TheNewsGuru

Tag: NUJ

  • TheNewsGuru Editor, Reporter regain freedom after 6 days in detention

    TheNewsGuru Editor, Reporter regain freedom after 6 days in detention

    Mr Ediri Oyibo, the Editor of TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) and a reporter of the media platform, Mr Paul Utebor have regained their freedom from police detention in Abuja, Nigeria’s federal capital territory (FCT).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Mr Oyibo and Mr Utebor regained their freedom after spending 6 days in detention at the Zone 7 Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

    Oyibo and Utebor regained their freedom after they were granted bail by an FCT Magistrates’ court, located in Zone 6, Wuse on February 28, 2023, after six days in detention.

    The journalists were arraigned on three counts of criminal conspiracy, defamation of character and intimidation, to which they pleaded not guilty.

    Oyibo and Utebor had on February 22, 2023 honoured an invitation by the police, following a petition by one Adaobi Jennifer Alagwu.

    Adaobi in her petition alleged Mr Paul published a story, said to be defamatory, on the paternity of her child. But the journalists insisted such a story was never published on their platform.

    Oyibo and Utebor were quizzed and assisted the police with their investigation but they were subsequently detained after they were made to write statements without their lawyers.

    Both journalists were denied administrative bail despite meeting the conditions when they were asked to provide a public servant not less than level 14 as surety.

    The journalists were detained under degrading conditions and after the court granted them bail, they were immediately taken for medical care due to their deteriorated health condition and the trauma they were subjected to while in detention.

    Earlier, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council had condemned and described the detention of Oyibo and Utebor as unwarranted, absurd and unacceptable.

    TNG reports the case was adjourned to 10 April 2023 for hearing.

    Meanwhile, the journalists have refused to address the press after they were granted bail by the court.

  • Gombe Gov’t denies arresting Radio Journalist for hosting Opposition

    Gombe Gov’t denies arresting Radio Journalist for hosting Opposition

    Gombe state government has denied issuing an order for the arrest of a radio journalist for hosting a member of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) as alleged by the party.

    This is contained in a release signed by Alhaji Shuaibu Gara, Special adviser to Gov. Inuwa Yahaya on information management and strategy and made available to newsmen in Gombe on Sunday.

    Recall that a journalist working with Jewel FM Gombe, alongside his guest, were arrested and detained by the Police after hosting a programme.

    “What we know is that the government complained to the police that we monitored a 30-minute radio programme where a guest was invited to a political programme.

    “And in the programme, the guest alleged that the government spent N4 billion to fence the government House.

    “We presented to the police our records for the entire state budget for maintenance of all public buildings between 2019 and 2022. To give him fair hearing we equally wanted the police to ask him to provide his evidence.

    “How can someone say that we spent over N4 billion just to fence Government House alone.

    “When confronted by investigators, the suspect does not even know how many millions make up N1 billion,” he said.

    He further challenged the opposition to provide proof that any journalist was arrested, adding that the government only tabled a complaint to the police against the radio guest who made unfounded allegations against the government.

    “Gombe state government did not order the arrest of any journalist, anyone who claims that a journalist was arrested, let the journalist show us his accreditation by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ),” he said.

    Gara further appealed to the public who wants to get any information from the government to follow appropriate channel.

  • BMNA: Wike wins Governor of the Year Award

    BMNA: Wike wins Governor of the Year Award

    Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has won the Governor of the Year in the Fourth Edition of the Bayelsa Media Network Award (BMNA) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital.

    At the award held at Siseli Ikoli Press Centre, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat, Bayelsa State Council, Wike was honoured for his uplift in the standard of living in his state.

    He was also honoured for his giant development strides in infrastructure, good governance and his dogged role in his crusade against injustice, and lack of transparency in governance, among other parameters.

    The award was received on Wike’s behalf by the Chairman of Ahoada West Local Government of Rivers State, Evangelist Hope Ikiriko, who was himself awarded the Best LGA Chairman in the Southsouth geopolitical zone.

    Receiving the award on behalf of Governor Wike, Ikiriko thanked the organisers of the BMNA for honouring the governor, saying the award would spur Wike to do more in the uplift of the people of Rivers and Niger Delta.

    On his own part, he said the award would inspire him to do more for his people and promised not to relax on his laurels.

    Also honoured were the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo; wife of Bayelsa State Governor, Dr. Gloria Douye Diri; Bayelsa Commissioner for Education, Dr. Gentle Emelah; Amayanabo of Opu Nembe, Josiah Biobelemoye.

