The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NUJ

  • NUJ to Fed Govt: fish out his killer

    The Kaduna State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has urged the Federal Government to set up a panel to fish out Mr. Dimgba Igwe’s killer.

    It spoke yesterday when members paid a condolence visit to the Northwest Bureau Office of The Sun in Kaduna.

    Speaking before signing the condolence register, the Chairman of the Elders’ Committee, Elder John Fwah, described the circumstances surrounding Igwe’s death as suspicious and called for an investigation to fish out the culprit.

    He said: “It is unfortunate that we have lost a rare gem in the pen profession in this gruesome circumstances. The action of the hit-and-run driver brought a lot of suspicions and the only way to console his family, friends and colleagues is to bring the driver to justice.”

    Fwah added that journalists would miss the knowledge, wisdom and professionalism of the late Igwe, whom he described as a gentleman.

    A journalist and the Sadaruna Hayin Banki Kaduna, Alhaji Hassan Ibrahim, described the death as painful, considering the circumstances.

    He said the incident was a wake-up call for journalists to key into the NUJ Life Insurance Scheme, considering the hazards of the profession.

    The Northwest Bureau Chief of The Sun, Alhaji Ismail Omipidan, thanked NUJ members for their concern and supports.

  • NUJ nominates The Nation reporter for award

    The Benue State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) 2013 Media Merit Award Committee led by the Rector of the College of Advanced and Professional Studies (CAPS), Dr. Tyotom Keghku, has nominated The Nation reporter in Benue State, Uja Emmanuel, for an award.

    A letter to Emmanuel, dated August 22, signed by the secretary, Central Planning Committee, for the 2014 Media Merit Award, said: “The NUJ Benue State Council has nominated you for the 2013 Media Merit Award in recognition of your contributions to journalism.”

    The award has been fixed for tomorrow at the Lush Ecents, Kwarafa Quarters, Makurdi, at 5pm.

  • NUJ plans debate for candidates

    The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun State Council, in collaboration with all the state broadcasting stations, is planning a debate for all governorship candidates in the August 9 poll in the state.

    The debate will be transmitted live by the broadcasting stations in the state as part of the efforts of the NUJ to ensure peaceful governorship election.

    According to a statement by the Chairman of the union, Mr. Abiodun Olalere, and Secretary, Bamigbola Gbolagunte,  the debate will  hold on Monday, August 4 at the White Plain Hotel, Osogbo by 3.30pm.

    The six governorship candidates that have been duly invited for the two-hour live broadcast debate are Hon. Niyi Owolade of the Accord Party, Senator Sunday Fajinmi of the Alliance for Democracy, Mr Rauf Aregbesola of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade of the Labour Party, Senator Iyiola Omisore of the Peoples Democratic Party and Mr. Segun Akinwusi of the Social Democratic Party.

  • Jakande: NUJ honours Nigeria’s media icon at 85

    Jakande: NUJ honours Nigeria’s media icon at 85

    The Nigerian Union of Journalists last week celebrated Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, a man whose contributions to the profession arguably transcends that of any other Nigerian, with a book presentation and a bash. Gboyega Alaka, who was at the event, reports.

    It was a day to honour and revel in governmental nostalgia last Wednesday as the Nigerian Union of Journalists honoured the man Lateef Kayode Jakande at 85. The event, which doubled as a book launch, witnessed the presentation of the book, Jakande: Fountain of Excellence (Celebrating Journalism Icon @ 85).

    Alhaji Lateef Jakande, a former civilian governor of Lagos State between 1979 and 1983, is reputed to be one of the founding fathers of Nigerian journalism, and the union, under the leadership of Comrade ‘Deji Elumoye, deemed it befitting to honour him with the book, which captures his life and times, both as a selfless journalist, and as a politician of unrivalled quality and achievements.

