I was honoured by the NUJ FCT for my contribution to Journalism, at the NUJ Press Week Public Lecture which was held at the Transcorp Hilton, Tuesday.
I am indeed grateful to the Comrade Grace Ike led EXCO for this great honour.
I was still in my teens when I was elected Publicity Secretary of the NUJ BTV (Now EBS) Benin, Chapel, with the late and great John Orume, as Chairman. I never would have realized that almost 40 years later, a young Amazon’s vitality would drag me back to partaking in unionism and think me worthy of this great honour.
I have received many accolades and many awards over the years but this is my most prized, coming from my professional body. Journalism is profession I gave my all. Tears, sweat and blood. I did not have a youth per se, because Journalism made me grow up overnight, working night and day, sometimes three straight days…without pausing to take a bath, most weeks.
(Just a quick change of underwear and brushing of the teeth, during those long, adrenal soaked production days.) Those days when the fingers would go numb and stiff from writing and we could not distinguish between night and day because we worked all hours, chasing that cover story!
We have gone from the tedious days of cut and paste to AI. Honestly, I thank God, Baba in Heaven, El Roi for keeping me alive to see these awesome changes and giant leaps in Journalism. Today, they call me the Queen of Journalism, Queen of the Tabloids, anyone you choose, is okay by me.
I am immensely grateful, always.
Journalism is by no means, moin moin, not a piece of cake. It is driven by passion, not financial gains. Yet, we thrive because God is involved. I gave it my all. I’m still giving it my best!
