Lekan Yusuf, Ibadan
The League of Veteran Journalists, Oyo State, has clarified its identity and position amid concerns over a lecture scheduled for Monday, October 26, 2026, at Millennium Hall, NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan, while former President of the Nigeria and Africa Union of Journalists, Lanre Ogundipe, has urged the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, to determine the status of the organisations involved.
The league, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Banji Ogundele, said it was necessary to inform the public about its history and identity following reports that the proposed lecture was being organised by an organisation known as the Veteran Journalists’ Association of Nigeria.
The league stated that it was established in 1988 and comprised journalists and media practitioners with at least 25 years of professional experience. It maintained that it was the established body representing veteran journalists in Oyo State.
Among the prominent journalists listed in its statement as members are Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Felix A. Adenaike, Bamiji Ojo, Layi Agbaje, Tunde Akingbade, Agboola Sanni, Kola Animasaun, Jare Ajayi, Bose Oyewole, Oladele Idris, Biodun Oduwole, Lanre Ogundipe, Shade Haastrup and Bolaji Kareem.
According to the league, its objectives include promoting professional journalism, protecting press freedom, upholding ethical standards, encouraging public awareness through discussions and analysis, and safeguarding the welfare and interests of its members.
Ogundele said the clarification was intended to prevent members of the public from being misled and to protect the reputation of the journalism profession. The league also expressed concern over what it described as attempts by individuals pursuing personal interests to undermine the integrity of journalism.
In a related development, Ogundipe, in a statement issued on Tuesday, October 20, called on the Oyo State NUJ Council to establish the status of the organisations concerned and determine whether the October 26 lecture had been authorised to use the union’s premises.
Ogundipe stressed that his concern was not about the right of individuals to establish independent associations but about institutional representation within the NUJ environment and the proper use of the union’s facilities.
He urged the council to verify the status of the organisations from its records, establish whether the proposed event had received approval to use the NUJ Press Centre, and formally communicate its decision to the parties before the scheduled lecture.
According to him, the council should apply its decision consistently, ensuring that any organisation authorised to use the facility operates under clearly stated conditions, while those without approval should not be granted access for activities presented as NUJ-related events.
Ogundipe described veteran journalists as important custodians of the profession’s institutional memory, adding that their organisations should serve as a bridge between generations rather than create uncertainty over representation.
He clarified that he was not calling on the NUJ to prevent any independent association from existing but urging the council to exercise its responsibility over its institutional space and facilities through an evidence-based decision.
He warned that resolving the matter before October 26 would help prevent an avoidable division within the journalism community, urging the council to handle the issue administratively and without unnecessary confrontation.
