The Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde has approved the appointment of Professor Sayed Hamzah Ayantunde Malik as Chairman of Muslim Wing of the state Pilgrims Welfare Board.

The appointment is with immediate effect.

Malik will substitute Alhaji Taofeek Akewugbagold, who was appointed by the erstwhile Governor, Mr. Abiola Ajimobi.

The new Chairman, who hailed from Oke-Ogun geo-political zone, is a lecturer at the department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Ibadan, with interest in Arabic Phonetics and Phonology, Arabic Dialectology, and Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language.

Our correspondent recalls that the appointment is the second appointment made by Makinde since he was sworn in on Wednesday.

Earlier, the Governor had appointed Chief Bisi Ilaka as the Chief of Staff, which was declared shortly after his swearing in on Wednesday at Liberty Stadium.

Makinde is from Ibadan, while Ilaka and Malik are from Oyo and Oke-Ogun geo-political zones respectively.