By Stephen Adeleye
Mr Ademu Seidu of the State Ministry of Information has been elected as the new Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kogi State Council.
Seidu was elected unopposed alongside other new executive members at the council’s “Triennial Delegates Conference 2023”, on Wednesday in Lokoja.
The new chairman, his acceptance speech, pledged purposeful leadership and appreciated members of the council for the seamless consensus arrangement that produced him and other executive members.
He said that leadership in the union was all about offering members a sense of belonging and providing conducive environment for journalists to perform with ease and respect.
Seidu commended the outgone chairman of the council, Alh. Adeiza Momoh-Jimoh, for his resilience, humility, sincerity and commitment to transparent leadership, and promised to build on his achievements.
Seidu, who was the immediate past Secretary of the Union, promised an inclusive leadership, while upholding the ethics of the journalism profession.
He, therefore, solicited for the support of practicing journalists and tasked them on the need to be objective, balanced and non sensational in their reportage.
“By the grace of God, with your support and collaboration, we shall do our best to reposition the union and make it better than we met it,” Seidu said.
In his remarks, the NUJ National President, Mr Chris Isiguzo, implored journalists to be steadfast and fair in the discharge of their responsibility.
Isiguzo, who was represented by Chris Atasaka, the Vice President Zone D, commended the members for working harmoniously with the outgone leadership, and for having a rancour- free election.
Earlier in his farewell speech, the outgone NUJ Chairman, Momoh-Jimoh, appreciated members of the council for achievements recorded under his tenure.
He urged journalists in the state to accord more support to the new administration.
According to him, this is the time for the council to be more united to meet with the yearnings and aspirations of the society.
He appreciated Gov. Yahaya Bello for the cordial relationship between the council and the government by seeing the media as a development partner.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Guest Speaker, Prof. Gbenga Ibileye, Provost, College of Postgraduate Studies, Federal University Lokoja (FUL), presented a paper on the topic: “Media As Fourth Estate of the Realm: Fact or Fiction”.
The don cautioned journalists against sensational reportage, saying its implications on the media as the fourth estate of the realm affects the other arms of government and institutions.
Other elected executive members are Obansa Ibrahim, Vice Chairman, Segun Oyenibi, Secretary, among others. NAN
