For the 1986 Diploma class of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Easter Monday, 2025, will remain memorable for a very long time.
It was our first physical meeting since completing the two-year professional training programme, which gave us the platform to spring higher in journalism practice and other endeavours.
At the reunion, held at Adna Hotel, GRA Ikeja, Lagos, nine of us were physically present, while eight (including our English lecturer, Chief Adedayo Ojo ) virtually joined. Time zone, work schedule and other factors were not to the advantage of many others.
And in the class of 90 students, we counted 13 who had left this earthly stage, and another five we couldn’t trace, but intensifying efforts to re-establish contacts. May our departed classmates continue to rest peacefully in the bosom of the Lord.
We had amazing time recollecting our time together at NIJ and projected into the future. The youngest among us will be 60 years old later this year, it was therefore an opportunity for us to finetune the welfare programme, which was robustly implemented until our country’s political situation impacted negatively on our togetherness in the buildup to the last presidential election.
Many of our members, who could not stay in the toxic environment that our WhatsApp platform unfortunately became, are returning. And we’re rolling out guidelines to ensure that there will be no further animosity, even as we will respect each other’s divergent views.
Kudos to the planning committee, headed by Sam Uko, who flew in from Akwa Ibom State purposely for the reunion. He initiated this reunion and drove it as if his life depended on it.
Uko had committed members in his team – Gbenga Onayiga, Frank Jumbo and Muyiwa Akintunde (the class captain).
It’s a bright new day for NIJ’86. And more programmes are in the works, to be unveiled soon.
