TARABA NUJ CHAIRMAN SETS TO REPOSITION JOURNALISM
By Christiana Babayo
The Chairman, Taraba State Council of Nigeria Union of journalists (NUJ) Mr. David Nya revealed his intention to reposition journalism practice in the state in line with his manifesto during the campaign for the number one seat of the union in the state.
The chairman made this revelation last Monday while speaking with our reporters in his office at the NUJ Secretariat Jalingo.
He said already he had renovated the press center and opened all the necessary apartments at the Centre which according to him had remained closed since 1996. The chairman also noted that apart from liaising with necessary organizations to retrain members of the union in the state, he had also watered and builds a bridge between the community and the union to enable journalists operates in a conducive atmosphere.
As part of his determination to link the union to the world, the chairman said, he had already host a website for the council which he hoped would be launch before he leaves office.
“We are trying to see how our members will be perfect on their job. In respect to this, we have liaised with the North East Development Commission and they have indicated interest to train 60 journalists in the state. We have already forwarded 20 names. We are also partnering with the Primary Health Care Development Agency to train 20 journalists on covid19 reportage” he stated.
Taking us on a memory lane, on how he arrived at the exalted position of the union in the state, Mr. Nya said he started his journalism career when he finished his Secondary School in 1986.
“After my Secondary School, I started hunting for a job in Yola. While I was at it, I was sitting in a beer parlor when my friend told me that a Mumuye translator was needed for the then Gongola Television Corporation. He never knew I was not working. But after our chat, I took him by the side and asked if he was telling the truth. Our discussion took me to the station one day. When I got there, they gave me a script to translate in my local dialect and I did it perfectly. That was how I found myself in the job”. He revealed.
He said he had continued to work as a casual staff until when Taraba State was created, then he was deployed to Taraba state to get his permanent and pensionable employment with the Taraba State Broadcasting Service (TSBS).
The chairman who has been in the union for long did not just jump to the apex position. He toured the leadership road for long as secretary in his local chapel to treasurer and then to secretary of the chapel.
He came to the state council as an ex officio. He was selected as the vice chairman, Taraba State NUJ Council and now he is the Chairman.
Nya had never regretted being a journalist. To him “it is a noble profession. Since I started as a novice and developed myself in the field, I acquired a degree. I have never had any cause to regret going into it. It is a profession where you render services to your community in order for you to live well. Though there are challenges here and there but the joy of the job overcomes it all” he stated.
The chairman called on all practicing journalists in the state to be objective in their reportage. He also agreed that as humans we all have sentiments but journalists should not let their sentiment overshadow their sense of editorial judgment.
David Nya who assumed the position recently is currently an Assistant Director of News and Current affairs at Taraba State Broadcasting Service (TSBS). He is also serving as the director of Development Communication, Rural Support and Agricultural Marketing.
The chairman further commended journalists on the role they are playing in keeping people informed of the happenings around the country.
“Journalists in Taraba state are doing their best, I must commend. Any where there is an issue in the state; the media here always comes in and play their professional role effectively. I may not be fair to them if I forget to commend them.” He stated.
