I am very glad to welcome all students back on campus, most especially, the occupants of the 4th Estate.
It is no doubt that we merited the just concluded break after working very hard and I am particularly happy that despite all the challenges we faced together as a people, our results were still impressive according to the Vice Chancellor’s welcome message, this is really marvelous. And while we prepare ourselves for the last semester in the session, let us continue to have that strong resolve and tenacity in living a worthy life and being that ambassador of constructive progress.
To the pressmen, I must sincerely state that the task before us this semester is enormous and arduous. The burden of being the conscience of the society is still firmly tied to our wrists, we must therefore be conscious of what we do and the company we keep, as darkness cannot drive out darkness – only light can!
The 29th administration of the most vibrant campus journalism in Africa, is leaving no stone unturned in order to expand the frontiers of campus journalism. In line with our founding statement of “entrenching intellectualism as a core idea of studentship”, this administration has always toiled day and night to provide esteemed pressmen with boundless opportunities to tap from. We have launched various contest – the Kola Tubosun Prize for Campus Journalism, Hammed Ibrahim Photo Contest, Professor Egbokhare Inter-Press Debate and other prizes that will be announced soon, all for your benefits. We therefore implore you to utilize these opportunities.
Furthermore, the Union of campus Journalists, University of Ibadan, will be hosting all campus journalists from across the federation in upcoming event tagged, National Campus Journalists’ Workshop 2016, where we will be putting finishing touches to the question of National Union of Campus Journalists. We appeal to all pressmen to make themselves available for service as we keep “igniting the passion for journalism in Nigerian campuses”.
I must also inform you that the Board Monitoring Committee has been inaugurated and all local press organisations are expected to commence publications right away. Also, those that are yet to admit new members should endeavour to do such so that the new entrants will be afforded the opportunity of joining the Union this year. As part of our administrative policies, we keep our door open to all pressmen and we keep the doors of our hearts open to all your suggestions and ideas to enable us advance this very rich culture of campus journalism.
In parting, the task ahead of us, no doubt is enormous and arduous but the decision to surmount our mountains lies in our heart as it lies in the words of Henry Ford that whether we think we can or we think we cannot, in either way, we can never be wrong! So, why not let us start as though we are without limitations…
Yours in service,
Oredola Ibrahim
President, UCJUI
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