TheNewsGuru

Tag: NUJ

  • Security: DSS seeks commitment to solution-oriented, developmental journalism

    Security: DSS seeks commitment to solution-oriented, developmental journalism

    The Department of State Security Services (DSS) in Sokoto State has called for increased commitment to solution-oriented and developmental journalism in order to address security challenges in the state.

    Mr Fatai Olawuwo, the DSS Director in the state, made the call on Thursday during a courtesy visit by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Sokoto State Council.

    Olawuwo stressed the importance of thorough investigation before reporting on matters related to public safety.

    Speaking on the role of journalists in maintaining security and peaceful coexistence of the country, the DSS director, urged media organisations to focus on providing reports based on solutions and development.

    “As professionals, NUJ plays a crucial role in maintaining the security structure by ensuring that all publicised reports focus on solutions and development,” he said.

    Olawuwo assured of enhanced collaboration with the council to fulfill the service mandate in maintaining internal security.

    He urged journalists in the state to maintain neutrality and to successfully achieve the goals of solution-oriented and developmental journalism.

    The council’s Chairman, Malam Dalhatu Abdullahi, explained that the visit aimed to familiarise the union with the director and his management team.

    He highlighted the shared goals of the union and DSS in working for Nigeria’s security, peace, and development.

    “As journalists, our primary concern is to provide solutions to problems and convey government policies to the public’s understanding,” Abdullahi said.

    He, however, expressed NUJ’s readiness to closely collaborate with the DSS, pledging to work toward achieving a peaceful environment.

    Abdullahi also appealed for increased synergy with the service to ensure working journalists contribute effectively to citizens’ safety and security.

     

  • Video/Photos: Watch moment Abuja journalists boogie down at NUJ chapel end of year gig

    Video/Photos: Watch moment Abuja journalists boogie down at NUJ chapel end of year gig

    On Saturday, Abuja-based journalists abandoned their beats to unwind at the NUJ correspondents end of year party.
    The dancing steps of the journalists ‘no get part two’ as they danced till dawn.
    See photos/Video below:

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by TheNewsGuru.com | TNG (@thenewsgurung)A post shared by TheNewsGuru.com | TNG (…

    SIDEBAR

  • Imo NUJ absolves self from sponsored media attack on NLC President, Joe Ajaero

    Imo NUJ absolves self from sponsored media attack on NLC President, Joe Ajaero

    The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Imo State Council has observed with great dismay and severe pain the clearly orchestrated as well as ill conceived media attack hauled at the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajero by a group called, Imo Patriots’ League.

    The Imo Patriots’ League, with its convener, Onwuasonya FCC Jones, had addressed the press whereupon it opened and tailored unguided attacks on Ajero. FCC Jones and his league of anti-Ajero and their co-travellers in their despicable antics, without any recourse to the facts on ground took the NLC President to the cleaners, insulting, abusing, deriding and calling an already traumatized man all manner of unprintable names.

    The full and glaring flaws of that condemnable media fire stroke against Ajero notwithstanding, what actually embarrassed and even shocked us, the executive and members of Imo State NUJ, was the crude importation and surreptitious insertion of our hallowed professional organization into that ill-advised, miscalculated, half-baked and absolutely irrelevant press release by Ifeanyi Nwanguma who signed off as Imo NUJ chairman. All this smacks of semi-literacy or illiteracy of the satanic schemers.

    By supporting the action of the Imo State Government against its prey and victim – Joe Ajero – who has suffered untold pain and humiliation as a result of alleged State-sponsored abduction and brutalization, Ifeanyi Nwanguma has practically confirmed that he works and functions for the current state actors and of course, deficient of a good conscience. This is purely antithetical to the ordinances as well as the professionalism and intellectual soundness journalism and journalists stand for.

    For the records, the press being the Fourth Estate of the Realm presupposes that journalists are not meant to function either for or against the government or any other body for that matter. Rather, the press, with the journalists at the driver’s seat are composed to serve all for the purposes of informing, educating and entertaining the public without fear, prejudice or emotional imbalance.

    The malicious attack on Ajero by the police and thugs allegedly sponsored by state actors is really regrettable. If Ajero had, in the eyes of his ruthless attackers, contravened any established law, the best approach would have been to either take him to court or extend a police invitation to him. Ajero’s attack was an affront and infringement on his fundamental rights as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    Therefore, we totally disassociate ourselves and our noble Imo NUJ Council from the infantile press conference by Imo Patriots’ League Group by which our association was dragged through the mud. Enough of this impunity.

