The Consolidated Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun State Council, has elected new executives.
The new executives were inaugurated at the Chapel’s Secretariat, Abeokuta, the State capital by the leadership of the Council, led by the Chairman, Comrade Wale Olanrewaju.
A senior correspondent for Family FM radio, Abeokuta, Comrade Bose Akintunde has emerged as the new Chairman.
Other members of the executive are Comrade Niyi Marayesa, Vice Chairman; Comrade Akinmade, Secretary; Comrade Raymond Osho, Treasurer; and Comrade Bidemi, Auditor.
The Chairman of the NUJ, charged the leadership of the Chapel to sustain the unity and growth recorded over the years.
He described the Consolidated Chapel as one of the most united and formidable chapels within the council, urging the newly elected executive to preserve the unity of the chapel and prevent internal disagreements from undermining its progress.
His words “My sermon about telling you that bickering and division will cripple the chapel is not actually meant for you. You are already united. I just want to charge my chairman that you continue to water that stream of unity, so that enemies from within and without will not find their way here and polarise the chapel.
Unity remains critical to progress, efforts made by leaders would not receive the necessary appreciation where there was division. My little charge is that as you step into these roles today, remember that leadership is a call to service and not a platform for ego”.
The NUJ chairman commended past leaders and members of the chapel for their contributions to its development, particularly Comrade Kazim Olowe, whom he described as one of the proponents of its establishment.
He recalled that there had been calls in the past for the proscription of the chapel, but said he resisted the move, insisting that the chapel had grown into a recognised and important part of the NUJ council.
According to him, the continued growth of the chapel demonstrated the importance of unity, perseverance and collective commitment among journalists.
He charged the new executive to make service, accountability and professionalism the foundation of its tenure, warning against using leadership as a platform for personal interests.
“Leadership is a call to service and not a platform for ego. There is no way a leader can succeed if there is no criticism. If a leader detests criticism, he cannot move forward,” he said.
In her acceptance remarks, Akintunde expressed appreciation to members of the chapel for entrusting her with the responsibility of leading the new administration.
She pledged to provide purposeful, inclusive and accountable leadership, assuring members that the new executive would work collectively to advance the interests of the chapel.
Akintunde said her administration would prioritise unity, members’ welfare, professional development and a stronger sense of belonging among members.
Akintunde said “I call for the cooperation and support of all members, as we all know, the success of this new administration will depend on the collective efforts of all of us in this chapel.
“I promise to build on the achievements of previous administrations. I will also introduce initiatives capable of further strengthening this chapel’s professional standing within the NUJ.
I am assuring you members that your concerns will receive attention and this administration will maintain an open channel of communication throughout its tenure”.
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