The governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Friday challenged mass media practitioners to take to the front burner of their media contents and context the need to promote and sensitise the tiers of government on the real practice of the principles of true federalism.
He said the strength of Nigeria lies mostly on the ability of the citizenry particularly those at the corridor of power to strengthen the principles of federalism.
Aregbesola stated this at government house, Osogbo while playing host to the national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists aspirant NUJ who paid him a courtesy visit in commemoration of the union’s 2018 Press Week organized by the Osun NUJ Council.
He asserted that the only sustainable antidote to end corruption and other societal vices is for the mass media to champion a massive campaign on the principles and practices of true federalism.
The governor who had earlier been honoured with the “Golden Merit Award In Unprecedented Infrastructural Development” by the leadership of the NUJ, said Nigeria would have gone beyond some of her challenges if the government had seen the need to popularize true federalism.
He added that the nation’s challenges would have been tackled had successive administrations taken the bull by the horn to propagate the tenets of democratic principles as being enshrined in the characteristics of federal system of government.
According to him, “I want to use this medium to challenge Nigeria media practitioners to get experts who will have a robust discussion on the issue of true federalism and assist our various leaders to see the advantages in the style of government.
“We need to educate ourselves on the issues of true federalism, there is no true federalism in the world where you have a three tiers of government being operated, running the three tier of government as it is being done in Nigeria is so unconventional.
“Africa as a whole and the black man needs Nigeria to succeed, we must all strive to save Nigeria and whoever wants to save Nigeria must ensure that we practice true federalism. Anything that will encourage true federalism must be promoted with every opportunity we have”.
Earlier, the National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhaji Waheed Odusile commended Governor Rauf Aregbeola on the developmental strides his administration has recorded especially in the area of infrastructural development.
Odusile who was represented by the Vice President “B” zone of the NUJ, Comrade Cosmos Oni posited that the educational intervention of Aregbesola remains the cynosure of all eyes that desired good things.
He lauded the education intervention of the Aregbesola’s administration, saying “the gesture has been noticed with the massive school buildings spread across the state.
Odusile therefore applauded the state government for creating an enabling environment for his members to practice their profession.
