Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday visit the Secretariat of the Ogun State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oke – Ilewo, Abeokuta, the state capital, for registration of his membership of the Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CMN).
The NUJ moved its Secretariat to the present location christened Iwe – Iroyin following donation of the land for the purpose by the then military administrator of the state, Col. Daniel Akintonde in 1993/94.
Earlier, the NUJ Secretariat existed at the Ibara area of Abeokuta and operated as Dele Giwa Press Centre.
Throughout Obasanjo time in government ( 1976 -1979 and 1999 – 2007) and out of government, he had never visited any of the Press Centre.
But on Thursday, he stormed the facility around 21:42pm amid retinue of armed security Operatives, politicians including former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, ex – Governor Donald Duke(Cross Rivers), former minister, Mrs Dupe Adelaja, opinion leaders and hundreds of enthusiastic residents desirous of registering their membership CMN.
Obasanjo registered his membership by 12:52pm, declaring that it has become imperative for the nation to “rethink and retool the way” things are done today if the country hoped to witness true development, unity, cooperation and unity.
The ex – President said Nigeria must change for better, adding that the real change must be brought about by the nation’s youth and women who were often the direct victims of things that weren’t working well.
He noted that the registration was a very important ceremony as a follow up to the earlier letter issued by him about the state of the nation where he also offered his piece of advice.
He also lamented the present security apparatus of Nigeria, saying it negated the federal character principle enshrined in the constitution.
The Nation gathered that the choice of of Iwe – Iroyin as the registration kick – start centre, was not just because it is accessible to the public but a subtle recognition of the role played by journalists in Abeokuta, particularly, in the series of media reports that mobilised Nigerians to unhorse the then incompetent Peoples Democratic Party and Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.
Source:The Nation
