Bayelsa Nuj Elections: Why journalists want to vote Angese
By Austin Genesis
Certainly it is an indisputable fact that the task of piloting the affairs of an organization to achieve its aims and objectives effectively and efficiently is meant for those who possess exemplary leadership qualities, visionary acumen, wealth of experience as well as impeccable character with deep understanding of the yearnings and the aspirations of members devoid of egocentric tendencies to amass wealth at the expense of its members.
Certainly it is an indisputable fact that the task of piloting the affairs of an organization to achieve its aims and objectives effectively and efficiently is meant for those who possess exemplary leadership qualities, visionary acumen, wealth of experience as well as impeccable character with deep understanding of the yearnings and the aspirations of members devoid of egocentric tendencies to amass wealth at the expense of its members.
Comrade John Angese, Bayelsa NUJ State Chairman |
Also
it's a truism that the law of personal effectiveness, sacrifice, integrity,
optimism among others is some of the prerequisites needed for good leadership.
Regrettably,
over the years many organizations have failed to achieve their primary aims and
objectives because of the type of leaders put in place to pilot their affairs.
Obviously,
it is an undeniable fact that the office of the state chairman of the Nigeria
Union of Journalists (NUJ) as a Professional body of the noble pen profession
is not destined for the inexperienced, impostors and cowards whose motives for aspiring to occupy the
position is borne out of sectional and egocentric desire to amass wealth and cause disaffection and segregation among
the members.
Days
have gone when some members sponsor thugs and embark on ill-motivated
tendencies to hijack the mandate of the leadership of the union for the benefit
of sectional interest and denied members their welfare.
It
is interesting to note that today members have realized that elective positions
of the union are preordained for only those who have indelible and enviable
track records as well as the welfare of members above personal gains.
Borne
out of the intent to achieve personal gains it would be recalled that some of
those who occupied positions of trust in the union of late could not make
tangible achievements.
It
is against this backdrop that when a date was rescheduled for the Bayelsa NUJ
triennial conference, members of the different chapels of the union have
x-rayed the various candidates aspiring for the position of the state chairman.
Checks
revealed that a cross section of the chapels resolved to vote massively for Mr John
Angese, the incumbent state chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists Bayelsa
State Council because of his enviable track record and high level of
performance for the past three years.
Members
noted with pleasure that for the past three years Comrade Angese has
demonstrated unparalleled exemplary visionary leadership with wealth of experience
thus fulfilling his electioneering promises to members which includes
upliftment of the welfare of members as well training and retraining of members.
They
described Mr Angese as a pace setter and a man embodied with the eight
principles of public life who administered the affairs of the union effectively
and efficiently with wisdom for the corporate benefits of members believing
that if given back the mandate he will do more and perform better than the
first tenure to enhance the socio-economic well being of members.
The
massive support for the candidacy of Mr Angese was also attributed to his
outstanding leadership qualities, his outspokenness, boldness, generosity,
accessibility and reliability, added to the importance he attached to the
welfare of members above personal considerations as well as effective representation
of the state council at the national level of the union.
Members
noted with enthusiasm that in a society where most union leaders are engrossed
with unquenchable appetite for wealth and material acquisition at the detriment
of members, Mr Angese as an astute leader
of proven integrity adhered strictly to the moral laws of unionism based on
honesty, goodness, righteousness and consideration of the interest of others in
all ramifications.
According
to them, he has demonstrated himself as a true servant of the members of the
union through humility, courage and boldness to defend the rights of members at
any time without complains.
A
cross section of the members also maintained that their acceptability of the
candidature of Angese for a second term is also the fact that his leadership
has promoted unity among members, except perhaps those who have ulterior
motives to cause disaffection in the union to achieve their inordinate agenda.
The
members pointed out that it is commendable to note that despite the fact that
he met empty treasury when he came into office with the economic recession in
the country, he was able to spend N800,000 for the welfare of members, trained
about 253 journalists across the various chapels on human capital development
to rebuild, re-orientate and reawaken hidden potentials.
Members
also note that Mr Angese has striven to ensure regular payment of union worker’s
salaries, maintained the water system in council secretariat, vehicles and
strengthened the bond of relationship between the state government and the
union.
