NUJ OSBC Chapel’s Ancestors Day: Lest Our Past Heroes Be Forgotten

It is no more news that the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, OSBC Chapel, is holding its annual Pen-Week Celebrations in the last week of September, 2024. The real news is in the Chapel’s decision to celebrate all its past Chapel Chairman for the sake of posterity.

Among those to be celebrated at the event tagged Ancestors Day which is scheduled for Thursday, September 26, are Elder Smolette Adetoyese Shittu-Alamu, Late Babatunde Idowu, Mrs Adejumoke Akinjiola, Prince Ayoade Adedayo and Hon. Bamidele Salam.

Other Celebrants are Pastor Babatunde Oguntomi, Prince Olusola Ajiboye, Mr Babatunde Fanawopo, Alhaji Oluwatoyin Yusuf , Late Tunde Adeyemo and Mr Nathaniel Oyegoke. Each of them had, at one time or the other, led the OSBC Chapel of the NUJ.

PROGRAMME
The 2024 Pen Week of the OSBC NUJ, begins on Sunday, September 22 with a church service at the C&S Church, St Michael Cathedral, Egbatedo Headquarters, Osogbo. Immediately after the church service, there would be a reception and an interactive session to be hosted by Dr Isaac Adekunle, Omoyele, Field Commander, Amotekun Corps in Osun State.

Monday, September 23, is the Opening Ceremony of OSBC NUJ PEN- WEEK. A Free Medical Check-up and Health Talk, will be conducted. This event is powered by Pathway Hospital, Oke Baale, Osogbo, Over one hundred and fifty members of staff of OSBC Conglomerate, as well as Youth Corps members and student interns, are expected to benefit from.

The grand finale event of the week holds on Thursday, September 26
Some selected icons in the dociety would be presented with the OSBC NUJ Award of Excellence. This is alongside the celebration of our former Chairmen we have elected to call Our Ancestors. That same day there would be an Independence Anniversary Lecture. The topic is “Sixty Four Years Of Struggling After Freedom: Which Way Nigeria?” The Guest Lecturer is Prof Abdwasiu Oyedokun-Ali, from the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
Professional Award would also be presented to some of our members who have excelled in their output.

On Friday, September 27, a Jumat Service will come up at the NACOMYO School Jumat Mosque, Ayetoro, Osogbo as the last event on our line-up of our activities for the week.
It is sponsored by Barr. Hashim Akintunde Abioye, Chairman, Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC. He will also host our members and friends to a grand reception immediately after the Jumat Service.

OUR REASON
OSBC NUJ’s “Ancestors Day” is designed to celebrate our past leaders in the most vibrant Chapel within Osun State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ. We consider this as very important because of the fact that, journalists, being who we are, always champion the cause of others, but hardly celebrate ourselves.
OSBC Chapel, which remains, not only the largest but also the oldest of all Chapels within Osun State Council of the NUJ.

OUR ANCESTORS
The pioneer chairman of our great chapel is Elder Smolette Adetoyese Shittu-Alamu. He held forth between 1992 and 1994, when Late Tunde Idowu took over the leadership of the chapel. His tenure was however cut shot following his untimely death in a ghastly motor accident on the 26th of July, 1994, This gave birth to the coming of the first female Chairman of the chapel in the person of Mrs Adejumoke Akinjiola.

At the expiration of her tenure, the OSBC Chapel was split into two so as to reflect the separate administrations we had then for the Radio & Television arms of the broadcast organization. Prince Ayoade Adedayo took over as Chairman for the TV arm while Mr. Sunday Akinwumi Adeniyi became Chairman for the Radio Arm.
When the Chief Bisi Akande administration merged the two separate administrations into one, OSBC NUJ reverted to its one chapter status. Prince Ayoade Adedayo remained the Chapel chairman of a re-merged OSBC NUJ, especially because his then Radio counterpart had left the services of OSBC and had re-located. As Chairman Prince Adedayo later handed over to Mr. Bamidele Salam, when the former contested and won election to become Chairman of the State Council of the NUJ. Upon Mr Bamidele Salam being appointed the Media Assistant to the then Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola in 2003, Pastor Babatunde Oguntomi became the OSBC NUJ Chapel Chairman. He later handed over to Prince Olusola Ajiboye, who also later handed over to Mr Babatunde Fanawopo. Alhaji Oluwatoyin Yusuf, took over from Mr Fanawopo, while Late Mr. Tunde Adeyemo succeeded Alhaji Yusuf. The death of Late Adeyemo paved way for Mr Nathaniel Oyegoke to become Chairman of the chapel. Nathaniel Oyegoke handed over to the Incumbent chairman exactly a year ago.Comrade Lateef Agboola as the sitting OSBC NUJ Chairman is the 12th person to run the affairs as Chairman.

HARD WORKING LEADERS
It is pertinent to note that the respective administrations of our past leaders, from 1992 till 2023, were all very eventful and great performers on all fronts. Their tenures witnessed infrastructural developments. The welfare of members was also on their mind at all times. OSBC is unarguably the only chapel in Osun State Council of the NUJ with a befitting Secretariat, which is popularly called the Pen-Resource Centre. We are also the chapel that has a modern Digital Library, which is named after the Olowu of Kuta Kingdom, Oba Adekunle Oyelude Tegbosun, CON, who is our very great benefactor.
These are all great infrastructural efforts. Succeeding administration of the chapel take collective credit for them all.

AS WE CELEBRATE
As the NUJ, OSBC Chapel rolls out the drums for its 2024 Pen-Week celebrations,our focus is on our past heroes. We call on all our invited guests and friends of our chapel to keep a date with us all through the week, especially on Thursday, September 26, 2024, when the Olowu of Kuta Kingdom would be the Royal Host and the Olororuwo of Ororuwo, Oba Qamarudeen Adeyemi Adeyanju Alawode IV, will be the Royal Father of the day.
DIG Gazali Adewale Lawal (Rtd) is Father of the Day, while a US based Tech Expert, Prince Saheed Olalekan OYETUNDE will Chair the occasion.

The Special Adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke on OSBC Matters, Dr Femi Adefila; the Chairman, Board of Directors, Engineer Mayowa Olosho; the Director General/Permanent Secretary of OSBC Conglomerate, Mrs Jolaade Igbaroola and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Barr.(Mrs) Abimbola Babatunde are all Chief Hosts for the occasion.

The 2024 edition of the NUJ, OSBC Chapel’s Pen Week is not just an annual celebration, it’s the celebration of our past to serve as a challenge to the present and a hope for future generations of Pen Pushers. E wa e jeki a jo se e!

Lateef Agboola is the Chairman of NUJ, OSBC Chapel