    Speaking in his capacity as Chairman of the occasion, former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, who himself is a journalism icon, described Alhaji Jakande as the ‘Grandfather of Nigerian Journalism,’ tracing his days at the Daily Service, Daily Express through to The Nigerian Tribune, where he rose to become Managing Editor, and by implication, a close associate of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

    He also spoke of his instrumental role in co-founding the Nigerian Union of Journalists; his role in founding the Nigerian Guild of Editors; how he founded the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and how as a member of the International Press Institute, IPI, he became the first black African president of the association, comprising publishers and editors of reputable publications around the world.

    Osoba also recalled how Jakande brought the IPI to Nigeria, in cooperation with the University of Lagos, to train budding journalists.

    TheSpeaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, who presented the book, described Alhaji Jakande as a pathfinder, without whose efforts the developments currently being witnessed across Lagos would not have been possible. He spoke of how the former governor opened up the Lekki-Epe axis, which is now rated the most expensive corridor in West Africa. He also spoke of how as a young man, he and other folks from his home-town in Epe used to travel roughly three hours to get to Lagos on a free-traffic day.

    In appreciating Jakande’s contribution to education, Ikuforiji spoke of how he miraculously condensed the previous three-session a day school system to a single session and instituted a successful free education at all levels; something the previous military regime had said was not possible. He also lauded him for taking the initiative to establish public schools across the nooks and crannies of the state, even in high-brow areas of Victoria Island and Ikoyi, asking almost rhetorically that: “Which governor will go and get a piece of land to build a public school in Ikoyi these days?”

    Alhaji Jakande was co-founder, treasurer and patron of the Nigerian Union of Journalists. Aside co-founding and being the first president of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, he was also co-founder and served as a two term president of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria. Jakande was also co-founder and first chairman of the Nigerian Press Organisation; founder of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism and first Chairman of its Board of Governors (1970-1979) and chairman of its Board of Trustees till date.

    Jakande is also a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management, NIM, member of the International Federation of Journalists; first and only African president of the IPI; member of the International Federation of Publishers; member, International Broadcast Institute; member International Association for Mass Communications Research; Founder, and National Secretary of the National Press Club of Nigeria between 1970 and 1979; member, Commonwealth Press Union;  First Chairman, World Press Freedom Committee (1974) and member, Committee on the Future of the Nigerian Press (1968).

    Jakande was also Managing Director of Allied Newspapers Limited, publishers of a chain of eight provincial newspapers spread across the country.

  • NUJ seeks OSRC workers’ recall

    The Ondo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called for the immediate recall of its members placed on suspension by the management of the Ondo State Radiovision Corporation (OSRC).

    The union, after an emergency meeting of its State Executive Committee (SEC), yesterday described the suspension of the journalists as uncalled for and an attempt by the board to cripple the labour unions in the state-owned station.

    A statement issued by the General Secretary of the union, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said it was wrong for the station to punish individuals over the union’s congress which condemned the welfare of journalists.

    Those placed on indefinite suspension by the board of OSRC included the Chairman of NUJ in OSRC chapel, Wahab Bankole, his predecessor, Taiwo Ibitoye, Sola Obagbemisoye, Akinwumi Abodunde, Obafemi Sogbe and Lanrewaju Bankole-Cole.

    Others are Bayo Olanusi of the Programmes Department and Tunji Ogidan of Engineering Department, who is the Radio and Television Workers’ Union (RATTAWU) chairman.

    The NUJ said: “We find it disturbing that the board of OSRC has refused to release or implement the report of the Kudehinbu Panel which looked into the various issues raised and made recommendations on how to solve the many problems confronting the station.”

     

  • NUJ deplores seizure of newspapers

    NUJ deplores seizure of newspapers

    The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has expressed concern over the seizure of copies The Nation, Guardian, Daily Trust and Leadership newspapers by security agents.

    The President of NUJ, Malam Mohammed Garba, said yesterday in Abuja that the media is an important stakeholder in the ongoing campaign against insurgency in parts of the country and wondered why it would come under attack from security personnel.

