By Adeyemi Adeleye
The Executives of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Monday paid a congratulatory visit to the newly appointed Head of Lagos Operations (HLO) of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mrs Ifeyinwa Omowole.
They hailed her elevation as a triumph of merit, resilience and professional excellence.
Omowole, a former President of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), was until her appointment the Head of NAN Lagos Editorial Department — a role in which she earned widespread acclaim for discipline, mentorship and newsroom leadership.
Leading the delegation to NAN Lagos office, the NUJ Deputy National President, Dr Abimbola Oyetunde, described Omowole’s appointment as both “well-deserved” and symbolic of the rewards of steadfast commitment to journalism and union service.
Oyetunde said: “When we first heard of your appointment as Director and now Head of NAN Lagos, we were elated.
“We are proud, not just because you are a woman but because management recognised diligence, competence and consistency. Wherever she serves, she stands out.”
She extolled Omowole as a consummate professional and mentor whose influence transcended the newsroom.
“She has mentored many within and outside NAN and continues to invest in the younger generation, patiently teaching the rudiments of the profession.
We are not surprised that she has been entrusted with leading NAN operations in Lagos,” she added.
Oyetunde conveyed goodwill from the NUJ National President, Comrade Alhassan Yahaya, urging Omowole to sustain the values of professionalism, integrity and mentorship that have defined her career.
In her response, Omowole expressed gratitude to the NUJ leadership, describing the visit as both an honour and a humbling experience.
As a longstanding member of both NUJ and NAWOJ since her early days in journalism, Omowole reflected on her journey through NAN’s editorial ranks.
She commended the agency’s Managing Director, Mr Ali Muhammad Ali, for instituting structural reforms that expanded career progression opportunities.
“For years, staff in the Editorial Department stagnated at Level 16 because there was only one Level 17 position.
“This Managing Director took the bold step of promoting four of us to Level 17.
“That decision broke a longstanding barrier,” she added.
She revealed that some staff had previously remained on Level 16 for seven or eight years before retirement due to limited advancement slots, describing the recent reforms as transformative.
“I want the NUJ national leadership to write a letter of appreciation to him. It is a significant achievement.
“He (Ali) has also promised to create more opportunities this year for members to rise,” she said.
Beyond celebration, Omowole called for stronger grassroots engagement by the NUJ national leadership, urging that every chapel across the state should tangibly feel the presence and impact of the union’s central body.
She also commended the NUJ-NAN Lagos Chapel for fostering dialogue, unity and prioritising members’ welfare, reaffirming her commitment to ethical journalism and deeper collaboration between NAN and the union in promoting credible, development-focused reporting.
Earlier, Chairman of the NUJ-NAN Lagos Chapel, Mr Yusuf Yunus, described the visit as a morale booster and a powerful gesture of solidarity at a defining moment in Omowole’s career.
Yunus, however, advocated more consistent engagement by the national leadership at chapel level, stressing that sustained interaction would strengthen unity, improve communication and reinforce bonds between the union’s grassroots members and its national structure.
NAN reports that in the delegation were the Special Adviser to the NUJ President, Adeola Ekini; Special Assistant to the National Deputy National President, Wahab Akinlade, the NAWOJ Chairperson, Jumoke Johnson; Personal Assistant to the NUJ Deputy National President, Eunice Olile and Former Vice-Chairman B Zone Mrs Julie Ekong.
The delegation was warmly received by the NUJ-NAN Lagos Executive Committee, senior editors and staff, in what many described as a celebration not just of an individual achievement, but of institutional progress and professional excellence within Nigeria’s foremost news agency. (NAN)
Edited by Vivian Ihechu
