UCJ Unimaid chapter inaugurate EXCOS; Experts Charge all to Uphold Ethical Journalism

By: Aisha Yusuf Sabo

Union of Campus Journalists University of Maiduguri chapter, has on Wednesday, 1st November, 2023 held its official launch and inaugurated first set of EXCOS. 

The event which took place at American space, Ramat Library University of Maiduguri, had professionals and members of the union in attendance. 

Declaring the event open, The UCJ Unimaid President, Rukaiyatu Idris, disclosed that the team is working diligently to ensure reaching the core objectives of the union, as it is poised to record milestone achievements and ensure responsible journalism.

Highlighting overview of the union, the General Secretary, Abdullahi Khairalla, said the union of campus Journalists is fashioned after the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) which is the professional body of "Penpushers", adding that just like the NUJ, UCJ caters for the interests of campus Journalists noting that the chapter has a membership strength of over 150 students

On his part, the Head of Department, Mass Communication University of Maiduguri, Dr. Abdulmutallib Ado Abubakar, highlighted the ethics of the journalism practice, and also emphasized the need for all members to adhere to the principles of the practice. 

"As an aspiring journalist, it is very crucial to uphold ethics as it is what will guide your activities on the field, being objective, accurate, also respecting people's privacy, and then largely shun away from any form of reward and gratification at the cause of their operations," 

Dr. Abdulmutallib re-echoed his department's readiness to key into the union's principal objectives of reporting issues of immense concern to their communities and advancing students' voices through responsible journalism.

HOD Mass Communication Department alongside UCJ Staff Adviser 

The UCJ onboarding session can be described as a rare occasion as the guest speakers are experts professionals in journalism and experts in the field of communication.

The UCJ Staff Adviser, Dr. Sharafa Dauda, who spoke extensively to manifest the goals and missions of the union. 

"From how the motto of this Union was coined, 'Empowering students voices through responsible journalism one should be able to understand what this union tends to achieve, and with the structure on the ground, I am calling on all members of the union to have a good understanding of the unions' constitution as it can govern your activities within and outside the university, as the union is there for students to devise a robust platform to amplify untold stories on campus and beyond."

In a presentation titled "Exploring opportunities in journalism today"  Lecturer, with the Department of Mass Communication, Muhammed Auwal Ngajiwa, dropped a hint that to be relevant in the evolving media landscape, some key innovative skills are vital.

"It adds value to a journalist to equip his/herself with fact-checking skills, research, multimedia skills which is now a trend on the filed as a result of convergence among others as one cannot be relevant with just a single skill,"  

The lecturer also stated that aspiring Journalists must adapt to this dynamism for them to remain relevant and stand the taste of time.

To prompt the interest and passion of the members, the UCJ Co. Founder, Zainab Y Adam, took members through her journey as a campus reporter, his she started and where she's heading now, Zainab also charged all to remain committed.

Other dignitaries who graced the event were the NUJ Chairman Borno State Council, Comrade Dauda Iliya, and a representative of the SUG, Mannir Hassan Nababa, as well as Baba Abdullahi Machina a Co. Founder.

The peak of the occasion was the inauguration of members and a group photograph.