    In all, 42 persons, who distinguished themselves in their areas of disciplines and professions, were honoured.

    While Mrs. Diri was honoured as ‘Quineseential Symbol of Hope for the Girl Child, Women and the Elderly, Ehwudjakpo was bestowed with ‘Quintessential Symbol of Humility, Integrity and Good Leadership’ and Emelah was honoured with the award of the ‘Public Servant of the Year’ in Bayelsa State.

    Speaking during the awards, the Project Manager, BMNA, Mr. Blessing Ozegbe, said the awards were a celebration of excellence, innovations, skills, acumen, ingenuity, expertise and philanthropy of men and women doing their best to better humanity and society at large.

    He said the motive behind the awards was to recognise Nigerians who had excelled in their fields of endeavours and impacted on humanity and society at large.

  • NUJ CRS Town Hall meeting: Guber candidates roots for local govt autonomy

    NUJ CRS Town Hall meeting: Guber candidates roots for local govt autonomy

     

    Wevole Ezin

    Governorship candidates from three political parties in Cross River have said they will support local government autonomy if elected as governor come 2023 general elections.

    They gave the assurance yesterday during the Cross River 2023 Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Town Hall Governorship Meeting, which was part of the activities for the media week at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre in Calabar.

    The governorship candidate for People’s Redemption Party (PRP) Usani Usani said any government that has the interest of the people at heart should support the local government autonomy which has lingered for over twenty years.

    He wondered why local government autonomy which supposed to be the right of the people at the grassroots become a thing of debate.

    “for the local government autonomy, I can tell you that for anybody who wants to run a transparent government should not hesitate to support local government autonomy. What business do you have touching local government money?, Obviously it is something you should clamour.

    “whenever those bills go round the states by constitutional requirements for endorsement, you find governor’s telling their national assembly, don’t pass it and it has lingered for over 20 years, so I think local government autonomy is not something we should think about, we should , someone like me, I will promote it because I don’t seek to control another man’s economy.” PRP governorship candidate stated.

    In agreement, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bassey Otu who was represented by his running mate, Peter Odey, said twice as a member of the state House of Assembly, he had voted for local government autonomy.

    Odey who is the Leader of the House, explained that it is not true that the houses of assemblies are frustrating the passage of the local government autonomy law, nothing that Cross River was one of the few states that have voted and agreed that local governments should be autonomous.

    The APC governorship running mate said, “I support local government autonomy and that is why I voted for it twice. In my first tenure in the House of Assembly, I voted for it, two weeks ago, the house of Assembly voted in support of local government autonomy.

    We are one of the few states in Nigeria that has voted and agreed that local governments should have autonomy because they are the closest to the people in the grassroots.

    “However, it is also not true that the houses of assemblies have not supported local government autonomy. We all contributed in the last constitutional review and we all know that the President of the federal republic of Nigeria even issued an executive Order Ten, for the implementation of local government autonomy but a particular governor went to court to stop the executive order.” He stated.

    Speaking on the same issue, the governorship candidate for Labour Party (LP), Ogar Osim, said though it is a constitutional affair but states can frustrate the local government election process.

    Oeim opined , “Yes, it is a constitutional affair, however, government at state level do have a way of frustrating that process by also enthroning their stooge in local government and also trying to jeopardize the process of election.

    Photo: L-R; APC governorship running mate, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, Labour Party governorship candidate, Ogar Osim, governorship candidate of PRP, Usani Usani and PDP governorship candidate, Senator Sandy Onor during the Cross River State 2022 NUJ Town Hall Governorship Candidates Meeting at the at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre, Calabar.

  • Avoid ‘breaking news’ syndrome – INEC to media organizations

    Avoid ‘breaking news’ syndrome – INEC to media organizations

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has called on all media organizations in Nigeria to avoid the ‘breaking news’ syndrome in their reportage as the 2023 general election draws nearer.

    The National Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the call in Bauchi on Thursday during a one-day capacity-building programme for journalists on conflict-sensitive reporting and 2023 general election.

    Organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and INEC. the programme was for journalists in the North Eastern part of the country.

    Yakubu, represented by Alhaji Nasir Mohammed, said that the tendency for the ‘breaking news’ syndrome could result in dishing out unverified or not properly processed information to the general public.

    “The media must be circumspect in casting headlines and detect sensational lines because sometimes, people look at the headlines and draw conclusions without looking at the body of the report.