    Garba condemned the seizure of the newspapers, saying that it was not the best way to handle it if there were any issues.

    “We have gone through a presentation by the Director of Defence Information, Major-General Chris Olukolade, and we feel that the action of the military was unjustifiable.

    “We feel that if there was anything that constituted a security threat and was going to pass through any media organisation, the management of such media organisation should have been notified for the necessary adjustment and correction, rather than total seizure of its publications.

    “Unfortunately, this action continued till today and I feel that we must condemn this act,’’ he said.

    Garba stressed that the situation in the country required all segments of society to join forces against the insurgents rather than the stronger intimidating the weaker elements in the society.

    He said that the media should be allowed to discharge its responsibility to society without intimidation from any quarter, adding that the media remained committed to the unity, stability and progress of the country.

    “I feel that at this point in time when the security operatives need the cooperation of the media to fight insurgency, an attack on the media from the same security operatives is unnecessary.”

    The NUJ leader appealed to the military to evolve better ways of arresting threatening reports or pieces of information other than confiscating the entire publications of media organisations.

  • Protest in Jos

    Protest in Jos

    Members of the Nigeria Labor Comgress (NLC), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and other civil society organisations in Plateau State took to the streets of Jos yesterday in protest of the abduction of Chibok girls.

    The protesters moved from the state secretariat of the NUJ  to the House of Assembly where they delivered their protest message.

    The group demanded  the immediate release of the over 200 girls abducted from the Government Girls’ Secondary School Chibok in Borno State.

    Yesterday’s procession which commenced at  9am included members of the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).

    The crowd was addressed by Deputy Speaker  Joyce Ramnap.

    The state president of FIDA, Ladi Madaki, said: “Posterity will not forgive us if we keep quiet. Our appeal is for the girls to come out alive, unharmed and reunited with their families and the hope of all children in Nigeria that there is a right to education, survival and exercise of free will.”

    Ramnap urged citizens to unite and fight terrorism, irrespective of ethnic and religious difference.

    A one-minute silent prayer was observed for the return of the girls.

     

     

  • Ondo NUJ pulls out of NLC

    Ondo NUJ pulls out of NLC

    The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Ondo State Council has passed a vote of no confidence on the state leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the alleged nonchalant attitude of the umbrella labour organisation to the welfare of journalists in the state.

    Consequently, the NUJ, which is an affiliate union of the NLC, has pulled out of the Congress and will, henceforth, boycott all the activities of the labour union in the state until further notice.

    This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the monthly Congress of the NUJ in Akure, the state capital, and signed by the union’s chairman, Mr. Akinfolayan Owanikin.

    The NUJ directed its members not to participate in any NLC-related activities or give coverage for any event organised by the labour union, including the coming May Day rally in Akure.

    The NUJ in taking the decision had reviewed the recent events in the state in which the state leadership of the NLC allegedly failed to play any meaningful role in protecting the interests of journalists in the state.

    The NUJ cited the recent incident at the Ondo State Radiovision Corporation, where some NUJ members were arrested and detained for protesting the alleged unbearable working conditions in the state government-owned media outfit.

     

    “Despite the fact that we carried along the NLC State Chairman, Mrs. Bosede Daramola from the onset on the issue of OSRC, she refused to intervene in the crisis. When the government set up a panel on the matter, the NLC refused to submit its position paper or make any representation to the panel despite our pleas.

    “This is, of course, is not the first time that the NLC would turn its back to the NUJ when it needs it most. In recent years, there have been many incidents involving journalists in the state in which the NLC refused to play any role,” the NUJ further alleged.

     

  • NUJ President makes case for public schools

    NUJ President makes case for public schools

    President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mallam Garba Mohammed, has called on both state and federal government to ensure that adequate funds are provided for the smooth running of public schools in the country.

    Mohammed during a courtesy call on the board members of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba stated that, despite numerous efforts the president has made to improve education in the country, the issue of funding tertiary institutions, primary and secondary schools owned by government has remained a very serious challenge in Nigeria.

