Ogun NUJ @ 50: Yayi Pledges ₦50m Secretariat Fund, ₦10m Support, Utility Bus

Ogun NUJ @ 50: Yayi Pledges ₦50m Secretariat Fund, ₦10m Support, Utility Bus

By Tope Bankole

Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, has announced a total donation of ₦60 million and a utility bus to the Ogun State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to support its development initiatives and mark the union’s Golden jubilee anniversary.

Adeola, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ogun State for the 2027 election, announced the support on Friday during a courtesy and familiarisation visit to the NUJ State Secretariat at Iwe Iroyin, Abeokuta.

The senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Appropriations, said his commitment to the media and journalists in Ogun State would remain a priority, promising to sustain regular engagement with the media and provide updates on developments in the state if elected governor.

 Adeola unveiled his nine-point development agenda, tagged "ITESIWAJU",  covering education, healthcare, women and youth empowerment, sports, tourism, creative industries, new town development, agriculture and security.

He said his administration would seek to reposition Ogun State economically and infrastructurally, leveraging its industrial base and geographical proximity to Lagos promising to engage industries operating in Ogun State to create employment opportunities for qualified indi

genes, particularly at middle-management and other professional levels.

He added that many major industries operate factories in Ogun State, their headquarters and senior management structures are often located in Lagos, resulting in significant economic activities and tax contributions being concentrated outside the state saying he would encourage companies to establish regional offices in Abeokuta and create employment opportunities for Ogun indigenes.

He  emphasised to strengthen vocational and technical education by equipping graduates of relevant institutions with tools to establish businesses and become employers of labour expressing concern over Ogun State’s performance at the National Sports Festival hosted by the state, where Delta State emerged overall winner.

He pledged to revive sports development through an annual Governor’s Cup and the resuscitation of the state’s dormant football club to provide opportunities for young talents.

In agriculture, he promised to expand mechanised farming, provide equipment and establish an arrangement through which the state government would purchase farm produce from farmers after harvest.

According to him, the initiative would enable farmers to return to their farms promptly, encourage year-round cultivation and strengthen food security proposing the establishment of a State Security Trust Fund to provide modern equipment and logistics for security agencies.

He said funding would come from the state’s lottery earnings and contributions from industries operating within Ogun State pledging to respect local government autonomy, promising functional councils with operational independence from the beginning of his administration, if elected.

Adeola further proposed developing modern cities along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway corridor and other areas with available land, citing the need for planned urban settlements and improved infrastructure.

"My administration would work with the Nigerian Railway Corporation to explore connecting Ogun State corridors to Lagos rail lines for the movement of people and goods, I will introduce mass transit buses on major routes, including Abeokuta–Sango-Ota, Abeokuta–Sagamu and Abeokuta–Ilaro, supported by modern terminals and ticketing facilities", Adeola promised.

He commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for ongoing development projects in the state, promising to consolidate on existing achievements and sustain continuity if elected.

Speaking on the proposed NUJ secretariat, Adeola’s donation is expected to provide initial funding for the construction of a modern facility, celebration of Ogun NUJ, golden jubilee following the council’s longstanding appeal for a befitting headquarters.

Earlier, the NUJ Ogun State Council Chairman, Comrade Wale Olanrewaju, commended Adeola for his interventions in support of journalists and the union, as well as infrastructure projects facilitated across the state.

Olanrewaju disclosed that since assuming office three and a half years ago, his administration had executed 26 projects aimed at addressing the council’s infrastructural challenges and improving its operations.

He described the council’s previous condition as parlous and appealed for support towards the development of a permanent secretariat.

The NUJ chairman also expressed appreciation for Adeola’s contributions to the union and his willingness to strengthen collaboration with journalists.

The visit ended with Adeola’s induction as the NUJ Ogun State Council’s Golden Jubilee Ambassador and the presentation of an award commemorating the union’s 50th anniversary.