News

‘Now, I Actually Realise I’m Deputy Nat’l President’ – Oyetunde Says As Edo NUJ Welcomes Her In Grand Style

Published

1 year ago

December 2, 2024

L-R: Andy Egbon, Secretary, Edo NUJ; Festus Alenkhe, Chairman, Edo NUJ; Bimbo Oyetunde, Deputy National President, NUJ, and Gloria Ilobe of Bronze FM chapel during the reception party on Monday.

It was a moment of dance, merriment, solidarity songs and showers of encomium on Dr. Bimbo Oyetunde, the newly elected Deputy National President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as members of the Edo State council of the union welcomed her in a reception party held in a grand style at the secretariat of the NUJ, Edo State council.

The reception party led by the Edo NUJ council Chairman, Comrade Festus Alenkhe, had in attendance former secretaries of the council, chapels leaders, other members of the council and particularly the Bronze FM family. Bronze FM is the chapel Oyetunde belongs to. She is the general manager of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria-owned FM station in Benin.

Responding to the love shown to her, Oyetunde said the reception by members of the Edo NUJ made it dawn on her that she is actually the Deputy National President of the NUJ.

“In fact, it’s today I realised that I am actually the Deputy National President. With what I have seen here, it dawned on me that I am occupying the number two position of the NUJ,” Oyetunde emotionally said.

Further speaking on how she rode to victory in the just concluded NUJ election, the Deputy National President, while stating that it was destined by God, and further thanking Him for seeing her through the rough route of the NUJ election, added that the cordial relationship she built with people she came across over the years helped her to gain the popularity.

She urged journalists to imbibe the spirit of building relationship with colleagues, noting that such a relationship would help in the future.

“I want to say here that wherever you find yourself, always have a cordial relationship with people around you because you might need each other in the future. Ever since I came here in 2016, I have been having that personal relationship with seating chairmen. Outside the profession, we may meet and even need each other, and that is why maintaining a cordial relationship is very important,” she noted.

She added: “27 states out of the 36 states including FCT endorsed us. When the endorsement was going on, they were writing all sorts of propaganda and petitions, but God saw us through. For instance, not a single vote went out from Edo delegates. The 17 was complete. Lagos gave us 43 votes.”

She thanked leadership and members of the Edo NUJ for their support and prayers, promising that the present national executives of the NUJ would run an inclusive government.

She, therefore, urged co-contestants in the race to join the executives in moving the NUJ to greater heights.

“No winner, no vanguish. We embrace our opponents. We call upon them to come on board so we can work together to move the union forward. By the grace of God, we are taking this union to greater heights,” she promised.

Earlier, Chairman of the council, Festus Alenkhe, while welcoming the Deputy National President, urged her to always put Edo council in her heart wherever she goes.

In her goodwill message, Mrs Olabisi Akpadia, Head of Benin Network Centre, AIT/Raypower, described Oyetunde as a special breed who is concerned about the welfare of union members, stressing that “this is what union is all about.”

Akpadia, who hailed Oyetunde for achieving the feat of being the first deputy national president of the NUJ, noted: “This means she is made of uncommon stuff.”

Also in his goodwill message, Inope Ofuenyi, Vice Chairman, Bronze FM chapel, said: “Working with madam has been fulfilling. She makes work easy for us. We are with you, we are the Edo State council.”

News

Grassroots To Global Podium: Edo Sports Commission Marks Enabulele’s First Year In Office

Published

2 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Editor

The Indoor Sports Hall in Benin City came alive on Wednesday as the Edo State Sports Commission rolled out the drums to celebrate the first anniversary in office of its Executive Chairman, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele. Management, staff, coaches and athletes gathered in an atmosphere charged with pride, reflection and optimism.

The colourful ceremony drew executives and members of various sports associations, officials of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), coaches, athletes and other key stakeholders in Edo sports.

In her welcome address, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Commission, Mrs. A. P. Amenze, praised Hon. Enabulele for what she described as focused and purposeful leadership. She said the past year had seen renewed confidence, discipline and energy return to the state’s sports ecosystem.

Adding excitement to the event were exhibition bouts and demonstrations by the Kung Fu, Karate, Taekwondo and Judo associations, staged in honour of the Executive Chairman.

