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Towards a Hitch-free NUJ Delegates Congress By Olufunke Fadugba
As you are all aware, the triennial national delegates conference is scheduled to hold from january 16 to 19, 2003, at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) TopoBadagry. The conference is being hosted by the lagos council for the first time in the over four decade history of our great union.
The 48year old union came into being out of necessity. Professional joumalists met and discussed the need to contribute towards nationalism at the twilight of colonialism, complimentary to the efforts of politicians, towards attaining freedom. According to chief olu oyesanya, the first secretary of the nuj, discussions to forul a union started at beats or press conferences, around 1953 and 1954. However, the first official meeting of the nigeria union journalists was not to hold until march 15, 1955, when alhaji mobolaji odunewu and late chief olu oyesanya, with other professionals like late chief bisi onabanjo, alhaji lateef jakande and late chief ebun adefioye rnet at st. Paul's Breaddruit Street Lagos. When there are 36 states in the federation, the spread was rapid as journalists who found themselves in the new states, often included officers of the old state council Nevertheless, Lagos maintained its dominance of the anion, even until the present times. By 1999, the national secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) conducted a successful election of the council, which returned the elusive peace to both the lagos state council and the national body of the union. Lagos was again back to the centre of action of the union. The influence of lagos was utilised again in puttiing a very strong viable executive in place at the centre, .Culminating in the election of mr. Smart adeyemi in december 1999 in minna niger state. Prior to now, the national delegates conference of the union had always been a biennial event. Past conferences held included that of calabar in 1992, sokoto in 1994, ibadan in 1996 and minna in 1999. However, at the special delegates conference of the union held in dutse, jigawa state capital, in 2000, some fundamental amendments were effected in the union's constitution. One of the major highlights of the amendment was how soon the national delegates conference would be held. Delegates unanimously agreed that the union's conference should henceforth be once in every three years (triennial). This informed why the maiden triennial conference of the njj is being hosted by lagos nuj at ascon, topo badagry from January, 16 to 19, 2003. Lagos state council of the union immediately swung into action as soon as it won the hosting right for the 2003 triennial delegates conference at the september, 2002 national executive council committee (nec) meeting of our great union in lokoja, kogi state. A 25 man local organising conmittee (loc) of which i am the chairman was constituted with membership drawn from various chapels in the lagos state council. To ensure the proper organisation of the conference members of the commikee were appointed into nine subcommittees namely: security, accommodation/feeding, publicity/ entertainment, sponsorship, welfare, protocol, logistics, publications and transport. The loc had paid several visits (not less than six) to ascon, venue of the conference and we have the assurance of the management of ascon that the place would be ready to accommodate the over 600 delegates we are expecting from all media houses across the country. You may want to ask why the choice of ascon as venue of the conference? ASCON was chosen because of its serene environment especially as we want an area where delegates would not be ordinarily distracted from the business of the conference. Everything is now set to host the cream of nigerian joumalists for four days next week in lagos. Already, enough accommodation has been reserved at ascon, and three other nearby hotels for all delegates coming to the conference. It may also interest you that all delegates will also be fed throughout the duration of the conference. As regards security, the lagos state command of the nigeria police and the State Security Service (SSS) have consented to making Available their personnel to provide adequate security for delegates throughout the duration of the conference. We have also acquired facilities for first aid treatment for delegates apart from the regular clinic being run by ascon. Delegates are expected to start arriving ascon, venue of the conference on thursday, January 16, 2003 from 4.00 p.m. On arrival, the loc members and members of the State Working Committee (swc) of our great union will be on hand to welcome delegates to lagos, state of the aquatic splendour. A welcome parly /cultural nipht would be organised on the night of thursday, January 16, from 8.00 p.m. At ascon. Colleagues, i am happy to announce to you that nigeria's foremost musician, king sunny ade will also be on stage at the welcome party for our delegates on january 16, while the nigeria police band will perform at the opening ceremony on Friday 17. The conference which has as theme "democracy and 2003: media as a think tank" will be declared open on friday, january 17, 2003 at 11 a.m. By a joint committee of governors. The opening ceremony which will be chaired by col. Sambo dasuki (rtd), former Mnaging Director of Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company will also include the launching of the book "redefining joumalism in a democracy". Special guests expected at the opening ceremony include governors of lagos, ogun, gombe, oyo, bauchi and delta states. Information and national orientation minister, professor jerry gana has gladly accepted to deliver a keynote address on the occasion. On friday January 17 there will be the presentation of a paper by the group managing director of nnpc, mr. Jackson gaiusc)baseki after which the delegates would go into the first conference session. On saturday january 18, the theme of the conference "democracy and 2003: media as a think tank" will come into focus at an interactive session by delegates from 9.00 a.M. To 12 noon while another interactive session on guidelines for the coverage of the 2003 election is billed for between 12 noon and 2:00 p.M. On the same day. The conference will peak with the election of a new national executive committee (nec) to run the affairs of tlhe union at the national level for the next three years from 4:30 p.M. Delegates are scheduled to depart for their various destinations after breakfast on sunday, January 19. |
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