    “I am very much aware of the efforts made by government especially by the president to ensure that there are interventions in our educational sector. The TETFund (Tertiary Education Trust Fund) projects are visible in most of our tertiary institutions (universities and polytechnics) and I am sure that there are quite a number of projects that are executed by TETFund in this polytechnic. It is therefore pertinent for me to mention here that polytechnics owned by the state government and federal governments have to be properly funded, as we should not rely on university education.

    “Look at the rate of unemployment that we have in this country. Look at what happened during the recruitment exercise, it is an indication that government has to be very, very careful with the high level of unemployment we have in this country and I feel that the best way we can address this problem is by ensuring that we encourage our polytechnics so that after field studies, most of our graduates do not need to rely on white collar jobs. The problem we have in Nigeria today is that most of us are relying on government jobs. But when you have polytechnics and other institutions our youths can be trained to be self-employed. I think that is what should be given much emphasis so that at the end of it all, our youths can have the opportunity of having training.

    The NUJ president, frowning at the over emphasis on university certificate against their polytechnic counterparts said that such undermines the purpose of establishing polytechnic education.

    “The emphasis on university education is killing the polytechnics and other tertiary institutions which is the center of our education.

    Mohammed who came in the company of Sure-P monitoring team to inspect some of the completed Sure-P projects congratulated the board chairman, Hon. Christopher Enweremadu for his appointment and successes he has recorded since he assumed office as the chairman of the polytechnic board.

    He further commended the cordial relationship existing between the polytechnic community and journalists in the state, expressing hope that journalists in the state will continue to sustenance the support.

    In his response, Rt. Hon. Christopher Enweremadu disclosed that the polytechnic community has enjoyed a cordial relationship with members of NUJ in the state and thanked members of the NUJ for helping the institution to draw the attention of the state government to plight of the polytechnic community which he said has yielded positive result.

    Enweremadu urged journalists in the state and the country at large to be fair in all their reports in the interest of country first and in things which would unite than to divide Nigerians.

    According to the board chairman, “When we started asking for improved subvention, we received a lot of support from the media in getting government to see the true picture of the financial status of this place and we want to use this opportunity through you to commend that partnership between this institution and journalists across the country, most especially in Abia state.

    This institution has been very fortunate in its location, attention it has received from the visitor of this polytechnic who is the governor, chief sir T.A Orji who has continued to offer a listening ear to the demands of this institution. Recently the governor approved an upward review of the subvention due this polytechnic from N25m to N90m. This amounts to over 306% improvement in the subventions. It is a demonstration that this government is very ready to partner and improve the academic infrastructure in the state. We are also very grateful to the TETFund projects that have dotted this institution, enabled by the policies of the president of the federal republic of Nigeria.

    You can see that this place was originally a secondary school. Today, with houses, some of the most advanced infrastructures you can get in any polytechnic are all thanked to the partnership that is enabled by federal government policies to advance the tertiary institutions in particular, the polytechnics.”

  • NUJ kicks over arrest of Wabara

    THE Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) yesterday demanded the unconditional release of The Associate Editor of The Sun Newspapers, Ebere Wabara, who was arrested yesterday in his Lagos residence on the orders of the Abia State Government.

    It said the arrest and detention of the veteran journalist by the police on the orders of Abia State governor, Chief Theodore Orji, implies the nation has not got over the inglorious years of military regimes.

    A statement by the National Secretary of the NUJ, Shuaibu Leman, further accused Orji of showing open bias by frustrating efforts to effect the release of Ebere.

    It reads: “We vehemently protest over and repudiate the actions of government and authorities who make a mockery of the freedom of association and commitments to pluralism and democracy when they encourage a culture of impunity and lawlessness against the media.

    “Holding journalists like Wabara clearly carries the imprint of military regimes and we hasten to caution our leaders who are beneficiaries of the struggle by the media to entrench democracy to avoid acts of impunity if we desire to succeed in our quest for national development”.