Rep Abejide Donates ACs to NUJ FCT, Calls for Better Welfare for Journalists.
By Raymond Enoch
News Feature Story:
In a heartwarming gesture of support for the journalism profession, the Chairman of the House Committee on Customs and Excise, Hon. Leke Joseph Abejide, has donated five floor-standing air conditioners to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council. The donation was announced during the first-ever Easter Cantata concert organized by the council, where the lawmaker served as guest speaker.
Abejide, who represents Yagba West, Yagba East, and Mopamuro Federal Constituency in Kogi State, emphasized the crucial role journalists play in society and governance. He said that the current state of the NUJ FCT Secretariat was not conducive for professionals tasked with mirroring society and reporting its truths.
“The media is very important to everything we do,” Abejide noted. “Whether in government or private sector, if the media isn’t there to report your activities, it’s like dancing alone in your room—no one sees it. You deserve better facilities.”
He assured the union that the five donated air conditioners would be delivered before the end of April. Abejide further stressed the importance of journalists in fostering national unity, urging them to use their platform for building rather than division.
The donation was met with gratitude from the NUJ. National President Alhassan Yahya commended the initiative and revealed that the union is working with stakeholders to sponsor a bill in the National Assembly aimed at improving the welfare of Nigerian journalists. He appealed to Rep. Abejide and his colleagues for legislative support in fast-tracking the bill.
Chairperson of the NUJ FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, hailed the donation as timely and meaningful. She noted that the NUJ Secretariat struggles to accommodate its growing membership of over 3,000 journalists in the city center, and the air conditioners would significantly improve working conditions.
“This social event has brought us five standing air conditioners to reduce the suffering of our members,” she said. “We’re fostering unity through activities like the Easter Cantata, which unfortunately some people with a divide-and-rule mindset are not comfortable with.”
She listed the benefits of such engagements as morale-boosting, enhancing teamwork, and encouraging innovation. “We will continue with these initiatives until those in power and other well-meaning Nigerians hear us,” she added.
The event served not only as a celebration of the season but also as a reminder of the vital need for better welfare and infrastructural support for the media sector in Nigeria.
