Kwara State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, has extended its membership to all qualified online media practitioners in the state.
The union said interested digital media practitioners who meet the laid down criteria would be granted membership of the association.
The decision was announced at the end of the monthly congress of the council held on Thursday, 28 September 2023, at the press centre Ilorin.
The congres maintained that interested media practitioners should indicate their interest through application to the council.
The resolve followed an observation by Dare Akogun, chairman of the NUJ Sobi FM chapel, notjng that in line with the provision of Article 3 Section 2(a) of the NUJ constitution as amended, which recognised online practitioners as members of the union, the congress should invite applications from online media practitioners as well to shore up the numerical strength of the union.
According to him, the resolution would contribute to the membership drive of the NUJ in Kwara state and activate the recognition online media practitioners within the council.
Akogun further charged the council to extend invitation to the online practitioners with a view to integrating them into the council.
However, the state chairman Ahmed Abdulateef, in his speech, stated that the move to invite the online media practitioners is a constitutional matter, without any need for moving a motion.
“The council does not have the power to deny any qualified journalist membership of the union so far they are qualified,” Abdulateef stated, emphasizing the open-door policy of the NUJ in the state and its commitment to upholding the provisions of its constitution.
