The Director-General of the Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism Development and former two-term Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, Barrister Wale Ojo-Lanre, has congratulated Mr. Akeem Abas on his election as the new Chairman of the NUJ in Oyo State.
In a statement on Wednesday, Ojo-Lanre described Abas’s emergence as divinely ordained and a reward for years of loyalty, integrity, and professionalism in the practice of journalism.
He said the election of Abas, an Editor with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), was not only a personal achievement but also a value-addition to NAN, noting that the agency has produced a leader capable of contributing to the repositioning of journalism in Nigeria.
Ojo-Lanre said he has known Abas as a consensus-builder, a diligent and decent professional, and a journalist who remains calm and balanced under pressure, adding that these qualities would be crucial to his leadership of the Union.
He also congratulated other members of the newly elected Executive Council of NUJ, Oyo State Council, urging them to support the new Chairman and work collectively for the progress of the Union.
The former NUJ Chairman charged Abas, as the de facto and de jure leader of journalists in the state, to prioritise the repositioning of the NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, which he said has deviated from its original purpose.
According to him, the Press Centre should be retrofitted to serve as a professional hub for journalists, stressing that further construction on the premises should be halted while comprehensive renovation is carried out.
Ojo-Lanre further urged the new Chairman to sustain engagement with past leaders of the Union to promote institutional memory and continuity, a practice he said was strengthened by the immediate past Chairman, Chief Demola Babalola.
He also advised the new NUJ leadership to pursue policies focused on professional re-orientation, journalists’ welfare and safety, youth mentorship, and ethical standards.
In addition, Ojo-Lanre called on Abbas to liaise with the NUJ National President to ensure the proper takeover, affiliation, and accreditation of the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ), Abuja, which he described as an important asset of the Union.
He called on members of NUJ, Oyo State Council, to support the new Chairman and contribute to the unity and development of the Union.