    Sign:

    Comrade Precious Nwadike
    Chairman

    Mr Ori Martin
    Secretary

  • Lagos NUJ elects new executives

    Lagos NUJ elects new executives

    Members of  the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council, have elected and sworn in a new executive to run the affairs of the union for the next three years.

    The National Vice-President, NUJ, B Zone, Ms Ronke Samo, who presented the new council members on Thursday in Lagos, charged them to take the welfare of journalists as a priority.

    Samo said that the Lagos Council’s Chairman, Mr Adeleye Ajayi, who did well in his first tenure, was returned unopposed to serve a second term.

    She charged the new executives of the union to surpass whatever  success was recorded in the first tenure by Ajayi.

    Samo represented the National President of the union, Mr Chris Isinguzo, at the occasion,

    All the executives were returned unopposed except the vice chairmanship’s position, which was keenly contested by Philip  Nwosu  and Iyabo Ogunjuyigbe.

    Philip Nwosu polled 277 votes to secure the position while Ms Iyabo Ogunjuyigbe scored 183 votes.

    Ajayi, in his acceptance speech, pledged to continue to be accountable and take the welfare of journalists more seriously  in this administration

    Ajayi, who described the election as a victory to everyone, said, however, that in every competition there must always  be a winner.

    “We are  members of the same united family. I want to tell you that we are members of the same executive.

    “We are not going to fall below expectation, that I can assure you.

    “We have so many projects lined up and by the time we get to half of the second  term  we would have fulfilled all our promises,” he said.

    He said that every member of the union would be carried everyone along, while the union’s  books would be open for scrutiny and accountability.

    According to him, accountability  is going to be the  watch word while capacity building and welfare of journalists will also be a priority.

    Ajayi said that by January 2023, the backlog of pending benefits of members would be cleared.

    The chairman  said that the furnishing of the NUJ Secretariat as well as the Media Icon, an event that  would honor media personalities that have contributed to the industry, would be prioritised.

    “With humility, doggedness we will take the union to grater heights, with ideas coming from members and constructive criticism  we will go places,” he said.

    The new executive members of the union included the Secretary, Tunde Olalere; Assistant  Secretary, Laide Awosanya; Auditor, Kemi Ishola; and Financial  Secretary, Innocent Anaba, among others.

  • NUJ urge journalists to sensitise public of dangers of drug in-take

    NUJ urge journalists to sensitise public of dangers of drug in-take

    The Chairman Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council, Mr Festus Alenkhe, has urged journalists to sensitise the public through their reportage to the dangers of drugs in-take in the society.

    Alenkhe made the appeal, at a one-day capacity-building training for journalists on drug harm reduction, prevention and control in Benin.

    Alenkhe said the training was organised to expose journalists to health related reportage and to be more abreast with drug-related terms while writing.

    The NUJ boss admonished journalists to see the opportunity as a means to refresh their practice and put it into use to better the society and reduce drug victims.

    Alenkhe, who noted that the training was organised by Smile Africa International Youth Development, in collaboration with the Edo State Council, explained that the present administration would continue to train and retrain journalists in the state.

    The resource person, Mr. Anieedi Akapn, said the programme was targeted at educating journalists on the danger of drug in-take and the need to reduce the menace through proper reportage, to change the attitude of drug victims.

    Akpan further advised journalists to be objective and give adequate reportage on drug abuse, to drastically reduce the victims in the society.

    He cautioned drug victims to desist from the menace as it might lead to mental disorder, brain damage, and even death.

    The Executive Director of Smile Africa International Youth Development, Mr Purpose Iserhienrhien,  advised journalists to educate and enlighten children/youths on drugs implications.

    He advised that parents/ guardians should not lie to children or pupils about drugs, adding that it was good to say exactly the effects of drugs without over flogging issues.

    He further said there was need to bring back morals to the society.

    Over 40 journalists, drawn from the 15 chapels of the union, attended the training.

    The theme of the training was: “People first, stop stigma and discrimination.”

  • We’ve helped set economic prosperity agenda for Nigeria – Oyo State NUJ

    We’ve helped set economic prosperity agenda for Nigeria – Oyo State NUJ

    Ademola Babalola, the Oyo State Council Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), says the Council has helped the nation greatly with its just-ended 2023 Press Week.

