Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) is seeking collaboration with the LEADERSHIP Group Ltd for the celebration of its 70th anniversary.
The deputy national president of the union and chairman of the NUJ @70 Planning Committee, Dr Abimbola Oyetunde, made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the LEADERSHIP headquarters in Abuja yesterday.
She said the union which was formed in 1955, clocked 70 years in March and had planned activities to commemorate the milestone on June 21, 2025 at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
“In the light of this, we are pleased to extend an invitation to your esteemed media organisation to partner with the NUJ in providing wide national visibility for our 70th anniversary celebration. Your platform’s credibility, reach and impact make you an ideal partner to ensure our activities resonate with the public and stakeholders across the country.
“The celebration will feature the unveiling of a publication titled, ‘The Bleeding Pen’, which documents the history of the union and the struggles of journalists over the years,” she said.
According to her, the current NUJ leadership under Comrade Alhassan Yahaya, who was elected in November 2024, has prioritised unity, professionalism and the welfare of journalists. “We are now at a point of securing insurance for journalists, and we also have investment plans aimed at alleviating the hardships faced by journalists and preventing them from begging to survive,” she added.
Responding, the group managing director of the LEADERSHIP Group, Alhaji Muazu Elazeh, congratulated the union on reaching its 70-years milestone, describing it as a significant achievement and an opportunity to address the challenges facing the union.
Elazeh urged the organising committee and the NUJ leadership to seize the occasion to focus on the welfare of journalists and eliminate quackery within the profession.
He assured the committee of LEADERSHIP’s readiness to provide full coverage and publicity for the celebration.
“Seventy years is a milestone, and we are marking this at a time when journalism faces numerous challenges. This anniversary presents us the opportunity to revisit these challenges and propose solutions, particularly given the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which could either threaten or strengthen our profession, depending on one’s perspective.
“We have yet to tackle the issues of quackery and journalist welfare, which is why we often see our colleagues struggling to make ends meet. If this topic is not already part of the agenda for discussion during the 70th anniversary, I suggest we include it. How do we build resilience among journalists? How do we encourage a business-oriented mindset? These issues should be central to the discussions at the NUJ’s 70th anniversary,” Elazeh said.
He emphasised the media’s fundamental role in stabilising Nigeria’s democracy, while questioning whether journalists are truly benefitting from their efforts.
“We must find ways to address these issues, and if the only thing we achieve at the end of the 70th anniversary is progress in this regard, that would be significant. We will provide full publicity; it is our responsibility. Therefore, you can count on LEADERSHIP for pre-, during, and post-publicity for your 70th anniversary celebration,” he assured.
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