NUJ @70: Tinubu, Akpabio, Abbas, media icons, political heavyweights gather for landmark celebration

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will declare open the 70th anniversary celebrations of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on June 21, 2025, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.

The historic event, themed “Celebrating Seven Decades of Journalistic Excellence,” will bring together Nigeria’s most influential political figures, media veterans, technocrats and business leaders in what promises to be one of the most significant gatherings in the history of the Nigerian press.

The Deputy National President of NUJ and Chairman of the Organising Committee, Dr. Abimbola Oyetunde, disclosed that President Tinubu who will serve as Special Guest of Honour will be invested as Grand Patron of NUJ.

The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas who will deliver the keynote address are among the top dignitaries expected at the occasion.

Also to grace the event is the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi, who will serve as Chief Host.

Others expected include, former Ogun State Governor and veteran journalist, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, who will be Father of the Day, and the Chairman of Channels Media Group, Dr. John Momoh, who will chair the occasion.

As part of the anniversary, the NUJ will honour a distinguished list of public figures and professionals who have supported media development in Nigeria, including serving and former governors, as well as past Presidents and Secretaries of the union

Another major highlight of the event will be a lecture and the presentation of the book, “Bleeding PEN,” a landmark book authored by former NUJ National Secretary, Comrade Shaibu Leman.

The publication chronicles the often perilous journey of Nigerian journalists and the resilience that has characterised the practice of journalism in the country for decades.

Chairman of NUJ@70th Organising Committee, Dr Abimbola Oyetunde said the event is not only a celebration of institutional endurance, but also an invitation to recommit to the core values of responsible journalism, national unity, press freedom, and democratic accountability.