A Trust Fund has been set up in honour of the late Nation newspaper judiciary reporter, Edo Sule Ugbagwu who was murdered by unknown assailants at his resident at Akonwonjo area of Lagos state April 24th last year.
The trust fund was set up by the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents. (NAJUC), Ikeja branch during the association’s first annual lecture.
The theme of the event “2011 election security of journalists; an imperative tool for free and fair election” was held at De Renaissance hotel at Alausa ikeja in honour of Mr. Ugbagwu.
Waheed Abdullah, the chairman of the Ikeja branch of NAJUC said the trust fund is meant to cater for those late Mr. Ugbagwu left behind and to appreciate his immense contribution to judiciary reporting in the country.
“It is wonderful to know that late Mr. Ugbagwu who has been looking up to God for a fruit of the womb now has a baby boy delivered by his wife after he was killed. The association opened the fund for his baby and we call on the public to contribute to the fund”Mr. Abdullah said
The issues of welfare and insurance packages for journalists were at the front burner at the event as the discussants at the event took turn to highlight the dangers journalists face in the country labeling them as “endangered species”
They added that the immense contributions of journalists to nation building are not appreciated and duly compensated.
Veteran journalist and human right activist Richard Akinnola urged owners of media organizations to take the welfare of journalists seriously.
“It is very sad that the media organizations do not provide the necessary welfare package for the journalists working for them, there is no insurance and they do not make available the tools the journalists need to work with. Their job makes it inevitable as they are on the cross fire and in the forthcoming election they will become targets . The critical thing is the welfare of these journalists; their insurance and welfare is very critical and should be taken seriously”Mr. Akinnola said.
Bamidele Aturu a Lagos based lawyer and human rights activist blamed the violence in the country on politicians and their do or die attitude to politics.
“the Nigerian state is a rental state and the political barons are the ones who sponsor their children, and family members in a bid for them to hold on to power, it is sad that no mainstream political party in Nigeria is progressive , the politicians are the killers and to halt this trend, we must go back to our values and bring back democracy to the people”Mr. Aturu said .
The younger brother of the late Mr. Edo urged journalists not to relent in their efforts to always publish the truth.
“I urged you not to be deterred as you go about your duties, always ensure that you publish the truth. We the family have committed Edo’s death to God, seeing that there is no justice in Nigeria”.
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