Oyo NUJ @60: A Glorious Legacy, A Profession At Crossroads And A Political Class Under Scrutiny

By Victoria Isaac 

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, on Monday, November 2, 2026, marked six decades of its existence with a gathering of veteran journalists, past leaders and serving members, united by a shared commitment to honouring the union’s rich heritage, celebrating the contributions of its pioneers and reflecting on the future of the profession.

The opening ceremony, held under the theme, “Oyo NUJ @60: Six Decades of Legacy, Milestone and Lessons for the Future,” offered an opportunity to look back on the council’s journey, acknowledge those who built its foundation and examine the challenges confronting journalism in a rapidly changing media environment.

The Onigbeti of Igbeti, Oba (Engr.) Bashir Olalekan Abioye Siyanbola IV, attended as the Royal Father of the Day, while veteran journalist and distinguished guest lecturer, Chief Oludare Babarinsa, delivered the anniversary lecture.

In his opening address, Oyo NUJ Chairman, Comrade Akeem Abas, welcomed the journalists and distinguished guests, describing the anniversary as a celebration of “six decades of courage, sacrifice, professionalism and commitment to journalism.”

Explaining the broader anniversary theme, “Celebrating the Past, Defending the Present, and Shaping the Future,” Abas said the union must honour its founding fathers and past leaders while defending the values of the profession and preparing for the demands of the future.

He drew attention to the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, using the occasion to highlight the need for journalists’ protection and the responsibility of media practitioners to uphold accuracy, fairness, balance, objectivity and ethical standards.

As artificial intelligence, digital broadcasting and social media continue to reshape the industry, he urged journalists to embrace innovation, strengthen their skills and guard against misinformation.

“A free press must also be a responsible press,” he said.

Abas also outlined the council’s plans to transform its press centre into a media village, including the construction of a broadcast studio within the premises, scheduled for commissioning on Friday. He announced that the Voice of Media online newspaper, television and radio platforms would be launched on Saturday.  

With the 2027 general election approaching, he urged politicians and their supporters to embrace democratic tolerance, warning that political ambition must never justify violence, hate speech or attacks on journalists. He also called on political leaders to respect media independence and allow journalists to perform their duties without threats.

He acknowledged the support of sponsors, partners, traditional institutions, corporate organisations and friends of the council, while inviting more stakeholders to support its vision. He equally called for unity, mutual respect, discipline and professionalism among journalists.

The Onigbeti of Igbeti, Oba Siyanbola, in his remarks, described journalism as a vital instrument for shaping society. He said celebrating the past meant recognising the founding fathers and the legends produced by the Oyo NUJ.

While acknowledging that the future of journalism would be driven by digital technology and artificial intelligence, the monarch cautioned journalists against abandoning the Yoruba values of Omoluabi that have earned the profession respect.

“Journalism plays a vital role in shaping and moulding society,” he said, urging practitioners to use technology without losing their cultural identity and sense of responsibility.

Extending an invitation to the journalists, he said: “As your royal Father, my father’s door is open to NUJ. Come to my kingdom, Igbeti, to tell our story. The story of Mayegun and mineral resources, the story of agriculture and tourism, the story of peace-loving people. Use your pen to build my community; also use your pen to build Oyo State at large and Nigeria at large.”

The anniversary lecture by Chief Oludare Babarinsa became one of the ceremony’s major highlights, as the veteran journalist took the audience through history, professional responsibility, the changing media landscape and the uncertain future of journalism.

Born on May 3, 1955, in Okeimesi-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Babarinsa is a distinguished journalist and storyteller whose decades of experience have earned him recognition among the profession’s respected elder statesmen, often described by colleagues as a living ancestor.

Opening his lecture with a reference to Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, he recalled the words: “Journalism is a calling. Just as we have pastors who are called, Journalists are also called.”

He appreciated the Oyo NUJ leadership and members for the honour, before taking his audience through historical reflections on Ibadan and the roots of journalism in the state.