    “The media must avoid deliberate falsehood. They must also avoid tilting of stories towards religious, zonal and ethnic narratives,” he said.

    Yakubu assured that INEC would continue to partner with the media not only as key stakeholders in the electoral process but also as a veritable tool for combating misinformation, fake news and malicious falsehood in the society.

    Also speaking, the National President, NUJ, Chris Isiguzo, represented by the National Secretary of the union, Mr Shuaibu Liman, said if there was going to be a Third World War, it would start from the social media.

    He added that as media professionals, journalists need to be careful about carelessly jumping on the bandwagon of emergency journalism which thrives in canvassing support for the political parties of their sentiments using social media.

    “Journalists must avoid hate journalism and fake news as these evils can destroy a society.

    “The advent of multimedia technology has changed the pattern and flow of communication, globally and since journalism is in the business and practice of communication, it has also been impacted upon people tremendously.

    “Social media platforms have thrown up challenges and opportunities for the practice of journalism which we encourage journalists and their media organizations to fully embrace.

    “Journalists need to avail themselves of the opportunities being provided by the Social Media Platforms to provide credible information and reduce the prevalence of hate speech and fake news. This will assist immeasurably in dousing tension in the polity,” he said.

    The NUJ president also warned journalists and media organizations against ‘breaking news’ syndrome, adding that the issue is becoming a disease in the journalism profession.

    According to him, “because we want to be first with breaking news, we copy and paste any rubbish from the social media and that is the danger.

    “As professional media, we should learn to give the other side of the story. If there is breaking news and we are not certain, we should leave it out.

    “Or we take another look at it, so that we can provide a source of credible information for those who would listen, read and watch us,” he said.

  • INEC urge Journalist to abstain from sensational reportage

    INEC urge Journalist to abstain from sensational reportage

    Mr Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has tasked journalists to avoid sensational reportage before and during the 2023 elections.

    Okoye made the call at a one-day workshop for journalists in the South-East organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

    The theme of the workshop is:”Conflict Sensitive Reporting and the 2023 General Election’ in Abakaliki.

    He noted that the media, plays a critical role in the electoral and governance process and must shun sensational and inflammatory reports.

    “The role of the media in the political and electoral process is fundamental given the centrality of the media in the electoral and democratic health of the country.

    “Sections 38 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) guarantees the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion as well as the right to freedom of expression and the press.

    “In the same vein, Section 22 provides that the press, radio, television and other agencies of mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives and principles contained in Chapter II of the Constitution.

    “The press must hold the government responsible and accountable to the people.

    “These are weighty responsibilities that demand the media and its practitioner’s professionalism, ethical conduct and attention to the overall interest of the nation.

    “Democracy thrives with effective information flow and it is axiomatic that true democracy cannot exist without effective information flow,” Okoye said.

    He noted that the work of the commission and the conduct of electoral business has national security implications.

    “This implies that reporting elections needed to be handled with an eye on conflict sensitivity, national peace and cohesion.

    “Reporting elections requires special skills and understanding of the centrality of election to Nigeria’s survival as a federal democracy.

    ” This is simply because one false report that goes viral may have the potential of triggering a breakdown of law and order in a part or the whole of the country.

    ” It is in the interest of the country for the media to always seek official clarifications on germane and serious national issues, especially when electoral matters are involved.

    “Delivering on free; fair, peaceful, safe and credible elections are seen and viewed as a shared responsibility and partnership between agencies, commissions and branches of government and in this multi-stakeholders venture, no one should be left behind,” he added.

    Okoye stressed the need for the media to hold a balance between all the contending parties; candidates and ensure balanced, fair and objective reports of the activities of all political parties.

    “Section 95(2) of the Electoral) Act, 2022 is categorical that State apparatus including the media shall not be employed to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate at any election.

    “And section 95 (3) of the Act also provides that media time shall be allotted equally among the political parties or candidates at similar hours of the day.”

    He urged the journalists to shun the temptations of the ‘breaking news’ syndrome and warned that it remained an offence for journalists to announce election results not certified by the commission.

    “As the country moves closer to the 2023 general election, there are obvious landmines that the media must avoid.

    “The media must avoid the breaking news syndrome; some of the mainstream media are gradually gravitating towards online journalism with the attendant quest for breaking news, which is sometimes not properly verified and processed.

    “The media must be circumspect in casting headlines and the thirst for sensational headlines since sometimes, people look at the headlines and draw conclusions,” he added.

