The Kwara State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has invited all qualified online media practitioners in the state who are interested in joining the union as they have been recognised as bonafide members if the union.
The decision to invite qualified online media practitioner to join the union was made during the monthly congress of the council held on Thursday 28 September 2023 at the press centre Ilorin.
The congress agreed that all interested media practitioners should signify their interest by writing to the council.
The call was sequel to an observation made by Dare Akogun, chairman of the NUJ Sobi FM chapel, saying in line with the provision of Article 3 Section 2(a) of the NUJ constitution as amended, which recognised online practitioners as members of the union, the council should use the opportunity for its membership drive.
He said by so doing, the move will increase the number of active members of the NUJ in Kwara state and enhance the representation of recognised online media practitioners within the council.
Akogun thereafter moved a motion for the council to put in place modalities to reach out to the online practitioners with a view to absorbing them into the council.
Addressing the congress however, the state chairman Ahmed Abdulateef said the move to invite the online media practitioners is a constitutional matter and does not require any motion to be moved.
“The council does not have the power to deny any qualified journalist membership of the union so far they are qualified,” Abdulateef stated, emphasizing the open-door policy of the NUJ in the state and its commitment to upholding the provisions of its constitution.