Grace Egila
Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) Kano State Chapter on Tuesday inaugurates new executive council members (Exco) to oversee the affairs of the association.
The inauguration was held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat, Farm Center, Kano.
NAWOJ which was established on 14th September 1989 was formed to serve as a professional umbrella organization for all female journalists in the country and to cater to their career interests as well as saddled with the social responsibility of the welfare and interests of women and children in the society.
In Kano, the newly NAWOJ Exco seems ready to effectively and efficiently manage the affairs of women journalists for the next three years.
Hafsat Sani Usman from Abubakar Rimi Television (ARTV) emerged Chairperson, Aisha Ahmed from News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Vice Chairperson, Elizabeth Yila Lamido from Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) General Secretary, Shamsiyya Ibrahim Kazaure from National Orientation Agency (NOA), Treasurer.
Others are Assistant secretary, Rukayya Umar from Radio Kano, Financial Secretary, Maimuna O. Yusuf from Freedom Radio, and the Auditor, Binta Kabir Usman from the Kano State Ministry of Information.
In her acceptance speech, the newly elected NAWOJ Chairperson, Hafsat Sani Usman thanked the Credential Screening Committee, the inauguration committee, the State Commissioner of Information, Muhammed Garba, and everyone that worked toward the successful swearing-in ceremony.
She said the new NAWOJ team will not hesitate to start working on developing an action plan.
“We need the support of every journalist in the state.
“Our team will ensure women are sensitized on areas of gender-based violence and sexual assault, which is one of the programs NAWOJ is currently working on.”
We will carry every last one of NAWOJ members to promote professionalism and service to humanity, she added.
Earlier, in her remark at the inauguration, the Chairperson Credentials Committee, a veteran broadcast journalist, Aishatu Sule commended the past leaders for doing well, and welcomed the new executive members on board.
She charged women journalists in the state to support the new excos for them to change the narrative of NAWOJ in the state.
While speaking at the occasion, the State Commissioner of Information, Muhammed Garba said the state government is fully committed to supporting NAWOJ to effectively carry out its duty judiciously.
He said: “I wish to appeal to the new NAWOJ Excos to mobilize women journalists ahead of the 2023 election so that those who have not collected their voter cards can do so to have the opportunity to vote for the candidates of their choice.”
He, therefore, donated Five Hundred Thousand Naira (500,000) only to the association to help kick start a new tenure.
On her part, Vice President Zone A, Halima Musa advised the newly elected council members to support each other and promote the affairs of women journalists in the state.
She charged them to ensure that they give voice to the voiceless by engaging in sensitization programs, and workshops to address various issues bedeviling the state; promoting professionalism, women’s participation in politics, and fight against gender-based violence, and rape.
She, however, urged all women journalists in the state to work amicably for the growth of the association.
In their separate goodwill messages, the Chairman, Kano Council of NUJ, Comrade Abbas Ibrahim said: “This is the beginning of a new era for NAWOJians in the state.
“It is expedient for the Excos to leave up to the expectation in accordance to the code of ethics for journalists in order to promote professionalism.
“We also hope there will be uprightness in your day-to-day activities and organize successful workshops to promote free, fair, and credible elections in the state.
“Perfection is unattainable but when we continue to strive we will be able to attain some certain level of excellence.”
Do not allow anybody to intimidate you in the course of discharging your duties with fairness and objectivity, he advised.
The Director General, Abubakar Rimi Television (ARTV), Hajiya Saa’ Ibrahim who was represented by the Director of Programs, Comrade Yusha’u Hamza advised NAWOJians in the state to unite themselves and work toward promoting unity in the association.
In his words: “Be independent as a body in terms of whatever you do even as you relate with other associations in the state.”
The Nigeria Labor Congress, Women Committee (NLC) representative, Dr. Rabi Mohammed Abdullahi wished the new leaders a successful tenure, adding that, it is a huge responsibility that is upon you.
“Learn to respect your past leaders because you will need to get more knowledge and experience from them,” she averred.