    Babalola, while speaking on Friday in Ibadan, said the Council through different stakeholders engagements and activities during the week had set agenda for economic prosperity for Nigeria.

    The week’s activities ended on Friday with the Awards/Pen programme to mark the grand finale.

    The 2023 press week had the theme, “Nigerian Economy: Reimaging Education System for the Fifth Industrial Revolution”.

    Babalola said this had attracted the attention of policy makers and stakeholders in the political and economic sector to the urgent need to revive the country’s economy.

    “We have gathered to celebrate ourselves as journalists, to enlighten the public and share ideas with government on how to progressively pilot the affairs of the country.

    “We have also come together as journalists to see how far we have gone in the last one year.

    “But one thing that has been so special about this year’s celebration is that we have been able to set agenda for the government in the area of economic development.

    “It is no more news that there is poverty in the country, as many parents are finding it difficult to give their children the best in terms of education, feeding and shelter,” he said.

    The Oyo State NUJ Council Chairman urged government to adopt the use of technology to advance the country’s economy.

    “China and other developed countries are doing well economically because they have high level of technology adoption.”

    He added that there was also the urgent need put more efforts towards a quick actualisation of the current administration’s economic policies.

    “The exchange rate of the U.S. dollar to the Naira is now worrisome and this calls for urgent attention.”

    Also speaking, the NUJ National President, Mr Chris Isiguzo, had urged journalists to always give their safety ultimate attention while discharging their duties.

    Isiguzo, who was represented at the event by the Vice-President, NUJ Zone B, Ronke Afebioye-Samo, noted that journalists always faced a lot of risks in the course of their duties.

    Earlier, the President-General, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Mr Niyi Ajewole, had lauded Oyo State NUJ’s positive contributions to the development of Ibadan, Oyo state and Nigeria.

    NAN reports that the event featured the presentation of awards to several individuals, including the Deputy Chairman (South), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Amb. Taofeek Arapaja.

  • VON Correspondent murdered in Zamfara

    VON Correspondent murdered in Zamfara

    The Zamfara Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), on Wednesday confirmed the murder of Alhaji Hamisu Danjibga, the state Correspondent of the Voice of Nigeria (VON).

    A statement issued in Gusau by the state NUJ Secretary, Ibrahim Ahmad, said that the body of the deceased was dumped in a soakaway by those who murdered him.

    “The discovery of his corpse was as result of unpleasant odor observed by children of an Islamic School behind his house in the evening of Wednesday Sept. 20, 2023.

    “After breaking the sockaway, the dead body was confirmed to be that of Danjibga by his family and some neighbors”, the statement said.

    It was gathered that Danjibga had been missing for three days before his corpse was found.

    Sources said that the family was initially contacted to pay one million naira for his release, but the figure was raised by the faceless persons suspected to have murdered him.

    It was also gathered that the police had arrested one person suspected of involvement in the killing of the veteran journalist.

    The NUJ extended its condolences to the deceased family, VON, and entire people of Zamfara.

    It urged security agencies to thoroughly investigate the matter and bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to justice.

    The deceased has been buried in Gusau according to Islamic injunctions.

     

  • RTEAN vows to sustain working relationship with journalists

    RTEAN vows to sustain working relationship with journalists

    The Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has vowed to sustain the good working relationship between the association and journalists in Nigeria.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports RTEAN President, Alhaji Musa Mohammed made the vow on Thursday during a visit by the leadership and members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Correspondents Chapel, FCT Council.

    The visit was a sequel to the 3-day football tournament organized by the Chapel for organizations, associations and government agencies in the FCT, during which Alhaji Mohammed was a Special Guest of Honour, but was unavoidably absent.

    The visit provided the NUJ FCT Correspondents’ Chapel with the opportunity to decorate the RTEAN President with his medal, present the certificate of participation to the association and a mini-trophy for RTEAN’s partnership with the Chapel.

    In his remarks, Mohammed expressed gratitude to the leadership of the NUJ FCT Correspondents’ Chapel for the honour and recognition just as he promised to sustain the collaboration with the Chapel in all its activities.

    “To see all of you today in our national headquarters, I am so excited. We appreciate what you do as journalists and I want to especially thank you for putting together the 3-day football tournament.

    “For you to recognise RTEAN and decorate me with my medal, present the trophy and the certificate to us as your guest and partner, I am so grateful. We appreciate the honour you have given to RTEAN. We will try our best to keep the good relationship between RTEAN and the NUJ,” he said.

