By Sanee Yarima
The National Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Aisha Ibrahim, has urged members of the association in Niger State to give peace a chance for the good of the association.
The NAWOJ National Chairperson made the call when she inaugurated a caretaker committee for the state chapter of the association at the conference hall of IBB Pen House, Minna, on Tuesday.
In a statement issued by the council’s Council Secretary, Aisha asked the Nawojians to shelve all forms of bickering and sentiment to move Niger state NAWOJ forward.
The national Chairperson urged them to embrace peace, saying it was only in an atmosphere of peace that they would be able to achieve set goals.
She explained that the caretaker committee was necessary to streamline the activities of the association with the view to ensuring one united NAWOJ in Niger State.
She noted that NAWOJ members in the State are known for peaceful co-existence but wondered why this peace was allowed to elude them.
Hajiya Aisha Ibrahim maintained that the main purpose of setting up the caretaker committee was for them to come up with a workable template for conducting the election and ushering in a new executive for the state chapter within the next three months.
She charged the committee members to, among others, liaise with the State Council of NUJ in the discharge of its duties and also come up with a comprehensive and authentic list of NAWOJ members in the State.
The zonal Chairperson of NAWOJ, zone D, Chizoba Ogbeche said they were in Minna for the unification of members of the association after the disagreement that led to the disbandment of the electoral committee with the view to ensuring a vibrant, strong and united NAWOJ after the planned elections.
She also urged members of the State chapter to shun sentiment and support the caretaker committee in the interest of the association.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Niger State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Abu Nmodu, said the disbandment of the electoral committee and subsequent inauguration of the caretaker committee was done in good fate.
He said the state council of NUJ has no personal interest whatsoever but only acted in the interest of peace and not to set a bad precedence.
Comrade Abu Nmodu also urged members of NAWOJ in the state to distance themselves from those causing disharmony among members and also unite for the betterment of the association, pledging the support of the council to the caretaker committee at all times.
Responding, the Chairperson of the Caretaker Committee, Asabe Sule Garba, appreciated the national officers and Niger NUJ for their confidence in them, promising that the committee will ensure that the purpose for which they were set up is achieved.
She also solicited the support of the national and zonal Secretariats as well as the Niger NUJ to actualize the mandate given to them, adding that they will always knock on their doors for useful advice.
Members of the caretaker committee are Asabe Sule Garba of Federal Information Chapel as Chairperson, Maimuna Raji Egigogo of Prestige FM Minna as Secretary, Maureen Dibie of Niger State Ministry of information chapel, Maryam Musa of Niger State Television, and Ameera Bawa of Radio Niger are members of the committee respectively.
