NCWS Hails Journalists’ Resilience, Commends NUJ Gender Inclusivity
The National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS) Nigeria has commended Nigerian journalists for their unyielding commitment to democracy and national development.
In her goodwill message at the 2025 Press Week of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council, NCWS National President, Princess Edna D.D. Azura praised journalists for their courage and sacrifice in keeping Nigerians informed. She noted that “journalists risk their lives daily just to keep us abreast of happenings,” describing their work as a patriotic service. She further applauded the NUJ FCT Council for promoting gender inclusivity, noting that having a female NUJ President in the FCT was a great step toward breaking gender barriers in the media. Azura encouraged journalists to remain steadfast, stressing that “Nigeria can only get better when truth remains the foundation of governance and nation-building.”
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, who received the NUJ Gender Advocacy and Leadership Award at the event, lauded journalists for their role in defending democracy. According to him, “journalism is not merely about the dissemination of information, but about the protection of truth, the expansion of civic consciousness, and the advancement of democratic values.” He commended journalists for their courage during elections and urged them to support the ongoing legislative process on the Reserved Special Seats Bill for Women, saying it would “secure a more inclusive future for our country.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of NUJ FCT Council outlined priority projects for journalists’ welfare, including a Journalists’ Welfare Scheme, the development of the NUJ Journalists’ Village, and modernisation of the NUJ Congress Hall. He described these initiatives as “foundational investments in the future of journalism,” calling for government and stakeholder support. He reaffirmed the union’s commitment to ethical journalism, adding, “Journalism is not just a profession; it is a calling, and we must recommit to truth, integrity, courage, and service.”
The 2025 Press Week, themed “Journalism in a Changing World: Press Freedom, Media, Democracy, and Society,” brought together journalists, government officials, and civil society leaders to discuss press freedom, gender inclusion, and democracy.
