The National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Alhassan Yahya says the councils 2026 Press Week should be a time for reflection, professional advancement, unity, and renewed advocacy not mere ceremony.
Delivering the lecture at the NUJ FCT Press Week 2026, Comrade Yahya urged journalists to recommit to ethical reporting, press freedom, national development, and the welfare of media professionals across Nigeria.
He disclosed that “Press Week is not merely a ceremonial event. It is a period of introspection, recommitment, and renewed advocacy for ethical journalism, press freedom, national development, and the welfare of media professionals across Nigeria,”
Highlighting the fast-changing media landscape, Yahya noted challenges posed by digital communication, artificial intelligence, citizen journalism, and the rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation, alongside mounting security threats facing reporters.
Despite these pressures, he praised Nigerian journalists for their resilience, courage, and commitment to truth and public accountability.
“Journalists are custodians of democracy,” he said, adding that a vibrant and independent press is essential to holding leaders accountable and protecting justice, transparency, and good governance.
“Without a vibrant and independent press, democracy itself becomes vulnerable.”
Yahya thanked the NUJ FCT Council for its strategic role in strengthening professional journalism and promoting media excellence in the nation’s capital, commending council members for their dedication and unity.
He outlined persistent threats confronting journalists attacks, harassment, intimidation, poor remuneration, job insecurity, and unsafe working conditions and called for urgent action to protect the integrity of the profession.
“The Nigeria Union of Journalists remains resolute in advocating for better welfare, improved working conditions, insurance protection, prompt payment of salaries, and greater institutional support for journalists nationwide,” he said
“A journalist who works under fear, uncertainty, or hardship cannot effectively discharge the sacred responsibility of informing society.”
The president said the NUJ is engaging government institutions, media owners, development partners, and other stakeholders to prioritize journalists’ welfare and protection.
Emphasizing capacity building, he said the future of journalism belongs to practitioners who are adaptable, technology-savvy, fact-oriented, and ethically grounded.
“Our credibility remains our greatest asset,” he stated, urging reporters to resist sensationalism, political manipulation, ethnic bias, and unprofessional conduct.
He pledged the NUJ’s support for initiatives that strengthen fact-checking, digital literacy, investigative reporting, and ethical standards.
The Comrade President also appealed to government at all levels to respect press freedom and protect democratic values, reminding officials that journalists are partners in nation building, not enemies of the state.
He urged security agencies to safeguard journalists as they perform lawful duties, noting that “democracy flourishes where the press operates freely without intimidation or fear.”
In closing, the NUJ president called on members to recommit to unity, mentorship, and preserving the dignity of the profession, and he paid tribute to veteran journalists whose sacrifices shaped today’s practice. He reminded attendees that Nigeria’s complex political, social, and economic transitions make the media’s role more critical than ever, and asked journalists to promote peace, national unity, responsible dialogue, and issue-based reporting.
“Let this Press Week serve as a platform for renewed collaboration between the media, government, civil society, and the Nigerian people in pursuit of a more just, peaceful, and prosperous nation,” he concluded.
