The Akwa Ibom State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has challenged the National Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, Akwa Ibom State chapter and other women groups in the state to launch serious campaign against certain issues that bother women and female children in the country.
Elder Patrick Albert who bared his mind recently, when the executive members of NAWOJ led by her chairman, Uduak Ekong paid a courtesy visit on the state council at the Mini Conference Room of the NUJ Press Centre, Information Drive, Uyo, was against the issue of female children forcefully given into marriage owing to various customs, traditions and religious beliefs.
Albert who was flanked by members of the State Working Committee, State Executive Council and members of the union, was reacting to the recent case involving one Miss Ese who was abducted and impregnated as earlier raised by the NAWOJ chairman, Ekong, described such action as absurd, calling for prosecution of those allegedly involved in the said crime.
The chairman who tagged the NAWOJ Exco as the “Glorious Team”, with only one captain, commended them for having a consensus arrangement during the last leadership succession, saying by this, the association has taught the larger body, NUJ, a leadership succession style.
Albert stressed the need for the executive and other members to cooperate with the chairman, noting that no matter their idea, it should synchronize with that of the chairman, urging them also to come away from blackmail or the Pull Down Syndrome, as it does not argur well with the association and the union at large.
He identified togetherness as one of the principles of success, encouraging the NAWOJ Exco to support the chairman to succeed, as unity and togetherness are needed within the ranks of NAWOJ and the NUJ as a whole.
The NUJ boss appreciated the leadership of the association in the state for deeming it fit to pay their first courtesy visit on the NUJ, maintaining that his leadership believes in women and the their empowerment, knowing that when women are empowered, society is also empowered and when they are sound, children at home are also sound, pledging to give the association its rightful place in NUJ.
He thanked them for the well-thought out vision that they are bringing into NAWOJ and pledged to always support their course.
Albert who recalled his involvement in the NUJ which processes according to him, took five or six years, listed his achievements and prospective ones, saying, “God has blessed us to know what we are doing”, urging all members to move as a team to achieve positive goals.
The chairman said the union desires cooperation and not blackmail, charging NAWOJ to encourage NUJ members who do not believe in what the union is doing, to do so, promising to address issues of membership of NUJ, as was raised by the chairman of NAWOJ.
Earlier, Ekong had frowned at such issues that affect women and girls in the country, mentioning the case of Ese, a 13 year old girl who is said to have been abducted and impregnated by a 25 year old man.
She had also raised the issue of illegal members in some chapels of the NUJ who are legalized and had suggested that a committee be set up by the union to go round all chapels and identify the legal members, noting that over the years, illegal members had existed in NAWOJ until the association lately came to realize that they were not legal members.
Ekong made known that NAWOJ presently, through the new Exco had sent signals to would be members from various chapels demanding them to ensure they are qualified before coming out to join the association.
The NAWOJ chairman had also harped on the issue of job training and had appealed to the NUJ to always consider NAWOJIANS during such programmes, even as she stressed the need for the NUJ to give the leadership of NAWOJ opportunity to select their members for such trainings, as the association has her legal and committed members who could represent her effectively.
She extolled the sterling qualities of Albert, appreciated him for always supporting NAWOJ during her activities and programmes, Praying God to give him the ability to lead the union to greater heights, even as she solicited Albert’s continued support for NAWOJ, Akwa Ibom State.
Ekong said the association thought it necessary to visit the NUJ first, as their own before going to other places.
NUJ BOSS CHARGES NAWOJ ON CAMPAIGN AGAINST ABUSE OF WOMEN
