The Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, has called on media practitioners in the country to prioritise national interest in their reportage to make society better.
He said this in a message to the Correspondents’ Chapel of the NUJ Grand Finale of the 2025 Press Week/45th Anniversary/Award of Excellence, in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The governor, who was represented by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, said the media should maintain the habit of responsible journalism.
He stressed that the power of the media to change situations for the better should not be underestimated.
Governor AbdulRazaq commended the Correspondents’ Chapel for exhibiting professionalism in the discharge of their duties as the watchdog of society.
He emphasised that media professionals’ reporting should always be in the best interest of their host communities.
AbdulRazaq expressed hope that the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration would make life better for the common man.
In her keynote address, the State Commissioner for Communications, Mrs Bolanle Olukoju, represented by the Director of Information Services, Mr. Olayinka Salau, said the present administration inherited a government with teething problems at the onset.
Olukoju noted that the removal of the petroleum subsidy, though painful, was now yielding positive results. She said the floating of the naira would go a long way in reshaping the nation’s economy.
The commissioner added that the present administration had saved significant funds through the blocking of leakages in different sectors of the economy.
She expressed optimism that the transformation in the power sector would soon yield tangible results that the populace would enjoy. Olukoju urged Nigerians to exercise patience while the reforms embarked upon by the present administration yield the desired results.
In his goodwill message, the Director of Corporate Affairs, University of Ilorin, Mr Kunle Akogun, said the media had assisted in making the work of governance easier for the populace. He added that with the advent of new technology, more people now have access to happenings around government corridors.
Also delivering a goodwill message, the Director General of the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Comrade Isa Aremu, represented by Mrs Damilola Omole, said media professionals had played a significant role in shaping society.
He said the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government had created a platform for improved welfare for Nigerians.
Comrade Aremu urged labour-friendly media professionals to use their wealth of experience to pass information that would lead to the country’s development.
Also, in a goodwill message, former State Commissioner for Information, Abdulraheem Adedoyin, advised journalists to remain steadfast in their chosen profession. He advocated for more media interactions with the state governor to enable them to showcase achievements.
Adedoyin said it was a challenge for journalists to report development beyond the capital city, which would allow others to see and appreciate it.
In his address, the member representing the Edu/Moro and Patigi Federal Constituency, Mallam Ahmed Saba, represented by Barrister Paul Ajiroba, commended the chapel and media professionals for enlightening the public on government activities. He said the media serves as a reawakening platform for both the leaders and the led, enabling the provision of purposeful leadership.
Similarly, the member representing the Ojomu Balogun constituency in the Kwara State House of Assembly, David Oguniyi, said that without a free media, journalists would find it difficult to discharge their duties effectively for societal development.
He said the media had been serving as a check and balance in the administration of good governance in the state and the country in general.
Oguniyi noted that the improvement in media activities had further strengthened their contributions to nation-building.
In his address entitled “Six Years of Service, One Chapel, One Purpose: Reflections and Renewed Hope”, the Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Union, Mr Abdulhakeem Garba, thanked God for granting him the opportunity to lead the chapel for six years.
He expressed satisfaction with the achievements recorded through members’ support.
Garba assured that media professionals would continue to do their best in showcasing activities in society as they uphold ethical standards.
He appealed to the Kwara State Government to organise a media tour for journalists to enable them to report on developmental projects in rural communities.
The Chairman of the Press Week Committee, Mr Demola Akinyemi, described the opportunity to organise the programme as a rare privilege. He thanked members and friends of the chapel who supported the success of the event.
In his remarks shortly after receiving his award, the founder of Thomas Adewumi University, Oko, in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state, Engineer Thomas Adewumi, represented by the registrar of the institution, Mr Kolawole Fisayo, commended the chapel for its role in showcasing the institution to the world.
He said the contributions of the media to educational development in the country could not be overemphasised.
Adewumi urged chapel members to continue their good work despite all odds and assured them of the institution’s determination to continue supporting their activities at all times.
The Grand Finale of the 2025 Press Week had the theme: “Renewed Hope Agenda: Mid-Term Appraisal of Tinubu’s Reforms, Success and Prospects.”