NUJ Re-elects Chris Isiguzo As President
- Veterans task journalists on better Nigeria
National President Of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Chris Isiguzo has been returned unopposed to lead the Union for a fresh and final tenure.
Isiguzo’s victory follows the late withdrawal of his main rival, Yusuf Idris, from the race as announced at the Seventh Triennial Delegates’ Conference held inside the Dr Michael Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.
Other candidates, who returned unopposed at the conference, were the National Treasurer, Dele Atunbi; National Deputy President, Alhassan Yahya Abdullahi; National Internal Auditor, Ladi Emmanuel and the National Financial Secretary, Samuel Dada.
But conspicuously absent at the conference was the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. Though invited as one of the guest speakers, the Minister had no representative at the event.
The NUJ delegates’ conference was declared open by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, with members of the Union challenged by some veterans to work hard towards making Nigeria better amid her ethnic and religious diversities.
Governor Ikpeazu, represented by the State Commissioner for Works, Bob Ogu, appreciated the journalists for choosing Abia State, noting that it was privileged to be the conference host.
In his remarks, the NUJ National President, Comrade Isiguzo said the conference, with the theme, “Media In Times of National Renewal,” was meant for journalists to undertake self-appraisal and chart new direction as well as elect a new Central Working Committee (CWC) members.
Addressing the conference, former Managing Director of Champion Newspapers and currently, Managing Consultant of True Vision Newspapers, Gavinta & Associates, Abuja, Mr Emma Agu, said the need for national renewal was quite urgent and imperative at this time in Nigeria’s history.
Agu, who was the Guest Speaker at the event, regretted that the country has been moving forward and backwards, stressing the need for all hands to be on deck in the task of building a new Nigeria.
A veteran journalist of the defunct National Concord Newspapers and now the traditional ruler of Umuanyi Community in Isuikwuato Local Council of the state, His Royal Highness, Eze (Dr.) Uwadiegwu Ogbonnaya, said with more highly educated people in journalism, the practice today should reflect the same.
Lamenting that there are many challenges facing the journalism profession, the royal father said the Federal Government’s threat to declare a state of emergency in Anambra State was unjustified given that things are far worse in the troubled North-East and its nearby states and zones.
In his intervention, a former NUJ President, Veteran George Izobo urged journalists to tolerate one another and show politicians that it is possible for them to work as one united country.
Izobo, who was NUJ President about 36 years ago, said the Union will be 70 years old in Nigeria next year, and the new national leadership should work today celebrating the NUJ’s platinum jubilee in 2022.
Similarly, another past NUJ President, Comrade Bonnie Iwuoha, said the conference is the first hosted by the South-East many years after the last time out in Enugu and urged the delegates to the Union remains peaceful and united going forward.
Before it finally holding in Umuahia, the 7th Triennial Delegates Conference was almost scuttled by a court injunction, but the National Industrial Court (NIC), Ibadan division on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, vacated an ex-parte suspending the conference.
