Honour for Senan John Murray

Daji Sani in Yola

 Chief Senan John Murray is a senior media professional, development economist and corporate communication strategist with extensive experience in broadcast, print and new media. He was among the 22 illustrious sons and daughters of Mbula Kingdom in Borong town of Demsa Local Government Area in Adamawa State who were honoured and conferred with various chieftaincy titles recently by His Royal Majesty, Bwaltam Bently Biyapo, Mboiman II, Murum Mbula for meritorious service to the Mbula Kingdom and the nation at large.

Murray, was born on November 11, 1973, at Opalo of Lamurde LGA of Adamawa State, he was honoured and conferred with the chieftaincy title of ‘Ma-Gir Soko Mbula,’ which means Protector of the Honour of Mbula Kingdom. With the title, his role is to mend fences and protect the kingdom from shame and any form of dishonor meant to bring ridicule to the Kingdom.

A graduate of Mass Communication at the University of Maiduguri, Borno State and Master’s degree holder in Applied Development Studies at the University of Reading at the United Kingdom, he also has several awards and honours.

After his national youth service in Akure, Ondo State, he returned to Yola, where he began his career at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) as a freelance reporter in the early 2000. He left shortly to join the Punch Newspaper. Murray also worked as Nigeria stringer for the influential New York Times. He was also offered a stringer role at the Associated press and the United Nations news agency known then as the Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN).

After his master degree in the UK, he left the Punch Newspaper in December 2005, for the prestigious British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) London where he worked with a team of pioneers to develop the media giant’s new media capability. He later returned to Nigeria to launch the BBC’s new media operations in the country

Murray, a British Chevening Scholar, has won several local and International awards and honours. He was the immediate past chairman, Board of the Adamawa state Television (ATV) and currently he sits on the board of several organisations. He is a founding member of Kulah Mbula Trust (KMT); member of the board of trustees, Sogon Foundation; member Board of Trustees Mgbange Development Foundation and many others.

He is also presently the Chairman and Managing Director of Marsh & Brook Nigeria Limited.

Murray is widely travelled and so far, has either lived in or visited countries such the United Kingdom, United States of America, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France, Spain, Morocco, South Africa, Mauritius and Togo. He is also a member of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR); the International Association of Business Communicators and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), UK.

Due to his achievements and meritorious services to the Mbula Kingdom, the state and the nation he was conferred with the chieftaincy title on February 24, 2024, in Borong, and on February 25, 2024, a reception was convened by his kinsmen in Dwam town where he hails from.

At the reception in Dwam town which attracted the who is who in Adamawa State and dignitaries from far, Murray described his conferment as an act of God and unmerited favor to honour him.

He also said it was a call for service, rededication and recommitment to his ancestral land. He said he never dreamt that his name will be on the list of stakeholders to be conferred with titles, adding that he owed it to God almighty.

He thanked the Murum Mbula His Royal Majesty Bwaltam Bently Biyapo Mboiman II and the Mbula Emirate for his conferment and the huge responsibilities bestowed on him as the protector of the Mbula Kingdom, and promised never to betray the trust bestowed on him and his family. Murray also promised to engineer development and skills Acquisition programmes to the youths and less -privillege in the community.

Also speaking at the reception, National President of Dwam Community Development Association, Chief Talmon Fwa, expressed joyed and thanks to the King for finding it obligatory to register the profound gratitude of Dwam people to his Royal Majesty Bwaltam Bently Biyapo Mboiman II Murum Mbula to honour our own.

Fwa stressed that Dwam is one saying that anything that affects one affects everyone in Dwam, adding they would rally round Murray to see that he succeed that he do not betray the trust of the King and the people of Mbula Kingdom.

Photo caption: Murray riding on a horse shortly after conferred with title of protector of the Mbula Kingdom