facing in the line of duty.
“I want to humbly inform my dearest colleagues that I am not pleased with this latest action of the NOC SG and I refuse it in totality. I plead you look into it before I go public because his boy, Debo Oshundun has petitioned me and wrote all sort about me with the support of SG in Nigeria media space,” he said.