A media anti-graft advocacy group, Journalists Against Corruption (JAC), has petitioned the Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, urging his intervention over alleged meddlesomeness by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo State Council, in the operations of Owena Press Limited, publishers of The Hope newspapers.
The petition, signed by JAC’s Programmes Coordinator, Kehinde Osifisan, and issued in Abuja on Sunday, expressed concerns over the NUJ’s opposition to the appointment of Mr. Segun Olatunji as the Daily Editor of The Hope.
According to JAC, the union, allegedly backed by political actors, has disrupted the reorganization efforts aimed at revitalizing the state-owned newspaper company.
JAC accused the NUJ of planning to picket the company’s premises on Monday, January 20, 2025, in protest against the appointment of Olatunji, a move the group described as discriminatory and rooted in ethnic bias.
The petition detailed how Olatunji, formerly the Weekend Editor of The Hope, was promoted to the position of Daily Editor by the company’s Chairman/Editor-in-Chief, Kayode Fasua, in recognition of his performance.
However, the NUJ and some staff members allegedly opposed his elevation, citing his state of origin—Ogun State—as their primary reason.
JAC described this stance as regressive, noting that such discrimination contravenes Nigeria’s laws, which guarantee equal opportunities for all citizens regardless of their state of origin.
The petition emphasized that several Nigerians serve in public and private capacities outside their states of origin, including Ondo indigenes holding strategic positions in other states.
“This unbelievable trend signals a very bad omen not only for journalism and the media industry in Ondo State and Nigeria as a whole, but also globally,” JAC stated.
The advocacy group urged Governor Aiyedatiwa to act swiftly to resolve the issue and safeguard the integrity of the state-owned media.
JAC commended the efforts of the new management of Owena Press Limited in transforming The Hope into a reputable publication and warned that the NUJ’s actions could reverse these gains.
“We believe strongly that the opponents of the ongoing reorganization in Owena Newspapers, specifically those against the appointment of Segun Olatunji as the Daily Editor, do not and cannot represent the Ondo State Government and the Nigerian Union of Journalists in the state,” the statement read.
JAC copied its petition to key industry stakeholders, including the NUJ President in Abuja, the President of the International Press Institute Nigeria, the Executive Director of Media Rights Agenda, and the Coordinator of the International Press Centre in Lagos.
The group appealed to these bodies to monitor the situation and ensure fair treatment for all media professionals in the state.
As of press time, efforts to reach the NUJ Ondo State Council for a response to the allegations were unsuccessful.
However, sources within the union indicated that a formal statement might be issued following Monday’s planned picketing.
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