By Bashir Adefaka
The Committee of Elders’ promised intervension in the crisis brewing in Lagos State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has commenced with a call on aggrieved parties to embrace peace.
At the scheduled meeting, held on Saturday July 4, 2020, the Journalism elders, led by former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, enthused that the issues causing disaffection among the warring executive members were not beyond settlement.
In a communique jointly signed by Oliseh Egbunike, former Council Secretary, Toro Oladapo, former NAWOJ President and Lanre Arogundade, former Council Chairman, the meeting, held in the Upper Hall of the Eko FM/Radio Lagos Multiple Purpose Hall, Agidingbi, Ikeja, reaffirmed that the purpose as to amicably resolve the brewing crisis within the union for the sake of progress and its image.
The elders and leaders present commended the Exco members for honouring their invitation to the peace meeting, even as another date, Tuesday July 7, was picked when the three core issues including ‘vote of no confidence’, holding of next stage Congress will be addressed.
“The meeting afforded the Exco members the opportunity to table the issues at stake and lay bare their grievances. In so doing, they all emphasised that they did not see them as constituting a crisis.
“After exhaustive discussions on issues presented by every member of the Exco present, the elders/leaders resolved that they were not beyond settlement and therefore urged the entire Exco to embrace peace.
“As an immediate step towards this, the meeting adjourned for five minutes for the Exco members to quickly put heads together and propose a way forward.
“Following the brief ‘meeting-within-meeting’, the Exco members reported back with a unanimous resolution to convene a Special Exco meeting on Tuesday July 7th, 2020, which they pledged would address, among others, the issues of: a. Vote of no confidence; b. Holding of next congress; and c. Constitution of the Credentials Committee for the forthcoming State Council Elections with members to be drawn from the Union, NAWOJ, SWAN, and three others,” the communique said.
See details of the communique and attendance below:
COMMUNIQUE OF THE MEETING BETWEEN THE COMMITTEE OF ELDERS/LEADERS AND MEMBERS OF THE STATE EXCO OF THE LAGOS COUNCIL OF THE NUJ HELD ON SATURDAY JULY 4TH, 2020.
The meeting, held in the Upper Hall of the Eko FM/Radio Lagos multiple purpose hall, Agidingbi, Ikeja, was presided over by a former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba.
In attendance were other elders/leaders and members of the state Exco (see full list below).
The elders/leaders reaffirmed that the purpose of the meeting was to amicably resolve the brewing crisis within the union for the sake of progress and its image. They commended the Exco members for honouring the invitation.
The meeting afforded the Exco members the opportunity to table the issues at stake and lay bare their grievances. In so doing, they all emphasised that they did not see them as constituting a crisis.
After exhaustive discussions on issues presented by every member of the Exco present, the elders/leaders resolved that they were not beyond settlement and therefore urged the entire Exco to embrace peace.
As an immediate step towards this, the meeting adjourned for five minutes for the Exco members to quickly put heads together and propose a way forward.
Following the brief ‘meeting-within-meeting’, the Exco members reported back with a unanimous resolution to convene a Special Exco meeting on Tuesday July 7th, 2020, which they pledged would address, among others, the issues of:
a. Vote of no confidence;
b. Holding of next congress; and
c. Constitution of the Credentials Committee for the forthcoming State Council Elections with members to be drawn from the Union, NAWOJ, SWAN, and three others.
The elders/leaders welcomed the development
and appealed to members of our Great Union to sheath their swords, especially by desisting from further posting of unfriendly and inflammatory comments on the Union’s WhatsApp platforms and other social media windows. This would also be in line with the code of ethics and or code of conduct of the union.
Sgd:
Oliseh Egbunike, former Council Secretary
Toro Oladapo, former NAWOJ President
Lanre Arogundade, former Council Chairman.
ATTENDANCE
Elders/Leaders
1. Mr. Lateef Ibirogba Former Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Lagos State
2. Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, Former Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lagos State and former Vice Chairman, Lagos NUJ
3. Mr. Richard Akinnola, veteran journalist and former Vice Chairman, Lagos NUJ
4. Mr. Lanre Arogundade Former Chairman, Lagos NUJ
5. Mrs. Toro Oladapo Former National Chairman, NAWOJ
6. Mr. Cosmas Oni, Zonal Vice President, South West, NUJ
7. Mr. Waheed Odusile Former President NUJ (Observer)
8. Mr. Sylva Okereke Former Secretary, Lagos NUJ
9. Mr. Layinka Adagun, former GM, Lagos Traffic Radio
10. Mr. Shina Thorpe, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Information
11. Mr Obayo Adebowale
12. Mr. Olisa Egbunike Former Secretary Lagos NUJ
13. Mr. Gbenga Onayiga, veteran broadcaster/journalist
14. Mr. Adeyinka Amosu Zonal Director FRCN
15. Mr. Sola Solanke
16. Mr. Banji Oluwalano
17. Alhaji Abdulahi
The Exco
1. Dr Qasim Akinreti, Chairman
2. Mrs. Biola Beckley, Vice Chairman
3. Mr. Alfred Odifa, Secretary
4. Mr. Philip Nwosu, Assistant Secretary
5. Mrs. Iyabo Ogunjuyigbe, Treasurer
6. Mr. Samuel Dada, Financial Secretary
7. Mr. Debo Osundun, SWAN CHAIRMAN
8. Mr. Isaac Ayodele, Internal Auditor