His account connected the city’s history with colonial administration and the influence of traditional institutions. He also reminded the audience that the NUJ chapel in Ibadan predated the creation of Oyo State in 1976, making its history older than the state itself. He paid tribute to departed figures, including Pa Ruben Fasounyi and Oloye Lekan Alabi, whose contributions, he said, helped strengthen journalism.

Babarinsa further reflected on Ibadan’s early television history, using it to illustrate the city’s place in the development of broadcasting. He then turned to the industry’s present difficulties, arguing that the media had faced considerable pressure and must respond decisively to survive.

He noted that established newspapers, including The Guardian, ThisDay and Vanguard, had developed substantial online presence, but warned that the changing business environment had weakened the economic foundations of traditional media.

“Today in Nigeria our youths have lost the appetite to read newspapers,” he said, lamenting the decline in newspaper readership.

Recalling the financial strength of the Daily Times in its heyday, he observed: “In those days, Daily Times would never rent a house from anywhere; when they needed a house, they would go and buy it, when they needed an office, they would go and buy it, but now, almost every media house is a rented house.”

He also raised concerns about declining literacy and the growing attraction of misinformation, declaring that “ignorance has become a fashionable disease.”

“As Africans, we celebrate ignorance,” he added, stressing the importance of language and knowledge in confronting the problem.

Turning to Nigeria’s political future, Babarinsa warned that democracy would face another test as the next election cycle approached. “In January and February, Democracy will again be tested,” he said, describing the country’s democratic arrangement as imperfect and urging the media to remain vigilant.

He discussed the political understanding surrounding power rotation, including the implications of the 4-by-4 arrangement and the years 2031 and 2039, arguing that political agreements must be handled with foresight and an eye on national stability.

“A turn-by-turn agreement may not bring the system forward,” he cautioned.

“We know that politicians cannot be trusted, but at least we have ensured that the agreement of 1999 stays in place till today,” he said, before reminding journalists of their responsibility to preserve the country’s history.

“We journalists are the keepers of national memories!” he declared, urging the press to promote ideas capable of sustaining peace, stability and national progress rather than abandoning the responsibility of speaking truth to power.

He charged the Oyo NUJ not to lose sight of the legacy inherited from its predecessors, insisting that the profession must adapt to changing public expectations and market realities.

Quoting a familiar warning about the need for change, he said: “ADAPT OR DIE.”

He also urged journalists to listen to younger practitioners, particularly members of Generation Z, whom he described as important to the future of the profession.

A fitting lesson from his address was that a tree draws strength from its roots, but must continue growing new branches to survive changing seasons. For journalism, preserving its heritage must go hand in hand with the courage to evolve.

Speaking with journalists after the lecture, Babarinsa returned to the economic survival of the industry, arguing that the profession could not remain sustainable without generating sufficient revenue.

He urged media organisations to use the opportunities offered by the internet to attract audiences and leadership, noting that advertisers would follow where attention and influence existed.

He warned that the growing appeal of ignorance was affecting the media’s profitability and called for deliberate efforts to break the cycle. He also cautioned that people without professional journalism backgrounds were increasingly occupying media spaces, making reinvention necessary if the industry hoped to attract younger audiences and fresh investment.

A former chairman of the Oyo NUJ, Mogaji Soladoye Adewole, who assumed office on December 23, 1997, at the age of 34, also reflected on the changes within the union.

Adewole, now the Public Relations Officer of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, urged journalists to uphold professionalism, pay attention to their appearance and carry themselves with dignity. He cautioned against allowing practitioners to appear careless or disconnected from the standards expected of the profession.

Describing Babarinsa’s lecture as an opportunity to return to the classroom, he encouraged journalists to continually equip and develop themselves. He advised them to pursue service rather than make money their overriding priority, warning against illegal earnings that could lead to imprisonment or other unpleasant consequences.

Another veteran, Mogaji Kosmos Oni, the longest-serving member of the union and a former NUJ Zone B Vice-President, urged journalists to exercise caution amid the political activities gathering momentum ahead of the 2027 elections.

