THE NIGERIA UNION OF JOURNALISTS

In the history of NUJ, there was lapses because between the year 1961-1969 the unions name was picked out from the list of the registered Trade Unions and this emanated as a result of which the union failed to operate as a trade union. 

The birth of Nigeria Union of Journalists under a six-man inaugural Executive Council, at the St. Paul’s premises, Breadfruit Street, Lagos on March 15, 1955, marked the Zenith of years of a silent revolution for the actualization of a common front by some early nationalists who originated the core of a call for an independent Nigeria, through the power of the pen.


In the past, the struggle that “Britain must go” had manifested in the expressed ideas, obviously appearing in the now newspapers including the Anglo African, The Lagos Chronicles, The Lagos Standard, Lagos Weekly Record, The African Messenger, The Lagos daily News, The Eagle, West African Pilot and many others.

Here , some of the nationalists who had the zeal of patriotism and nationalism burning in them and their writings includes the first Governor General of Nigeria, the Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the Late Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello and Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, the Late Herbert Macaulay and Chief H.O. Davies who with the launch of the Yoruba vernacular newspaper “Iwe Irohin ni Ede Yoruba”, founded by the Late Rev. Ajayi Crowther in Abeokuta in 1929, wrote powerfully in their newspaper’s, columns on the need for Nigeria’s self-rule.

Some writers, who also had a taste of Western education and majorly in the field of journalism, were zealous to fight through the struggle for commensurate wages.

MOHAMMED GARBA. NUJ CHAIRMAN.

While in Britain in search of solutions, someone like Chief Olu Oyesanya then a member of the London Institute of Journalism had formed the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) Britain and on his arrival to Nigeria in 1954, he joined the colonial government as an Information Officer, spearheading the formation of the Nigeria Union of Journalists and became a member of the premier Executive Council and first Secretary, in 1955.

Late Mobolaji Odenewu, the first president of the union was one of the principal officers who emerged with him. Odenewu served as the first Nigerian Chief Information Officer under the colonial government. Others were Late Ebun Adesioye (Treasurer), Messrs Increase Coker, Chief Olabisi Onabanjo “Ayekoto” and H.K. Offonery, etc. These people served as ex-officios in the Union.

Through the legacy and foundation laid down by the early leaders of the union and in concert with established rules governing all industrial unions globally, the NUJ has a progressive constitution which remains the life line of its rules including the election of its National Leaders.