Mr. Odita Sunday has been elected President of the Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria, DECAN, emerging unopposed during the association’s election in Abuja.
He succeeds Ismail Musa of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, and takes charge of the body that covers Nigeria’s military, security agencies and defence policy.
His colleagues have described the unanimous vote as a vote of confidence in his reputation for “integrity, professionalism, and commitment to journalists’ welfare.”
With more than 25 years on defence, security and crime beats, he is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s leading reporters in the sector.
Prior to his his DECAN election, he served six years as President of the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN), where he championed professionalism, capacity building and members’ welfare.
He was also Defence and Security Editor of The Guardian, covering military operations, exercises and national security engagements across the country.
His reporting career has been defined by field work. Odita has attended numerous military trainings, seminars and workshops, and has been embedded in several operations and exercises.
He participated in multiple gun exercises at the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army and covered major military activities both in Nigeria and abroad.
Among his most notable assignments: he was part of the media team that travelled to Senegal to receive Nigerian Navy Ship Thunder after its delivery from the United States.
He joined several editions of Exercise Obangame Express in Cameroon and Ghana, flew aboard a Nigerian Air Force maritime patrol aircraft to Cameroon, and spent eight days at sea with the Nigerian Navy during Exercise Farauta in the Gulf of Guinea.
That frontline experience has earned him recognition among military authorities, policymakers and media professionals.
Odita’s work has attracted awards for excellence in security reporting, investigative journalism and humanitarian service. Beyond the newsroom, he is known for philanthropic efforts and advocacy focused on national development through impactful storytelling.
As DECAN president, expectations are high. Members say his election should usher in “a new era of unity, professionalism, enhanced welfare, and constructive engagement” between defence correspondents and stakeholders in Nigeria’s security sector.
The association has often grappled with issues of access to conflict zones, safety of reporters, and balancing national security concerns with the public’s right to know.
Drawing on his years of military trainings and direct coverage of operations, Odita is considered well-positioned to strengthen defence journalism and improve relations with the armed forces. Security analysts say informed reporting is critical as Nigeria continues to battle terrorism, banditry and other threats.
In a brief statement after the election, Odita pledged to prioritize training for members, improve welfare packages, and foster dialogue with the military and other security agencies. He emphasized ethical reporting and the role of the press in supporting national stability.
With his track record at CRAN and The Guardian, and his reputation as a reporter who has both “been in the field and at the desk,” Odita’s leadership is expected to reinforce DECAN’s role as a professional bridge between the media and Nigeria’s defence establishment.
