MFA Appoints ACOE Member Raphael Oni as Special Assistant on Digital and Public Diplomacy

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

The newly appointed media aides are Mr. Richard Elesho, Special Assistant on Media and Strategic Communications, and Mr. Raphael Oni, Special Assistant on Digital and Public Diplomacy.

The two appointees bring decades of combined experience in journalism, public affairs, government communication, diplomacy and media management.

Mr. Richard Elesho is a graduate of Delta State University, Abraka, and Kogi State University, Anyigba. He previously served as Chief Press Secretary/Director General, Media Affairs, to two former Governors of Kogi State, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris and Captain Idris Wada. Until his appointment, he was the North Central Bureau Chief of The News/PM News, a leading media organisation.

Mr. Raphael Oni, a member of the Association of Corporate Online Editors (ACOE), 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, Oni holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Abuja.

He has been the Publisher of Diplomats Extra Magazine since 2013, a leading publication focused on diplomacy and international affairs and widely read by MDAs, embassies and other stakeholders.

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

ACOE congratulates Mr. Raphael Oni on his appointment and wishes him and Mr. Richard Elesho a successful tenure. The Association looks forward to supporting the new media team and fostering a cordial and productive working relationship with them.