    Earlier, Chairman of the FCT Correspondents’ Chapel, Comrade Jide Oyekunle, who led the Chapel delegation, had hailed the RTEAN President for his commitment to peaceful co-existence among members of the association across States of the Federation.

    Comrade Oyekunle commended Mohammed for his statesmanship and for choosing the path of honour and peace without resorting to violence during an impasse the Association had with the Lagos State Government.

    Oyekunle urged other organizations and associations alike to emulate the RTEAN President’s exceptional and exemplary leadership style exhibited by seeking legal redress in the court of law.

    Oyekunle stressed the visit was aimed at promoting strategic partnership and collaboration in many areas that would further deepen the existing relationship between the Chapel and RTEAN.

    While seeking the collaboration of RTEAN for the next edition of the football tournament, Oyekunle said the association would be formally invited as a participating team.

    He said “We are the executive members of Nigeria Union of Journalists FCT Correspondents Chapel.

    “We are here this afternoon to pay homage to you as Special Guest of Honour in our just concluded 3-day football tournament.

    “This is borne out of the cordial relationship that has existed between you and the media over the years as well as your love and support for sports development in the country.

    “Your presence at the final of our tournament would have been an icing on the cake but we understand your busy schedules and engagements and we are happy to tell you that the tournament was a huge success.

    “Sir, it will interest you to know that RTEAN will be formally invited to participate next year in the second edition of our tournament and we can’t wait to see the President lead the team”.

    The highlight of the visit was the formal presentation of a trophy, medal and certificate of participation to the RTEAN President in recognition of his outstanding and significant contribution to the success of the tournament.

  • Edo PDP palaver: Ex-NUJ president Izobo outlines options for Obaseki

    Edo PDP palaver: Ex-NUJ president Izobo outlines options for Obaseki

    …advises reconciliation Cttee

    Ex-national president of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ Mr George Izobo has waded into the rudderless direction of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Edo State.

    In a memo to Bishop Anthony Okosun, the chairman of the reconciliation committee of the party,  constituted by the state chairman, Dr Anthony Aziegbemi, the former NUJ president highlighted the intrigues and conspiracies that have befuddled the party in Edo State since 1999.

    For those who know Izobo, he spoke from the position of knowledge and institutional memory given the fact that he was the pioneer State Publicity Secretary, SPS of the PDP in Edo State.

    Izobo, now a party elder spoke against the background of the cold war in the PDP between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu.

    In Edo, it is common knowledge that the governor and his deputy are now said to be fighting over the carcass of the PDP given the fact that the mainstream of the party led by Chief Dan Orbih was judicially sidelined by a controversial court decision which recognized his faction of the party to nominate candidates in the last general election.

    Izobo in a response to an invitation extended by the reconciliation committee, however, did not mince words in condemning the treachery of PDP governors in Edo as the bane of the party in the state.

    According to him, that malaise has climaxed with Governor Obaseki noting that the only solution was for Obaseki to apologise to the mainstream of the party led by its national vice-chairman, Chief Dan Orbih.

    It would be recalled that after he negotiated his entry into the party from Abuja in June 2020 that Orbih was compelled to lead the campaign for Obaseki’s reelection. However, following the victory, the party was put aside as the governor constituted his government.

    A bold move by the mainstream of the party to take over the ascendancy suffered a setback when the Supreme Court gave credence to the candidates selected by the governor’s faction of the party. That decision led to the PDP for the first time losing federal elections in the state.

    The party which even while out of government at state and federal levels won the majority in the presidential and National Assembly polls was forced to play catch up to Labour Party and the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC.

    The crises that befell the PDP were what made Governor Obaseki to constitute a reconciliation committee  led by Okosun from Edo Central.

    The crises were what partly triggered the conflict between Obaseki and his deputy, Shaibu as it is believed that the deputy governor saw that without the mainstream or legacy party led by Orbih that the PDP is finished, hence his alleged flirtation with other parties in the state.

    But in his response, to the Reconciliation Committee which leaked, Izobo asked the committee and Obaseki to retrace their steps to Orbih and the mainstream.

    Addressing Bishop Okosun, he said:

    “I got a notification on behalf of Edo State PDP conflict and resolution committee-  for a meeting at Afuze. It was stated that you are chairman of the committee.

    “My frontal  and consistent membership of PDP is as old as PDP itself. Bishop – you personally know that.

