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During my days in the SUG at my tertiary institution, my sole focus was to learn leadership—and I did. As Edo State Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, I worked to renew and build on those leadership skills.
As Edo State Chairman of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, I further leveraged my leadership experience to pair governance with humanitarian service. Today, the Red Cross can tell the story of our achievements in infrastructural development.
At present, I have applied all the lessons I’ve gathered to improve the structure I inherited in the Edo State NUJ during my 2 years and 9 months as Chairman. I intend to maintain these gains and, in 2027, hand over to a journalist who will continue this progress.
We will never return to Egypt, no matter the level of political blackmail. Just because you succeeded with such tactics in the 2018 Edo NUJ election, benefiting from the bruises I sustained, does not mean you will succeed this time. My eyes are open, bros.
I lobbied the outgoing Edo State Government to provide basic amenities for journalists—amenities which you, the blackmailer, and your sponsors have also benefited from. Free internet, free electricity, giant air conditioners installed in the main hall, a brand-new bus, sponsorship of NEC meetings, free enrollment of journalists in the Edo State Health Insurance Scheme, and even a N1 million grant for a member of your chapel for an international trip. How does any of this translate to partisanship?
A former Governor paid monthly allowances to journalists, and you benefited from it. Another Governor bought laptops for journalists, and you were a beneficiary. A former Governor even donated a bus to the union, and yet you didn’t accuse the NUJ leadership of partisanship back then. No NUJ leadership, nationwide, can sustain itself without support from government, individuals, and corporate organizations.
This time, bro, you will lose more. The 100 votes I used to defeat you in 2021 will double. Keep spreading your falsehoods and threats across WhatsApp platforms. Edo State NUJ is at peace and will remain so.
We don’t drink alcohol at 8 am as I met in 2021. We are law-abiding, reputable, and intelligent journalists, with high levels of public respect.
Enough will soon be enough.
*Festus Alenkhe*
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