    Also speaking, Mr Chris Isiguzo, National President of NUJ, commended INEC for providing an opportunity to discuss issues bordering on the 2023 elections.

    He said that the union would continue to work with INEC to ensure that democracy worked properly in Nigeria.

    “For us as media professionals, we see it as our cardinal objective to promote democracy, and development. The media which is regarded as the fourth estate of the realm is an essential factor in the process of democracy.

    ” It is an incontrovertible fact that the indispensable functions of the media cannot be performed without guaranteed safety of journalists and media workers,” Isiguzo said.

    Isiguzo, represented by Mr Shuibu Leman, NUJ National Secretary, noted that the media will continue to make governments accountable and also mobilise the populace to participate in the process of governance and development.

  • Novelty match: NMA ends Physicians’ Week inflicting ‘injury’ on NUJ

    Novelty match: NMA ends Physicians’ Week inflicting ‘injury’ on NUJ

    The 2022 Physicians’ Week of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Abuja chapter came to an end on Saturday with a friendly football match between members of the association and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, represented by the Correspondents Chapel.

    The NMA in the novelty match displayed dominance, inflicting a 5-1 defeat on the Correspondents Chapel of the NUJ FCT Council in the novelty football match played at the FIFA Goal Project pitch, MKO Abiola Stadium.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the NUJ team started the game off on a strong footing until the medical practitioners pulled out a syringe and drew the first pint of blood off the notepadders, scoring the first goal of the game in the 20th minute of play to break the deadlock.

    The NUJ team almost responded immediately but a player of the team was brought down in the 18-yard box at the point of scoring with the referee looking the other way. However, the NMA pulled another syringe at the NUJ goalie, who was outstanding all through the encounter, with the game ending 2:0 at halftime.

    Again, in the second half, the NMA, whose job of members is to treat malaria, showed the prowess of the Super Eagles, displaying dominance over the NUJ team, who themselves showed some improvements after the break.

    However, it was the stethoscope wielders, who scored again in the 50th minute of play to put the game totally out of reach of the journalists. However, the NUJ team did pulled one back. While several penalty calls of the journalists were given a blind eye by the referee, the NMA scored in the dying minutes to end the game 5:1.

    Speaking shortly after the encounter, Secretary of the NMA, FCT Chapter, Dr Michael Olarewaju, a Gynaecologist, said members had always involved themselves in various sports, ranging from football, volleyball, and lawn tennis to basketball.

    Olarewaju said this had made its members keep fit all the time, adding that the members usually trained every weekend on the pitch used for the match, which made them master the pitch.

    On the allegation by the NUJ that NMA played the game using mercenaries, Olarewaju denied it, saying that the players were all doctors.

    “I had earlier spoken with the Chairman of the NUJ FCT Correspondents Chapel, Comrade Jide Oyekunle, who represented the NUJ FCT Council Chairman, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche.

    “I told him that we have different categories of doctors. We only brought some young doctors to play the game. Everyone that played on this field today is a doctor, there are some of them I know personally, some of them are quite young interns.

    “Others are not quite young, but let me tell you, we train on this field virtually every weekend and that is number one, number two, our doctors keep fit.

    “I personally jog on this axis every day and on Saturdays. I do it for two hours when I’m into it, playing with NUJ is a bragging right for us because we are used to sports.

    “At the NMA National game, our team here came second simply because we had a fatigue before the end of that game,” he said.

    Olarewaju said that not too long ago, its team thrashed the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), adding that sport was a regular thing for the association.

    Earlier, the NUJ had accused the NMA of fielding mercenaries for the novelty football match, stressing that there was no way the players fielded were medical practitioners, due to their age.

    Mr Amadin Uyi, who is the coach of the pen and notepads side, made the allegation and also disclosed that there was undeniable proof that the referee was bribed, revealing that an investigation had commenced over allegations of match-fixing.

    “My boys need to hold their heads high for being able to withstand the undue bias by the officiating team. Also, the NMA fielded ineligible mercenaries but we decided to test our mettle and unfortunately the mercenaries overpowered us,” Mr Uyi said.

    Meanwhile, speaking with newsmen, Comrade Oyekunle, who played in the match, said that the NMA players were more physically fit compared to the journalists.

    “Well, we played the game but they won the match. It was a bone-to-bone encounter and we had a good outing but the Olympic is not to win but just to participate.