His advice underscored the need for practitioners to remain vigilant, protect their professional credibility and avoid being drawn into political interests at the expense of their responsibility to the public. He appreciated those who contributed to the anniversary and wished the council a successful celebration.

Former Oyo NUJ Chairman, Comrade Adewunmi Williams Faniran, popularly known as Falipower, commended Babarinsa’s lecture, describing it as enlightening. Reflecting on his three-year tenure as chairman, during which his administration marked the council’s 50th anniversary, he described the diamond jubilee as a significant milestone in the union’s history.

He said the council had remained an important voice in promoting press freedom, professional integrity, responsible journalism and good governance. He urged members to preserve the values that had sustained the union, defend journalists’ welfare and uphold professional standards.

However, Faniran also drew attention to the absence of invited political office holders and other prominent stakeholders at the ceremony. He argued that an anniversary of such importance should ordinarily attract the presence of public officials who benefit from the democratic environment a free and responsible press helps sustain.

He noted that while attendance was not compulsory, the absence of political leaders without appropriate representation or explanation represented a missed opportunity to identify with an institution that plays a critical role in public accountability.

He further recalled that during his tenure, the NUJ hall had hosted the endorsement of Governor Seyi Makinde by political leaders, an occasion he chaired and which the present Olubadan also attended. He argued that the Governor could at least have sent a representative to the anniversary.

“They are the ones who lust after us when they need us, but today, even being the opening ceremony, they are not here,” he said.

In a pointed reflection on the relationship between politicians and journalists, Faniran added: “They don’t love us; they only like what they get from us, and that is why they are not worth dying for.”

He urged journalists to be wise.

The absence of political leaders raises a question that the profession must not ignore: have politicians come to regard the NUJ as important only when they need its platforms, publicity and influence? Do they value journalists as independent professionals, or merely as convenient voices during campaigns?

The relationship between the media and political class cannot be built on one-sided expectations. Those who seek journalists’ attention when elections approach must also recognise the institution beyond campaign seasons. Respect should not be seasonal, and the value of journalism should not be measured by how useful its practitioners are to those in power.

But journalists must also examine their own conduct. Respect is not secured by proximity to power, political patronage or access to public office holders. It is earned through credibility, courage, professional discipline and the willingness to stand by the truth, even when doing so is inconvenient. A profession that constantly lowers its standards in pursuit of recognition should not be surprised when others treat it lightly. The pioneers who built the union fought to give journalism a respected place in society; the responsibility to protect that legacy now rests with the present generation.

Former Oyo NUJ Chairman and former President of the African Union Journalists, Lanre Ogundipe, also paid tribute to past leaders who contributed to the development of journalism despite the economic difficulties confronting the country.

“Whatever I am today, it is the grace of God through NUJ,” he said, acknowledging the role the union had played in his professional journey.

Ogundipe challenged journalists to take responsibility for the respect accorded to their profession, arguing that practitioners must first value themselves. He also addressed concerns about poor remuneration, telling journalists: “If you’re saying the profession is not paying, you’re the architect of your fortune.”

He stressed that language remained the journalist’s most important professional tool, urging practitioners to develop sound command of English grammar and communicate with precision. He subsequently declared the anniversary open in the absence of Governor Seyi Makinde.

The ceremony also recognised the contributions of several leaders and stakeholders, including Honourable Justice Oladejo Akanbi; Vice Chairman, Comrade Abiodun Atilola; Secretary, Comrade Temidayo Adu; Treasurer, Comrade Moses Morenikeji; Anniversary Planning Committee Chairman, Ambassador Wale Ogunlami, and its Secretary, Comrade Aboyede Ojo.

Others acknowledged included National Chairperson of NAWOJ, Omolola Alamu; former NAWOJ Zone B Vice-President, Comrade Omorenike Toyin Esan; former NUJ National Secretariat Senior Assistant Secretary, Dr Gbemiga Bamidele; immediate past State Secretary, Comrade Shola Oladapo; FRCN Ibadan Zonal Director, Pastor Olufemi Fulani; and all chapel leaders, alongside other veterans and members of the union.