Monday, 16th May, 2022 will incontrovertibly remain both historic and historical for Nigerian journalism. A Thanksgiving Service and Book Launch/Presentation was organized that day for the outgoing National Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Shuaibu Usman Leman.
Mr. Leman’s long service and sheer dedication as veteran journalist and Chief Administrator of the Union has undoubtedly recorded remarkable achievements on the scale of the statutory role of the press in the existence and democratic governance of the society.
This is especially considering the unprecedented political, social and economic upheavals our dear country has floundered through over the last thirteen years, most notably the ravaging insecurity retarding the growth of critical sectors of national life, and the seamlessness of democratic governance, with the longest unbroken transitions between democratically-elected leaders, since independence in 1960.
The difficult situations and daunting challenges journalists found themselves in in such situations have been as unprecedented as the situations themselves in the history of Nigeria. Aside the most traumatizing killings and arrests of their own while discharging their constitutional duties, the dehumanizing treatments meted out to Nigerian journalists have been as numerous as can only be sufficiently listed in books devoted for the purpose.
Consequently, more unprecedented have been the daunting challenges encountered in the management of the affairs of the distraught journalists afield, even if to, at least, ameliorate their distressing and depressing situations to enable them strut along in their duty to fatherland.
Unprecedentedly daunting, therefore, had been the challenges the NUJ Chief Administrator encountered as the implementer of the policy formulated by the Executive.
Shuaibu Usman Leman soldiered on in such situations, leaving his footprints in the history of NUJ as a Chief Administrator who successfully managed it through the turbulent times of insecurity and a fledgeling democratization process in a country oftentimes gazing at the journalist to come to its rescue.
Even at the Thanksgiving service bidding him farewell, Shuaibu Usman Leman called on governments at all levels to make the protection of the lives and property of journalists a priority, adding that the gesture would be regarded as a special consideration for journalism which is pivotal to the development of democracy in the country.
He urged the NUJ leadership at all levels to continue to struggle for a better salary structure for journalists in the country, stressing that when Journalists are properly paid, they will perform optimally and both journalism and democracy will truly benefit from this.
“If you look at it, Journalists are one of the sets of professionals that are least paid in this country. We have tried our best to ensure that salaries and emoluments are improved upon, the conditions and welfare of journalists are properly taken care of.
“However, we have not succeeded as expected and this is one of my greatest regrets I hope that those who come after us will continue with the struggle so that in no distant future, we will succeed in this regard,” he said.
The former NUJ National Secretary promised to remain committed to the tenets of journalism in order to have a better profession, particularly in this democratic dispensation.
Shuaibu Usman Leman, the outgone National Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), undoubtedly offered remarkable commitment and competence in his unprecedentedly eventful tenure.
Dahiru Hassan Kera,
Publisher, Daylight Reporters.
