A media anti-graft advocacy group, Journalists Against Corruption (JAC), on Sunday, petitioned the Ondo State Governor, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa, over the meddlesomeness of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo State Council, in the internal affairs of the state-owned Owena Press Limited.

JAC in a statement in Abuja, signed by its Programmes Coordinator, Kehinde Osifisan, also requested Governor Aiyedatiwa to swiftly intervene in the case of Mr Segun Olatunji, an employee of the Owena Press Limited, publishers of The Hope titles, and the “interloping meddlesomeness” of the NUJ in Ondo State “sided by a few Ondo State political hawks, in the day-to-day running” of Owena Press Limited and The Hope newspaper titles.

The organisation called the attention of the Ondo State governor to the ongoing reorganisation in the newspaper company, which saw the appointment of Mr Olatunji, a few days ago, as the daily Editor of the newspaper and the swift opposing stance of the Ondo NUJ, which has now forced the new management of the company to hold on its decision after being threatened with an impending picketing of the company’s premises on Monday (tomorrow).

JAC, in its statement also copied the NUJ President, Abuja; President, International Press Institute, (IPI) Nigeria, Abuja; the Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda (MRA) and the Coordinator, International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos, expressed shock and dismay at the discriminatory treatment being meted to Mr. Olatunji by the Ondo State NUJ regarding his appointment as the Daily Editor of the state-owned The Hope newspaper, urging Governor Aiyedatiwa to urgently intervene in the matter and put an end to this dangerous development.

The full text of the JAC petition to the Ondo State Governor reads as follows:
Your Excellency Sir,
A CASE OF UNBELIEVABLE ETHNIC BIGOTRY AGAINST MR. SEGUN OLATUNJI AT THE OWENA PRESS LIMITED OWNED BY THE ONDO STATE GOVERNMENT BY PEOPLE IMPERSONATING THE ONDO STATE GOVERNMENT AND THE NIGERIAN UNION OF JOURNALISTS, ONDO STATE COUNCIL
Compliment of the season and our very warm regards to Your Excellency, the Governor of Ondo State.

We bring to you great regards from the Journalists Against Corruption (JAC), a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation, with its headquarters in Abuja, FCT.
Our organisation has been involved in anti-corruption advocacy, which also includes campaigns against unethical practices, nepotism and the like, within and outside public offices.

We bring to Your Excellency’s notice and most humbly request for your swift intervention in the case of Mr. Segun Olatunji, an employee of the Owena Newspaper Limited, and the interloping meddlesomeness of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo State Council, sided by few Ondo State political hawks, in the day-to-day running of Owena Newspaper Limited.

There is no doubt, as Your Excellency would attest, that the new management of Owena Newspaper Limited has taken its publication, Hope Newspapers, out of the woods, revived it and expanded its audiences to a new height aided by the latest digital information communication technology.

As part of its efforts to reorganise the Owena Press Limited for better performance, the Chairman/Editor-in-Chief, Mr Kayode Fasua, on January 16th, 2025, appointed Mr Segun Olatunji as the Daily Editor of the Hope Newspaper, in a letter titled, ‘RE-DEPLOYMENT ON PROMOTION’. In the said letter, the Chairman/Editor-in-Chief, Kayode Fasua, specifically wrote “This elevation is particularly informed by your satisfactory performance for which you are urged to sustain and upscale”.

Before the latest re-deployment/promotion, Mr. Segun Olatunji was the Weekend Editor producing Weekend Hope newspapers; Friday, Saturday and Sunday titles.

Immediately after the deployment and the reorganisation were announced, some staff members and NUJ Officials backed by some political godfathers started conspiring, mobilising against the choice of Mr Segun Olatunji as the Daily Editor on the false pretence that he was not qualified. When confronted with the sterling credentials of Olatunji and his rich work experience, this set of opponents now came up with their main and real reason for objecting to Olatunji’s appointment, stating that he is an “alien from Ogun State,” whereas Mr. Akin Adubuola, who was moved as Daily Editor to edit The Hope Magazine, a monthly, is an indigene. It is noteworthy that Mr Adubuola has been in office as Weekend Editor and Daily Editor for a total of 16 years.

On Saturday, January 18th, 2025 some of these NUJ Officials held a meeting with the Chairman/Editor-in-Chief during which they dropped the name of the Governor and top officials of government, intimidated and coerced an undertaking from him that the redeployment/reorganisation ongoing in the newspapers will not proceed!

With the backing of the political hawks, the said NUJ representatives have also scheduled to picket the Owena Newspaper for 10.00 a.m. tomorrow, Monday, January 20th, 2025.
The above scenario is clearly unheard-of, regressive and tantamount to blocking the will of progress of the recuperating newspaper titles. It is also against the laws of the land for someone to be discriminated against based on his or her state of origin and for a Nigerian to be regarded, addressed and treated as an alien in any part of Nigeria.

Sir, There are too many examples of Nigerians serving in appointive and elective capacities in different parts of the country other than their home state of origin. Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye from Kwara State once served as Special Adviser on Media and Communication for eight years to Governor Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna State, even Mr Segun Olatunji from Ogun State, being called an “alien” in Ondo State now, served as Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Senator representing Kaduna Central, Senator Lawal Adamu Usman.

Sir, as we write this, Mr Kayode Akinmade, from Ondo State and former Commissioner for Information in Ondo State, is the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun( Segun Olatunji’s state of origin).

We believe strongly that the opponents of the ongoing reorganization in Owena Newspapers opposed specifically the appointment of Segun Olatunji as the daily editor, did not and could not have represented the Ondo State Government and the Nigerian Union of Journalists in the state. Their ethnic bias cannot be the position of the Ondo State of Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin, of Pa Reuben Fasoranti and of Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa. We challenge these opponents of the appointment of Segun Olatunji as the daily editor of Hope Group of Newspapers to come up openly with genuine reason/basis, if any, instead of their archaic, divisive and retrogressive state of origin sentiment.

Your Excellency Sir, because this unbelievable trend signals a very bad omen not only for journalism and the media industry in Ondo State and Nigeria as a whole but also globally, we have decided, with the greatest respect, to copy this letter to stakeholders within the industry.
May the Sunshine State never be dimmed on the platform of ethnicity under your performing administration.
Thank you for your anticipated intervention and resolution.

Faithfully yours
Kehinde Osifisan
Programmes Coordinator
Cc:
* President, NUJ, Abuja.
* President, International Press Institute, Nigeria, Abuja.
* Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda, Lagos.
* The Coordinator, International Press Centre, Lagos.