From Paul Orude Bauchi
The Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Bauchi State council has on Friday sworn -in new Executives to lead the chapel in next three years.
Announcing the outcome of the election at the Chapel Secretariat, the Chairman of the Credentials Committee, Malam Ahmed Kaigama Bice Chairman of the Council and Correspondent of the News Agency if Nigeria (NAN) said that the seven positions earlier advertised had six contested for, with all of them returning reelected unopposed.
The officials who were inaugurated after returning unopposed by the Kaigama led Credentials Committee include, Mallam Ahmed Mohammed of Media trust, Auwal Hassan of viewer TV, Samuel Luka of Daily Times, Rauf Oyewole of The Guardian, Khalid Idris Doya and Ola Saeed of NAN as Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Financial Secretary, Treasurer and the Auditor respectively.
The inauguration was officiated by the Bauchi state Council Chairman of the union, Comrade, Umar Sa’idu who admonished the reelected officials to carry all the members along while discharging their responsibilities.
“My own is just to play the role of the state council,” he sId.
“Honestly I want to advise that this issue of leadership is a sensitive one and very difficult task but some people take it for granted. In order to succeed, don’t use personal interest”, he said.
According to him, as the state council Chairman, he would continue to work towards ensuring that all the eleven chapels in the state continued to operate peacefully.
Hr added that he was ready to work with the leadership of the various chapels towards promoting the ethics of Journalism.
“I want to enjoin the Correspondents’ Chapel members to work as a team and forget about the differences,” Saidu said
“It is normal to disagree and agree, but please try as much as possible to carry everybody along”.
The NUJ Chairman who reminded that based on the union’s constitution, the chapels operates under the state council, advised that as such, they try and report to the state council regularly.
He said that the state council will soon organize a meeting with all the elected leaders of the various chapels in the state with a view to informing them about the new happenings at the National level of the union.
The state Chairman who advised members of the union to ensure that all internal mechanisms are always made use of in resolving problems, said a member would only be doing more harm to the union by going outside to seek redress.
Responding, the newly re-elected Chairman, Malam Ahmed Mohammed expressed appreciation to the state council Chairman, Comrade Umar Sa’idu for his untiring support to the chapel.
While describing the inauguration as historic in the chapel despite agreements and disagreements and heated political situation witnessed before the election, expressed delight that it all came to an end with the support of the state council Chairman.
“With his support, we were able to come back as a one family in the Correspondents’ Chapel, we really appreciate the NUJ Chairman for using wisdom to address the heated political situation in the chapel”, he said.
Malam Ahmed who stressed the need for all leaders to emulate Comrade Umar Sa’idu in resolving conflicts, assured that the new Executives under his leadership will consolidate on the already existing achievements it has recorded in the last three years.
Malam Ahmed expressed appreciation to the Credentials Committee Chairman and the vice chairman of the state council, Ahmed Kaigama who alongside Selya Yarnap, conducted a successful election.
“Despite the heated situation they accepted to serve as members of the credentials committee, the executives and the entire members of the chapel would never forget about the sacrifice you made, may Allah reward you abundantly”, he prayed
The Chapel Chairman who said a lot of lessons had been learned from the past experience, promised to use it towards improving on the future task of leading the chapel.
Malam Ahmed who solicited for more support and cooperation from the members, appealed that the integrity of each person be respected in order to move together as one family.
In a goodwill messages, members of the chapel, Abbas Gungura, Bashir Hassan, Nasir Shuaibu and Austine Tsenzughul commended the reelected officials of the chapel for the successes recorded during their first tenure, advising that more need to be done for the progress of the union.
The Newly re-elected officials of the Chapel were administered oath of office on Friday 6th October, 2023 by the Bauchi state Chairperson of Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Rashida Yusuf.