By Ozioruva Aliu

BENINCITY –THE National President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Alhassan Yahaya has promised to ensure that the welfare of journalists in Nigeria is improved by his administration with regular and continuous engagement with employers, government and other stakeholders in the industry.

He stated this in Benin City, Edo State when he attended the 2025 Annual Classic Dinner organised by the Edo State Council of the Union Benin City.

The President also commended the governor of the state, Sen. Monday Okpebholo for his passion for development in the state and called on the people to support the administration.

Comrade Yahaya commended the initiative of the Edo State Council of the NUJ to hold the annual event and urged that it should be sustained.

On her part, the Deputy National President (DNP) of the Union, Mrs Abimbola Oyetunde who is the first female journalist to occupy that position in the history of the NUJ in Nigeria in her remarks commended journalists in Edo State for the support they have give to the State and National Leadership of the Union and urged that it should be sustained.

In his welcome address, the chairman of the State Council of the NUJ, Comrade Festus Alenkhe said the Classic Dinner was the 4th under his administration which he said was designed to give opportunity to journalists and their families to unwind.

The high point of the event was the decoration of Governor Okpebholo as a Grand Patron of the NUJ. He was represented by his Commissioner for Communication, Orientation and ICT, Hon Paul Ohonbamu who in his speech said Governor Okpebholo was a media friendly governor who would not gag the press and urged practitioner to remain professional “and adhere to fairness, equity and objectivity in all your reports. He talks less, is utterances are in his deeds and acts”

The event attracted high profile personalities including the former President of the World Medical Association (WMA), Dr. Osahon Enabulele, Chairman, Edo State Inland Revenue Service (EIRS), Hon Oladele Bankole-Balogun, the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Friday Aghedo, former Commissioner for Communication ad Orientation, Adaze Enwanta, former chairmen of the Union in the state, veteran journalists, representatives of the Oba of Benin, the newly elected chairman of the Correspondents Chapel, Patrick Ochogam Chairperson, Nigerian Association of Women (NAWOJ), Adesuwa Ehimuan, Chairman, Edo State Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Kehinde Osagiede among others.