    “Our team made us proud and they performed excellently. Regrettably, we are a victim of bad officiating as the centre referee did not hide his bias against us which made us lose the match,” Oyekunle said.

    He added: “We the journalists are always writing stories, going for one assignment or the other, forgetting to constantly exercise our bodies.

    “On a subtle note, journalists need to always take time out of their busy schedules to exercise their bodies, whether they are preparing for sporting activities or not,” he said.

    However, Mr Simeon Agada, a player from the NUJ Correspondent Chapel, appreciated  NMA for organising the game, saying it had added more strength to him.

    Agada said that it had been a long he played football and that he played football very well before, but had to stop due to age.

    While thanking the NMA for inviting NUJ to play the novelty football match, he said the NUJ team was able to discover its lapses in the game. Agada attributed the huge goals from NMA to lapses on the defensive lineup of NUJ, adding that the defenders could not organise themselves very well.

    Agada also blamed the midfielders for the goals, noting that they didn’t coordinate themselves very well.

    “We lost a lot of chances, I will want to advise our players to make use of these chances next time we play. Those chances could have been converted to goals if we made use of them.

    “Football is a game of chance and once you lose it, your opponent takes advantage of that,” he said.

  • Okowa inaugurates NUJ Delta council secretariat, tasks journalists on truth

    Okowa inaugurates NUJ Delta council secretariat, tasks journalists on truth

    Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has inaugurated the State Council Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Asaba, 31 years after the state’s creation.

    Okowa lauded the journalists for their contributions to the development of the state, while urging them to report verifiable information to appropriately inform and educate the people.

    “I listen carefully to the National President of the NUJ, Mr Chris Isiguzo, and I must commend him for his speech, in a growing society and Nigeria of our dream, everything he said is very important for the growth of this nation.

    “The independence of the press is very instructive and it is something that we need to practise.
    “I also urge the press that in the face of all pains and pressures, they must as much as possible, inform appropriately and be sure that the information that gets out to our people is the right information and that such information is Justiceable.

    “The press can stand their grounds at all times; sometimes, politicians and other people may put you under pressure but I trust you must maintain your stand.

    ” I want to appreciate the State Council NUJ Chairman, Mike Ikeogwu, and members of the press for the partnership in terms of reporting and to inform our people of our various programmes and projects in the state.

    “We have had a good level of co-operation and they know that we did not gag them but we work as friends,” Okowa said.

    The governor said his adminstration would continue to work and deliver its promises to the people till the last day in office, adding, ” there is no doubt that we have done a lot in the course of the past seven and half years.”

    While assuring the union of meeting their requests, Okowa berated the attitude of certain politicians whom he said wanted to play to the gallery by distorting information.

    “We don’t look for praise singing, but those who do not want to speak the truth because of politics, we hardly say things in the negative because recently, I heard one of our top politicians in the state, who aught to know, said that we have done nothing in Asaba.

    “And I begin to wonder why people who are highly placed in this nation, speak in that manner and try to deceive the people. That is very insulting to the people, because they know what Asaba was like before we came in,” he said.

    The governor said that his administration spent and committed billions of naira to build the storm water drainage systems that took care of the flooding that had ravaged the state capital for years.

    According to him, the various road networks, leisure parks and film village among other developmental projects, speak volume in the last seven and half years.

    ” Also, when I was building the state Secretariat, the same persons stood against it and today the civil servants testify that it is a conducive place to work in.

    “Today, there is a university in the state capital and if you step into the university, you will see massive infrastructure development taking place.

    “And by the grace of God, by the time we leave in May, the deputy governor and I will be proud that we were here in government for eight years,” he said.

    In his remarks, the NUJ National President, Isiguzo, stressed the need for government not to gag the press but provide enabling environment for free press.

    He thanked Gov. Okowa-led government for completing the state council Secretariat and ensuring that journalists were operating in a conducive environment.

    “While we acknowledge that the press should at all times hold those in authority accountable, yet government must not be seen interfering with journalistic affairs.

    “Government can help in creating conducive environment for media freedom by removing all obstacles and encouraging better working condition for journalists,” Isiguzo said.

    Earlier, the State Council Chairman, Ikeogwu, thanked the governor for delivering a brand new Secretariat to the council after 31 years of the creation of Delta.

    “By this project, you have given the state NUJ council a roof, a name and identity by taking us out of the streets since the creation of the state 31 years ago.

    He also thanked all stakeholders, including the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Patrick Ukah; the Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu; the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Oilsa Ifeajika and others for their role in the realisation of the project.

