A frontline member of Penpushing platform, Otunba Gbenga Onayiga has been nominated for the Press Freedom Award 2024, an event scheduled to hold on Friday, May 4, 2024 at Africa Hall, Barcelona Hotels International, Wuse 2, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
Penpushing reports that Onayiga’s nomination was made known by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Freedom Awards Selection Committee, explaining that the United Nations General Assembly had dedicated the day under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
‘World Press Freedom Day, which is celebrated on the 3rd of May every year, acts as a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom. It is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics”, the committee said.
Penpushing further reports that record has it that the Veteran journalist and former Political Editor, Network News, of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), as part of his struggles to ensure that the freedom of the press is respected, then as Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the Students Union of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), in 1984, led a peaceful protest by students to Dodan Barracks, Ikoyi, the seat of government, to protest the trial of two notable Nigerian journalists
As part of his struggles to ensure that the freedom of the press is respected, Onayiga, as Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the Students Union of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), in 1984, led a peaceful protest by NIJ students to Dodan Barracks, Ikoyi, the seat of government, to protest the trial and eventual incarceration of former editors of the Guardian Newspapers, Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor, by the military regime of General Muhammadu Buhari, for allegedly contravening Decree 4 of 1984’.
Penpushing also reports that Onayiga was also at the forefront of the struggle for the introduction of a Special Salary Scale for Media Workers in Nigeria, and as representative of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the Ministerial Technical Committee, set up by former Information Minister, late Prof. Dora Akunyili, he and other members succeeded in making the government approve the payment of weighing and peculiarity allowances for federal and some state media workers.
The renowned media practitioner got a dose of brutality from security men, when, as Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Correspondents’ Chapel in Abuja, was attacked while trying to ensure the release of cameras seized from photo journalists, who were taking shots of Bashorun Moshood Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election.
Penpushing reports that this happened when Abiola was stepping out of the courtroom and entering the Black Maria, at the commencement of his trial at the Abuja High Court on September 14, 1994, while the resilience of Onayiga led to the eventual release of the cameras.
The nominee in similar development got entrapped in and detained by soldiers during the General Ibrahim Babaginda coup d’etat in 1985, while his passion for journalism and press freedom made him write a situation report and send it to his immediate boss, the late Andy Anarado notwithstanding the curfew imposed by the military.
“I was on early morning duty on newspaper review desk in Radio Nigeria, Ikoyi, and not aware that there was a coup. On my way to Broadcasting House, Ikoyi, I was arrested by soldiers near CMS in the official car at about 4.30am’, Onayiga reminiscence.
‘After being released at about noon, when the military men were sure that the coup was successful, I still proceeded to the office to complete my job. Stern-looking soldiers sent me back at the gate’, Onayiga recalled.
Penpushing further reports that Onayiga was Chairman, Safety Fund for Journalists (NUJ) - from April 2013 to July 2016; Member, Monitoring Network on Safety of Journalists – from Sept. 2014 to July 2016; Member, Committee of Experts on Voter Education – from Nov. 2014 to March 2015; Member, Ethics and Disciplinary Committee, Governing Board, Nigerian Press Council – 2010 to 2012 and Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Insurance Committee.
The nominee served on the Governing Board of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and is the current Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Committee on Milestone Recognition for Media Icons in Nigeria, and a member of anniversary committee of Penpushing Media annual lecture.
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