Under
his tenure through his foresight he liaised with the Nigeria Content Development
and Monitoring Board to train 50 journalists of the state.
They
also commended him for dispensing a court
case he inherited from the previous administration as well as providing a new
generator for the union and also resuscitated the moribund Cat Generator, adding
to his purchase of 50 inches television sets and successful organization of the Press Week
through the help of the state government.
The administration
of Mr Angese, they said has also constructed the road at the entrance of NUJ
gate to make free passage of vehicles without hitches.
On
the perennial over flooding at NUJ premises, they extolled the steps so far
taken by him to draw the Restoration Government led by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson
to see the situation and expressed optimism that when given the mandate he
would pursue the matter vigorously to find a lasting solution. He runs an all inclusive
government that carries all members along without sentiments and discrimination.
From
the foregoing amongst other achievements he had recorded they stated
emphatically that Mr John Angese deserves a second tenure and they will unanimously
return him unopposed on November 1, 2018 NUJ Chairmanship election.
It
would be recalled that during the formal declaration of Mr John Angese to contest
for a second tenure which was well attended by personalities from different
walks of life and a cross section of members from the various chapels of the
union, the General Manager of the Bayelsa State Newspaper Corporation, Mr
Alfred Egbegi who chaired the event, said he accepted to chair the occasion when
he received the invitation because of John Angese exceptional performance.
According
to him, the incumbent chairman deserves a second tenure and appealed to the
members of the union to vote massively for him to consolidate on the gains he
has achieved.
He also
used the forum to appeal to the candidates not to see the election as a do or
die affair to sustain the unity of members.
Also
in her goodwill messages, the Desk Editor of the State Ministry of Information
and Orientation, Mrs Florence Ebi Kakandor
who served as Mother of the Day said that there is no perfect human being,
adding that Mr John Angese has proved beyond
reasonable doubt to be voted for a second tenure because of his purposeful,
pragmatic and commendable leadership exhibited
for the past three years.
Acknowledging
his enviable performance, Mrs Kakander
averred that a vote for him is a vote to move the union in the state forward, stressing
that the other candidates are friends as well
but members should unanimously vote for him.
Mrs
Kakander also advised him to carry the losers along in his administration after
the election.
Also
in his goodwill message, Comrade Seiyefa Abraham Uzaka, a Director for
Enlightenment in State Ministry of Information and Orientation advised the candidates
for the election to shun blackmail and calumny during their campaigns noting that
in every election there must be a winner or loser.
Also
in her speech, the Editor in Chief of the New Waves, Peace Sinclair endorsed Mr John Angese for
second tenure saying that he has performed creditably well in the past three
years.
In
his remarks at the occasion, Mr Kola Oredipe, the Director General of Samuel
Numonengi Unity Organisation urged journalists to see themselves as members of
an inseparable entity adding that whoever that emerged as winner of the
election, all should support to move the union forward.
Earlier
in his formal declaration, Mr John Angese had said that he has performed excellently
well for the past three years and deserves for a second tenure in line with the
provisions of the NUJ constitution and called on all and sundry to give him a
second chance to serve.
He
averred that he came into office when nothing was left in the purse of the
union but he has worked assiduously to actualize his election promises to
members.
The
NUJ chairman observed that he was loved by majority of the members and
commended them for the maximum support accorded to his administration during
the first tenure and urged them to sustain the tempo
On
his development agenda for his second term bid, Mr Angese stated that he would
concentrate on two point agenda which bothered on the welfare of members as
well as training and retraining of members which he described as the cardinal
objective of unionism.
According
to him, he would also strengthen the existing harmonious relationship between
the state government and the union as well as work fervently to plead with the
state government to reinstate it's support for indigenous newspaper publishers
in view of their active role in societal development and elaborate propagation
of the policies and programmes of government to the heterogeneous
public.
He
reiterated his determination and commitment to carry all members along in his
administration if given the mandate, stressing that he would continue to defend
the rights of members, embark on programmes that would continue to give members
sense of belonging.
Mr
Angese used the forum to commend the present administration of Governor Henry
Seriake Dickson, Corporate Organizations and individuals for their selfless
support to the union.
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