    ” I want to also specially thank and acknowledge the former Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who laid the foundation of this secretariat,” Ikeogwu said.

    He, however, pledged the council’s resolve to ensure that journalists remained neutral and positive in reporting facts to spur development in the state.

    He, lauded the governor for the various infrastructure development, empowerment and jobs creation programmes while wishing him well in his bid as he aspired to the position of Vice-President of Nigeria in 2023.

  • Ex-NUJ boss hails Buhari over conferment of MFR on NUJ President

    Ex-NUJ boss hails Buhari over conferment of MFR on NUJ President

    Ex-NUJ boss, Chief Fidel Onyeneke, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for conferring the prestigious National Honour of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) on the President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chief Chris Isiguzo.

    Onyeneke, a former Chairman of NUJ, Imo State Council, made the commendation while speaking with newsmen in Owerri on Wednesday.

    He described the honour as a “recognition of the crucial role of the media towards the socio-political and economic growth of the country”.

    He said that the honour had portrayed President Buhari as a media-friendly leader, who attached great importance to hard work and meritocracy.

    Onyeneke explained that Isiguzo deserved the award for adding more dignity to the image of NUJ, as well as for enhancing the status of media practitioners in the country.

    According to him, NUJ under the present dispensation, has set the appropriate agenda in enhancing the growth of democracy in the country.

    “The media has continued to act as a veritable link between the Government and the governed.

    “Also, the journalists have not derilicted in their crucial responsibility of exposing the ills of the society,” he said.

    While congratulating the NUJ President, Onyeneke observed that the giant strides of Isiguzo in the office earned him his recent emergence as the President of the Confederation of African Journalists, among others.

    Onyeneke stated that under Chief Usiguzo, more journalists had been exposed to training and retraining programs within and outside the country.

    He urged Isiguzo, who was the second South Easterner to lead NUJ at National level, to see the Honour as a motivation for greater services to the country and the journalism profession.

    He further advised Isiguzo to remain a role model to the up-coming journalists.

    “Make more efforts to ensure that the Nigerian journalists enjoyed a more conducive atmosphere to practise unhindered, and in accordance with the ethics of the profession,” he advised.

  • Ex-NUJ secretary offers kidney to Ekweremadu’s daughter

    Ex-NUJ secretary offers kidney to Ekweremadu’s daughter

    Former Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ)- Kaduna State, John Adi, has offered to donate one of his kidneys to Sonia Ekweremadu, the sick daughter of former deputy Senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

    Ms Ekweremadu on Monday made a public call for kidney donation to save her life.

    She said in a statement that she had to drop out of the university in 2019 after being diagnosed with a rare kidney disease.

    Announcing in a Facebook post titled “Willing to save a soul” on Friday morning, Mr Adi explained that he is making the donation based on God’s directive on the love of one’s neighbour.

    I am doing this on God’s order in the Holy Bible to Love our neighbours as ourselves

    He wrote, “I, Comrade John Femi Adi, a Kaduna based journalist and farmer hereby announce my ‘agape’ decision to donate one of my kidneys to Senator Ekweremadu’s beautiful daughter.

    “I am doing this on God’s order in the Holy Bible to Love our neighbours as ourselves. For further communications, reach me via my official phone number -: 08034210833.”

    A couple of others have also offered their kidneys.

    Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice are facing charges of organ harvesting in the United Kingdom. The couple took a young man, David Ukpo, to London to donate his organ to Sonia but Ukpo reported them to the police, alleging he was forced.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that The daughter of former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Sonia, had appealed to members of the public to help donate a kidney to replace her damaged one.

    In a statement on her Instagram page, Sonia, whose parents got into trouble in the United Kingdom in the process of trying to get her a donor, revealed that she suffered a rare kidney disease.Ekweremadu and Beatrice were arrested on June 23 and remanded in a prison in the UK over allegations of plotting to harvest the organ of one David Nwamini for use by their ailing daughter, Sonia.

    But Ekweremadu said the boy was undergoing medical investigations for a kidney donation to Sonia, his daughter, who was in need of a kidney transplant.

    The Instagram statement said, “I, Sonia Ekweremadu, hereby appeal to the general public to come to my aid and save my life. I am 25 years old and a graduate of Media and Communications, University of Coventry.

    “I dropped out of my post-graduate studies at the University of Newcastle in 2019 when I was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease, FSGS Nephrotic Syndrome.”