By S.T.Abiodun
The Triennial Conference of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Oyo State Council, has always been fun-filled. An event members look forward to with enthusiasm. It is a constitutional arrangement that marks the end of an administration and the commencement of another. Hitherto, journalists across the thirty six states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, choose their leaders every two years, until the recent amendment to the NUJ constitution.
In Oyo State, the union has produced notable and distinguished chairmen who made indelible marks while they held sway. They made the Council one of the ever vibrant, forward-thinking and respected Councils among the famous Ibadan/Lagos axis powerful media. Each leader left legacies which successors build upon especially at the union’s secretariat at Iyaganku GRA, Ibadan.
As required by the constitution, NUJ elections are preceded by the composition of what is called “Credentials Committee” which members are nominated, debated and inaugurated at a Congress. As much as possible, membership of this election umpire are fairly spread across the Chapels in the state elections to ensure fairness, transparency and credibility. Other essentially crucial items on the line up to giving birth to a new EXCO include collection and submission of nomination forms; screening of contestants: display of voter’s register; claims and objections; campaigns and the almighty Manifesto Day which typically holds few hours to the elections.
Now that the administration of the incumbent EXCO under Ademola Babalola (aka DEMBAB) is counting days, preparations are now in top gear for the conduct of another crucial election on Tuesday 9th December, 2025 to usher in a new landlord for the ever developing Millennium Press Centre in Iyaganku GRA, Ibadan. The five-member 2025 Oyo NUJ Credentials Committee is headed by Adewale Fasaasi while Afolakemi Akanbi serves as Secretary. The Committee swung into actions moment after it was inaugurated, pledging fair play and accountability. Campaigns have been intensified as contenders move from chapel to chapel, telling members what they would offer if elected.
In this dispensation, the social media platforms: WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and more, have been awash with campaign posters, hand bills and jingles. Conventional media are not left behind either. Then the usual one-on-one, group-to-group, interest-to-interest talks and interactions are complementing.
Three “Teams” are slugging it out. They are: “The Great Minds Team” with Abas Akeem of the News Agency of Nigeria, which falls under the Correspondent’s Chapel of the union, as its flag bearer. Raji Adebayo who works with the Daily Independent Newspaper and also falls under the Correspondent’s Chapel is the arrow head of “The Divine Mandate Team” while the third Team has Olusola Oladapo of the Federal Information Chapel as the torch bearer. Oladapo’s team is called “The Consolidation Team”. The three teams had flamboyant flag-off for their campaigns. Abas Akeem (aka Alakime) is the outgoing treasurer of the state council, while Olusola Oladapo (aka Summer) is the outgoing state secretary and Raji Adebayo is the immediate past chairman of the Correspondent’s Chapel. So, they are all eminently experienced and qualified to lead the Oyo State NUJ. So far so good, campaigns have been peaceful and orderly in line with the expectations of leaders and elders of the union and other critical stakeholders. But in the beginning of the electioneering, an unpleasant write-up disparaging the three contestants surfaced which was promptly condemned by former leaders and elders of the union. Few days after, another ugly report of defacing and removal of campaign materials of other candidates was alleged. Similarly, leaders and elders stoutly described the actions as unwarranted and unacceptable.
With few days to the important elections, the general society is watching the “Watchdogs” and monitoring the “Monitors”
Members of the League of Veteran Journalists, leaders and elders, entire members, the national secretariat of the union, other state councils, other professional/industrial unions, critical stakeholders, including politicians, are eager to see peaceful and acceptable elections.
The Credentials Committee owes the stakeholders the sacred and historic duty of conducting fair, transparent, credible and acceptable poll
On the part of the contestants, they must ensure decorum, peace and love as the union belongs to all because elections will come and go. So all campaigns must be issue-based.
To the generality of the over 400 members drawn across 12 chapels in the state, they should go about all the processes with the good mind of a sportsman so that at the end of it all, winners will be magnanimous in victory while losers will be gracious in defeat.
It is the wish of all that a leader with vision, courage, passion, dignity and welfare of members at heart is elected.
As December 9th, 2025 draws near, we pray for “DIVINE MANDATE” to give Oyo State journalists “GREAT MINDS” to “CONSOLIDATE” the legacies of heroes past.
Asiwaju Abiodun, a former Secretary of Oyo NUJ, writes from Ibadan
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