Speaking for SWAN Edo State, Chairman Comrade Kehinde Osagiede commended Hon. Enabulele’s open-door leadership style and consistent support for sports development. He noted that the Commission had effectively driven Governor Monday Okpebholo’s “Catch Them Young” policy through practical grassroots programmes that identify and groom young talents across the state.

In recognition of his contributions to sports development and media relations, Comrade Osagiede conferred the Patronship of SWAN Edo State on Hon. Enabulele and presented him with a special anniversary card.

Goodwill messages followed from Executive Directors of the Commission, including Hon. Frank Ilaboya (Edo North), Coach Baldwin Bazuaye, MON (Edo South), Barr. Anthony Ikuenobe (Edo Central), and Mrs. Sabrina Chikere, Executive Director, Sports Development and Operations. Representatives of coaches, athletes and sports associations also took turns to acknowledge the progress recorded under the current leadership.

In his stewardship address, Hon. Enabulele expressed gratitude to Governor Monday Okpebholo and Deputy Governor Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa for the trust placed in him, noting that their backing and shared vision had driven the Commission’s achievements.

He highlighted Team Edo’s third-place finish at the 9th National Youth Games in Asaba, where the state recorded its best-ever outing with 79 medals—33 gold, 18 silver and 28 bronze—reinforcing Edo’s reputation as a national sports powerhouse.

The Chairman also pointed to the impact of inclusive and grassroots sports programmes, citing Favour Ojeabu, a visually impaired para-cyclist who won three gold medals to emerge Africa’s champion at the African Track Para-Cycling Championship in Egypt.

Other milestones listed included outstanding performances by Edo para powerlifters on the international stage, historic achievements in cricket, weightlifting, cycling, judo and deaf athletics, as well as structural reforms such as the repositioning of Bendel Insurance FC and deeper investment in grassroots sports development.

Cultural performances added colour and tradition to the celebration, as stakeholders closed the event united in their assessment of the past year as a truly transformative period for sports development in Edo State.

News

Otuaro Tasks Media On Objective Reportage

Published

11 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Editor

The Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Dr. Dennis Otuaro has charged media practitioners particularly members of the Ijaw Publishers’ Forum to promote ethical journalism through their reportage.

He gave the charge in Warri on Wednesday during the 2nd Annual Ijaw Media Conference organised by the Ijaw Publishers’ Forum (IPF).

Represented by Princewill Binebai, spokesman, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Otuaro while stating that the Niger Delta stories have been told in such a way that is quite different from what is obtainable in the real sense, said this, IPF must do everything possible to correct.

The administrator added: “I am happy that Ijaw journalists have boldly come out together to champion the Ijaw struggle in a very dynamic perspective”.

“The Ijaw story was misrepresented over the years, but IPF’s emergence had corrected this error and the story is gradually changing for better.”

Otuaro, however, challenged Ijaw media practitioners to be objective, truthful, accurate and fearless in their reportage to correct many years anomalies of the Ijaw struggle.

He admonished members of IPF to see themselves as brothers and love one another in the discharge of their activities to achieve a common goal.

News

Police Confirm Edo Tanker Explosion, say No Casualty

Published

11 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Editor

The Edo State Police Command has confirmed tanker explosions that rocked Auchi, the administrative headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

The Command’s Police Publice Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, who confirmed the incident via the phone, said the explosion occurred at about 6:30 p.m. following the fall of a fuel tanker along the road.

Ikoedem said the incident occurred on Wednesday evening at about 6:30 p.m. following the fall of a fuel tanker along the road.

She explained that spilled fuel seeped into underground tunnels, which later ignited and caused three explosions in different parts of the Auchi community.

According to her, officers from the Auchi Divisional Police Headquarters and the Area Command were mobilised to the affected areas and successfully cordoned them off to prevent loss of lives.

She added: “No casualty was recorded. Our men on ground were able to cordoned the affected areas.”

It was gathered that three separate explosions rocked the town simultaneously in different parts, which led to properties worth millions of naira destroyed.

A resident who does not want his name in print said via the telephone that the blasts occurred along Igbei Road, Igbo Shade, and along the Auchi–Okene Road, close to Winners Junction.

The resident, who alleged the explosions appeared to have been coordinated, called for a thorough investigation into the incident to prevent future occurrences.

Calls put across to Mr. Monday Edogiawere, Chairman, Red Cross, Edo State, were not picked.