July 27, 2015 – Now that Mr. Waheed Odusile has emerged the President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, it is crucial to come up with pro-journalist agenda rather than pursuing self-centred course like the past administrations.
The Odusile presidency should work out a system that will promote best practice and professionalism as in ICAN and NMA among others. Implementing this will go a long way to restore the image of the pen profession.
Also, it should develop a robust database of all Nigerian journalists in order to end the growing syndicate of fake journalists in all parts of Lagos, especially loitering around and attacking journalists at Airport Hotels and Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA). This will require an acceptable process of certification and re-certification as well as setting up an enforcement unit to police their hub of operations.
The Odusile presidency must, as a matter of fact, be ready to lead mass action against media houses that are owing staff members ranging from 5 to 17 months, which has become a source of concerns for those left in the practice. This is an unholy practice that must not continue if objectivity will remain at the epicenter of journalism in Nigerian space.
Besides, several media houses are defaulting in remitting their Pension Fund Administration (PFA) contributions, which compromise the future of affected journalists. The Odusile administration must achieve these agenda to justify his emergence as the NUJ President and failing will rank him in the class of the union’s past presidents, who could not change the direction of tide raging against the pen profession.
