That Charade Called NAWOJ Election

“Then the hatchet man to execute the plan of stopping Ladi’s victory at the polls was commissioned in the person of Isiguzo the NUJ helms man. He actually perfected the dirty job…”

BY AGNES EBINO

The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) will not forget 25th November, 2023 in a hurry, as the image of the association was dragged in the mud and female journalists in the country humiliated like never before.

The occasion was the Triennial Delegates Conference to elect new leaders or rather Executives that would pilot the affairs of NAWOJ for the next three years. This was 11th in the series of such conferences. The venue was the Dr. Mariam Ibrahim Babangida National Women Development Centre in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Unpleasant events that occurred, culminating in the eve of the election were best imagined or to think that they never really happened.

In the morning during the opening ceremony and the business session, the aura in the arena was calm and friendly. As former Presidents of NAWOJ, who were present at the event, namely: Chief (Mrs) Moji Makanjuola, Aunty Evelyn Onyilo, Aunty Hanatu Musa and other senior female journalists, showered encomiums on the outgone President of the association Comrade Ladi Bala, whom they described as an amazon of repute who brought light and fame to NAWOJ both locally and internationally after about 30 years of crawling as an association.

The President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mr. Chris Isiguzo in his goodwill message said Ladi’s achievements in the last three was unprecedented, that whichever way the election goes, Ladi has written her name in the annals of history.

Little did people know that Isiguzo’s statement was a parting gift for Ladi as the turnout of events in the evening betrayed his false accolades on her.

When midnight came for the elections to hold, which is a ritual borrowed from her parent body NUJ, the whole atmosphere was charged with desperation and all manner of activities, both good and bad.

Spiritually, some people went fetish and diabolic as they openly sprayed talisman around the election venue. Others were seen using their manhood to conjure and some chanted with cowries while the smell of incense took over the environment.

This was so worrisome as such desperate act and show of power has never happened during any NAWOJ elections within the over 30 years of its existence.

But what even took NAWOJIANS by surprise was when chairmen of NUJ from the South West States mounted the gate to the entrance of where the election was been conducted, dragging the door with female journalists, preventing many from gaining entrance into the voting hall.

Any state they believe was Ladi’s strong hold, these chairmen and their thugs produced various fake delegates lists to discredit genuine voters at the gate. For instance the authentic list of Jigawa State delegates was discarded while the fake delegates were allowed to vote.

These so called chairmen did not act on their own, because when NUJ President’s attention was drawn to the stupid act, he only responded that something will be done, and left the scene for his boys to continue acting the script.

The reason for Isiguzo’s action may not be farfetched as it was alleged that he was giving 20 million Naira and promised an appointment by the powers that be if he delivers a particular candidate. It was equally alleged that he frustrated the former NAWOJ president from getting assistance from government agencies, particularly the Federal Capital Territory where it was alleged that he collected the sum of sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) from one businessman from Borno State to deliver Aisha Ibrahim Bura.

It was gathered that this money was what the NUJ President used in mobilising female journalists in the East and some other geo-political zones.

Accommodations and other logistics were catered for in order to sway delegates to their preferred candidates.

While digging deep into the quagmire between the former NAWOJ President Ladi Bala and President of NUJ, it was discovered that their problem was more of complex, envy, hatred and wickedness. It is said that Isiguzo had always asked Ladi to change the nomenclature from President of NAWOJ to National Chairperson of NAWOJ.

There may be more to their difference than meet the eyes, because how would one explain a situation where somebody has proved her mettle and worked to the best of her ability by advancing the course of female journalists, women, the girl child and the vulnerable in society, only to be met with stiff opposition when she sort re-election to consolidate on her modest achievements.

Ladi Bala’s predecessor, Ifeyinwa Omowole was at the votex against Ladi’s re-election bid, reason being that Ladi had recommended a former NAWOJ president Evelyn Oyinlo, as a Board of Trustee to an international agency, Action Aid, of which NAWOJ is a beneficiary.

There was also an unconfirmed report that Ladi promised to probe Ifeyinwa’s administration. It was alleged that this development prompted Ifeyinwa to vow, saying over her dead body would Ladi be reelected for second tenure.

As such all efforts at appeasing “the mother general” as she is fondly called by her supporters fell on deaf ears, even when Ladi had to kneel in public to apologize, nothing changed as an angry vindictive Ifeyinwa would not bulge, but determined on carrying out her vendetta.

When the elections drew near, all manner of hate speech, character assassination and smear was unleashed on their campaign platforms against Ladi Bala, who was focused on how to take NAWOJ to the next level in her campaigns.

Then the hatchet man to execute the plan of stopping Ladi’s victory at the polls was commissioned in the person of Isiguzo the NUJ helms man. He actually perfected the dirty job by ensuring that their candidate Aisha Bura clinches the NAWOJ presidency through vote buying, inflation of delegates list and any other means. What a shame of a union leader.

NAWOJ was machandised on the altar of money or on the highest bidder. This development no doubt will lead to the balkanisation or polarisation of NAWOJ.

Isiguzo has set a bad precedence which will only take the grace of God and determination of the progressive minds in NAWOJ to change the narrative.

As members of the fourth estate of the realm and opinion moulders in society, what moral right do we as journalists have to question the integrity of politicians to bring them to book? When we are also guilty of the same corruption charges. It is most unfortunate.

We are neck deep into what we criticize the political class of and even do worst. We must change and be the pace setter that we are, otherwise society and posterity will judge us in negative light.

As it stands today, Isiguzo has destroyed the NUJ, as some state Councils are enmeshed in one form of crisis or the other. His tenure has been a disaster in the history of NUJ in the country, rather than improving the standard of journalism, there is serious retrogression among members, no thanks to those who championed his candidacy in the first place, not to talk of his second term which ends in October, 2024.

Journalists are praying for his quick exit from the presidency of NUJ as the union has not been so merchandised and corrupt the way it is today. What a sorry state.

Obviously envious of Ladi Bala’s achievements for NAWOJ the last three years, which includes getting an office space, tastefully furnished for NAWOJ, acquisition of a landed property in the heart of Abuja, and training of female journalists across the 36 states of Nigeria, which has never happened before, we resorted to rack and pull her down syndrome, which eventually led to her removal.

Isiguzo should not forget that NAWOJ has been in existence for the past 34 years, when a group of women came together to form the association and 34 years after it has grown from strength to strength, even when former NUJ President, Senator Smart Adeyemi tried to proscribe NAWOJ under the leadership of Evelyn Oyinlo, the women fought back to ensure NAWOJ continues to exist.

NAWOJ was established on the 14th September, 1989, to serve as a rallying point for Nigeria female journalists, as a result of the struggle to gain more recognition for women in the journalism profession.

As an umbrella organisation for all female journalists, NAWOJ is to carter for their career interest in terms of training towards professional interest. Secondly as a non-governmental organisation, NAWOJ is saddled with the social responsibility of the welfare and interest of women and children in the society.