ILORIN – Mrs Ifeyinwa Omowole, an aspirant in the forthcoming National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) elections, on Saturday in Ilorin pledged to provide the platform for members to excel.
Omowole, who is aspiring to the association’s National President’s position, made the pledge while briefing members of NAWOJ in Ilorin.
“Our association, which was basically set up to empower women journalists, has unfortunately lost its course.
“Due to the edge male journalists have, the need for women to form their organisation so as to provide equal opportunities for women arose.
“But what we have now is not what we bargained for,’’ she said.
Omowole, a one-time National Deputy President of NAWOJ, said the association had over the years lost track and had not become very relevant in the scheme of things.
“I promise to bring back the former glory of this association,” she said.
The aspirant promised to ensure that the association carried along all its members in its activities.
She said, if elected, she would be particular about training and retraining of members.
“We will also ensure skills acquisition in soap and beads making, tie and dye, among others, for members after retirement,’’ Omowole said.
A Senior Editor with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Omowole assured that her tenure would be an opportunity for her to ensure sisterhood among women journalists.
“It will also be an avenue to foster better relationship and love among women in the country,’’ she said.
The aspirant lamented the fact that an association like NAWOJ, after 25 years of existence, has no records of its activities and members.
Also addressing the NAWOJ members, Mrs Salamatu Babatunde of the Kaduna State Council, urged members to vote for an aspirant who was ready to take the association to greater heights.
Babatunde said the association had lost its former glory, alleging that it lost its partnership with John Hopkins University in the U.S. because of embezzlement by some members.
She charged members to support Omowole to bring a positive change to the association.(NAN)