New national officers have been elected to man the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) for the next three years.
In a keenly contested election on Saturday at Kutigi International Event Centre, Minna, Niger State, Ladi Bala of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) elbowed three other contestants to emerge President of the body.
Bala polled 439 votes to beat Aishat Ibrahim to runner-up position with 251 votes, while Chindaba Danjuma and Ruth Abubakar scored 85 and 48 votes each, respectively.
Other elected members of the executive included Lilian Ogbano, Deputy Vice President; Yinka Bode-Are-Assistant secretary; Fatima Rasheed, Treasurer; Abellaga, Internal Auditor; Adeola Adekunle, Financial Secretary; while Omobola Akingbehin, an Assistant Editor-In-Chief with the News Agency of Nigeria, emerged as the Vice President ‘B’ Zone of NAWOJ.
A joyful Bala thanked God Almighty for the victory, and called on members to ”mend fences and close gaps,” now that the elections were over.
All the elected executive members were sworn into office on Sunday, November 15.
Election of The Pioneer Editor As Secretary
The editor of The Pioneer newspapers has been elected as the new national Secretary of NAWOJ.
She is Helen John Udofa who polled 547 votes to defeat her closest rival, Daharatu Ahmed Aliyu who garnered 266 votes to be declared a winner.
Formerly the national assistant secretary, NAWOJ, Udofa is a one-time treasurer of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom State Council.
She holds a B.A in Communication Arts/English from the defunct University of Cross River State in 1990, and a M. A. (Mass Communications), University of Uyo in 2010.
Udofa cut her teeth in journalism practice as a reporter with Satellite newspapers, Agbani Road, Enugu, during the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme which lasted from 1990 -1991.
She joined Akwa Ibom Newspaper Limited, Uyo in 1992 as a reporter. In 1996, Udofa was promoted to the position of a senior reporter and between 1999- 2001, she was principal reporter II. Also in 2002-2004, she was principal reporter I and chief reporter from 2005-2008 before she was promoted as assistant editor.
Due to hard work and dedication to duty, she has served the corporation as line editor in-charge of agriculture and education desk in 2007-2008, deputy news editor in 2008-2010 and line editor in charge of education from 2010.
In 2015, she was promoted to the office of the deputy editor and assigned to The Pioneer Daily covering The Pioneer and Midweek Pioneer, a position she served diligently until her appointment as editor, Weekend Pioneer, in July 2017.
AKS NUJ Congratulatory Message
Meanwhile, Akwa Ibom Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists has congratulated her on her victory at the polls.
In her congratulatory message jointly signed by the union’s chairman, Amos Etuk and the state secretary, Dominic Akpan, the union said “The Nigeria Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom State Council, rejoices with Comrade Helen Udofa, on her election into the National Executive of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, again, this time as National Secretary.
“The election of Comrade Udofa, is not only well deserved, having served meritoriously as Assistant National Secretary, but an acknowledgement of her unwavering commitment to the activities of NUJ and NAWOJ.
“In a special way, we thank the State leadership of NAWOJ, led by Comrade Uduak Ekong and all the delegates from Akwa Ibom State as well as others from the South-South Zone and across the country for their support to Comrade Udofa.
“We cannot fail to mention the support of our legends, Mrs. Margaret Edem, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development; Comrade Comfort Umanah, State Vice-Chairman, NUJ, Comrade Nene Affia; among others who were on ground in Minna, Niger State to drive the success of this historic election.
“In Comrade Udofa’s election, the NUJ in Akwa Ibom State is on a solid ground to move into national prominence.”
