The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, has approved the appointment of a new media team to strengthen communication of the Ministry’s mandate and the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government.

The appointments comprised Mr. Richard Elesho as Special Assistant on Media and Strategic Communications and Mr. Raphael Oni as Special Assistant on Digital and Public Diplomacy.

The Ministry’s Spokesperson,Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, in a release said the two appointees bring decades of combined experience in journalism, public affairs, government communication, diplomatic reporting and media management.

Elesho is a graduate of Delta State University, Abraka, and Kogi State University, Anyigba. He previously served as Chief Press Secretary and Director-General, Media Affairs, to two former Governors of Kogi State, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris and Capt. Idris Wada.

Until his appointment, he was the North Central Bureau Chief of The News/PM News, a frontline media organisation.

Oni is a specialist in diplomatic reporting with over 15 years of experience in government communication, public diplomacy and international relations.

An award-winning photojournalist and diplomatic correspondent, he holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Abuja.

Since 2013, Oni has served as Publisher of Diplomats Extra Magazine, a publication focused on diplomacy and international affairs and widely read by MDAs, embassies and other stakeholders.

He has also served two terms as Secretary-General of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DICAN) and as former Secretary-General of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Correspondents Chapel, Abuja.

The Ministry expressed confidence that the new media team would contribute to effective communication of its programmes, enhance digital engagement and strengthen public diplomacy in support of Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives.

The Ministry also solicited the necessary support and cooperation for the newly appointed media aides, while expressing optimism about a cordial and productive working relationship with them.