Three days after the Southwest Leaders of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) commended Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde for hosting the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Union which drew journalists across the federation to Ibadan, the Union at the State level on Friday also expressed its appreciation to the Governor for appointing two former State Secretaries and erstwhile Union leaders as Permanent Secretaries.
The appointees; Rotimi Babalola who served as NUJ State Secretary between 2010-2016 and Adeola Oduola who served as Assistant State Secretary 2016-2019 and later State Ex-Officio 2019-2022 respectively were amongst the notable NUJ members in the State.
A statement jointly signed by Comrade Ademola Babalola (Chairman) and Sola Oladapo (Secretary) described the appointments as unprecedented in the history of the NUJ in the Pacesetter State.
According to them, “our leaders from across Southwest States of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti States met three days ago and released a communique where they singled out our Governor as primus inter pares amongst his colleague-Governors who bailed out the zone by being the first State to host an unprecedented NEC meeting of the Union in Ibadan during the just concluded year 2024.
“Our Governor prior to becoming the State helmsman built a science laboratory complex for Pen Group of Schools owned by Oyo NUJ; sponsored workshop for NUJ members; donated brand new bus to the Union; gifted our Chairman and two other journalists 2023 Model SUV vehicles; and has indeed been supporting the Union financially on all local and national events till date.
“We were vindicated when in year 2022, Oyo NUJ decorated the Governor as the Best Media-Friendly Governor in the history of the Pacesetter’s State created in 1976.
“And as we just entered the new year 2025, the Governor has made us proud again by appointing two of our erstwhile Union leaders as Permanent Secretaries.
“These appointments are not only unprecedented like other good things Governor Makinde has done for us, but it also reinforces his commitment to the welfare of Journalists in the State.”