    Noting how PDP governors precipitated the past crises, he said:

    Lucky’s (Igbinedion) “silent conflict” with leadership brought about “Grace Group” with the philosophy of “No man is God” in opposition to leadership.

    The divide caused by that conflict dovetailed into Prof. Osunbor’s confrontation with “leadership” of PDP.

    Many unprintable consequences followed that unnecessary conflict.

    PDP’s Osunbor governorship was “dashed” to Oshiomhole’s ACN. It was even rumoured that Oshiomhole’s struggle to power was funded by PDP state resources – through Grace group’s inhibition of PDP leadership – with the slogan “No man is God”.

    Noting the present crisis between the legacy PDP and Obaseki, he said:

    “We are currently witnessing the worst ever. People are suffering. Development is suffering. The spirit of good relationship has been killed among the people of Edo.

    “In all of these sequences – human attempts were made at reconciliation & resolutions. They failed – they continue to fail – because greener pasture seekers who benefit from the conflicts keep fueling them.

    “The seemingly endemic constancy of PDP conflicts in Edo State appears to be beyond human redemption.”

    On the two options open to the party, Izobo said:

    “One is terrestrial – the other is celestial.

    Governor Obaseki should swallow his pride – propelled  and fueled by greedy psychophants around him – relate honestly with Dan Orbih – to seek peace, justice and resolution to the current conflict within PDP.

    “Let us seek the face  and forgiveness of God and beg HIM to kill the spirit of “conflicts” in Edo political system.”

    Diagnosing the crisis, he now settled on his local chapter in Owan East where he is the leader of the party, describing the composition of stakeholders as unacceptable.

    Many stakeholders argue that while Izobo has given his perspective of a solution, others are giving theirs and it now behoves on the national leadership to seek the path of justice and truth.

  • Scores settled as NUJ beats NMA 3-1 in novelty football match

    Scores settled as NUJ beats NMA 3-1 in novelty football match

    In a move to stage revenge for the 2022 5-1 defeat in the hands of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), the Nigeria Union of Journalists, FCT Council, on Saturday beat Nigerian Medical Association (NMA-FCT) by 3-1 in a novelty football match marking the NMA-FCT Week.

    The NUJ’s victory looked like revenge over the medical doctors’ 5-1 win in the previous edition of the competition. The celebration of the week, began on  August 6, with Church thanksgiving.

    After the 90 minutes game, Princess Joy Idam, a former Assistant Secretary General, NUJ FCT Council, sid the NUJ squad prepared well to revenge their 2022 defeat.

    According to her, because of the defeat last year, the NUJ went back to the drawing board to see where they got it wrong, and came back strongly with determination to win.

    She said the team kept on training every Saturday, to prepare ahead of the game which finally ended in their favour.

    “We came back with one thing in mind and that is to thrash NMA team and we have done that, we can only return all the glory to God, my advice for the NUJ team is to maintain the standard.

    She also praised the chairman of the NUJ Correspondents Chapel for doing a good job with the team.

    Idam, however advised the NUJ to maintain the winning streak, saying that they should always play every match as if it was their last game, all in the aim to win.

    The Coach of the NUJ team, Mr Bob Etemiku, said that the victory was a great one, saying that “we came, we saw and we conquered”.

    He said the NMA team  beat the NUJ during the 2022 novelty event, and they had continued to tell his team that they were still going to beat them.

    “These people beat us the last time and they brought us back to tell us they wanted to beat us again, but we were prepared for the game and we beat them.

    “You can see from the result of what we have done,  3 goals to 1; my boys are fantastic, they played to instructions, they did well, I am very proud of them,” Etemiku said.

    Dr Etukumawa Iboro, the Coach of NMA team, stated that his boys just had mercy on the NUJ, stressing that even though his team prepared for the match,  it would not sound well to beat them the second time.

    According to him, the match is more like a local derby, and that the two teams were both from the FCT, and wouldn’t want to beat them the second time.

    Iboro who is a Surgeon of Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), stated that the team would go back to the drawing board to know where the game went wrong, and get it right.

    “We prepared for the match but the greater side won the contest, the next time we are going to play together, it will be a much difficult game for the NUJ,” he said.

    Dr Adewale Premiere, the Assistant Secretary, NMA-FCT, noted that the match was a good one, saying it was a friendly match since both teams were from the FCT.

    According to him, the NUJ has gone to the drawing board and made some adjustments, hence the reason they won the match.

    “I think it is good we allow them this time around but when we meet again, we are going to do better,” Premiere said.