Buhari, Atiku, Ahmed, Others Congratulate Odusile, New NUJ President

“Odusile must take the training and retraining of journalists in the country very seriously”.

Odusile, the Managing Editor of The Nation Newspapers, in his victory speech, says his first priority is to ensure employers in the media industry do not owe journalists their monthly salaries again.

Odusile was declared victor in a keenly contested election during the national delegates conference/ presidential election of the NUJ held at the weekend in Abuja.

Aladenika, Uzaka and Lamidi are from the Edo, Bayelsa and Abuja states’ councils of the union respectively.

The Speaker said he was pleased with the conduct of a democratic election by the union.

More Details on the election later. I am really happy, not only for you, but also for the entire body of journalists in Nigeria.

According to him, positive developmental and citizen journalism should be emphasised by the mass media with a view to fostering national unity, national interest and national cohesion. This is what Nigerian journalists have just done and I want to especially commend them for this lofty achievement.

Charging those who won in the election to be magnanimous in victory and the losers to be gallant in defeat, Ahmed counselled the new NUJ leadership to embrace an inclusive governance strategy, as a divided house would never be to the greater glory of journalism and journalists in the country. Indeed, your conduct is worthy of emulation, ” Speaker Obasa said.

In a congratulatory message signed yesterday in Ilorin by Abdulwahab Oba, his Chief Press Secretary, Ahmed urged the new leadership of the NUJ to urgently use their good offices to evolve a good mechanism that would ensure adequate and commensurate remuneration for media practitioners in the country. The election is over, what is left is for all hands to be on deck to ensure that the Waheed Odusile led administration succeed in its resolve to move the journalism profession forward in the country. “This is the only way to sustain the respect the profession commands around the world”, he said.