The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council, Comrade Abdulgafar Alabelewe, has reaffirmed the media’s commitment to promoting peace, dialogue and development in Kaduna State and the wider North.
Speaking at the 2025 NUJ Press Week Public Lecture and Award Ceremony held on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at BAFRA Hotel, Kaduna, Alabelewe described the annual Press Week as a critical platform for strengthening professionalism, democratic engagement and collaboration between the media, government and society.
The event, which attracted top government officials, security chiefs, media executives and stakeholders, featured a public lecture themed “Media and the Kaduna Peace Model: Strengthening Dialogue, Security and Development in the North.” According to the NUJ Chairman, the theme was deliberately chosen to align with the peacebuilding efforts of the Kaduna State Government under Governor Uba Sani.
Alabelewe noted that journalists play a strategic role in shaping public opinion and fostering unity, adding that the noticeable improvement in security across frontline local government areas justified the projection of the Kaduna Peace Model as a viable framework for other states in the North-West and North-Central regions.
He expressed confidence that the keynote address by Governor Uba Sani and the public lecture delivered by the Guest Speaker, Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman (rtd), would further illuminate pathways to sustainable peace in Northern Nigeria.
The NUJ Chairman also commended the Kaduna State Government for creating a conducive environment for media practice, describing the administration’s respect for press freedom as a positive departure from past experiences. He disclosed that, in recognition of Governor Uba Sani’s commitment to democratic values and media freedom, the NUJ National Leadership resolved to confer on him the honour of Grand Patron of the NUJ Kaduna State Council.
However, Alabelewe drew attention to key challenges facing the Union, including the deteriorating condition of the NUJ Secretariat allocated in the early 1980s. He appealed to the state government for assistance in renovating the facility and facilitating the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy to secure the property.
He further highlighted the Union’s logistical constraints, particularly the lack of operational vehicles, which have hindered statewide project tours and participation in national engagements. He appealed for the provision of a shuttle bus and an official vehicle for the Council Chairman.
The NUJ Chairman concluded by congratulating the award recipients honoured at the ceremony, urging them to continue contributing to the development of Kaduna State and Nigeria at large. He reaffirmed the Union’s readiness to partner with the government and other stakeholders in building a peaceful, united and prosperous Kaduna State.