We have drive to develop, reposition NUJ in Anambra State – Odogwu Emeka Odogwu
By Lawrence Nwimo
Barely four weeks after election into office, the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Anambra State Council has told its members to get ready to welcome waves of projects that would lift the council in no distant time.
The Chairman of the State Council, Comrade Odogwu Emeka Odogwu PhD, made this known during a retreat/state executive council meeting held at the NUJ Press Centre in Awka, Saturday.
He listed the expected projects to include a total revamp of the ground floor of the centre, a sports facility complex, borehole water supply, a bush bar and a perimeter fence that would secure property belonging to the Union in the state.
He said that the set out projects have won sponsorship from various partnering individuals in the state and beyond, including Chief Chuka Nnabuife of the Anambra State Newspaper Printing and Corporation, MD/CEO Anambra Broadcasting Service, Nze Uche Nworah, Prof Chinyere Stella Okunna, among many others.
The council chairman however recalled that he, alongside other excos, had embarked on courtesy visits to relevant stakeholders in the state, who according to him had assured their full support to things and partnership with NUJ in the state.
Odogwu, a lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, urged Union members to shun selfish interest and embrace moves that would reposition the Union in the state . “We want peace and whatever we can do to achieve peace and progress of the Union is what we should always do,” he said.
Speaking at the event, MD/CEO of ABS, Nze Uche Nworah, encouraged the new excos to work hard to write their names in the sands of time. He also challenged journalists to strive to access grants for researches that would uplift them into scholars.
Nworah who stressed on the importance of personal development and creativity especially in the 21st century digital age, urged journalists who are still living on the traditional media to wake up and leverage emerging opportunities in content creation and online branding .
According to him,”journalists need to understand the online strategy. Online is the market and if you are not pursuing online audience, you are wasting your time.
” Most of us in our organisations, where we work, shy away from responsibilities. Some of us are static. It is time to change the programme, take responsibility for improved output.”
Earlier, Comrade Francis Ekpone who chaired the event, tasked chapel leaders to work hard to move their respective chapels forward. He also enjoined them to carry along leadership of NUJ in the state in their respective activities and shun acts that could truncate the relative peace in the Union.
Also reacting, immediate past NUJ election committee chairman, Victor Agusiobo, urged the excos to strive to move the union forward. He also encouraged them to pay no attention to negative distractions that could divert the attention of the body.
