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Lagos NUJ holds maiden unifying cultural day, preaches love, unity
(Photo: Edo/Delta State cultural dance session during a cultural day event organised by the Lagos Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists as part of activities to mark the union’s 2023 Press Week on Thursday in Ikeja)
The Lagos Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Thursday called for love and unity among Nigerians.
Its chairman, Mr Ajayi Adeleye, made the call in Ikeja, at the maiden cultural day event organised as part of activities to mark the union’s 2023 Press Week.
Journalists from different ethnic groups showcased thier colourful cultural attires, dance, music and meals.
Different media houses dressed in thier traditional clothing exchanged meals as people moved freely between tents to share with one another.
Ajayi said the union decided to go beyond the media rendezvous usually celebrated annually by adding glamour of culture to boost unity among journalists.
“This programme has come to promote unity of tribes in spite of our diversity.
“Everybody is happy wining and dining, there is food from various parts of the country. Everybody should be free to eat whatever he wants from any chapel, we are one family,” he said.
Ajayi urged the union to ensure continuity of the programme, while urging Nigerians in the Diaspora to join hands in developing the nation.
He said a new visionary government was in place and those in the diaspora should come back home with ideas and investments toward achieving the renewed hope agenda.
“As Nigerians, we should be our brother’s keeper, we should be united, we have no home than Nigeria,” he said.
He reeled out achievements of his administration, promising that by September, the union’s guest house in Somolu would be inaugurated.
High Chief Sunday Ossai, President General, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Lagos State also appealed for unity, saying Nigerians should not allow politics to cause division.
“I want to appeal that politics should not divide us. No matter what happens, politics should not divide us,” he said.
Ossai, who led the traditional breaking of Kolanuts prayers and the Igbo cultural dance session, said elections were over and all parties should allow healing in the spirit of brotherhood.
The traditional leader, who was accompanied by Eze Uche Digba, the Eze Ndigbo, Ikeja said Nigerians needed to live in love and unity.
Other activities at the event included march past by various media, dance and singing competitions with cash rewards to winners.
The event had in attendance traditional leaders of some other ethic groups and NUJ executives from Zone B led by the Vice President, South West, Mrs Ronke Shamo.
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .
Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.
“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.
NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.
The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.
His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.
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