Follow Us on Google
Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ), Kebbi State Council, has distributed relief packages to families of journalists who died during their active service in the state.
The wife of Kebbi State Governor, Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, the General Manager of Labana Rice Mill, Kebbi State, Alhaji Abdullahi Idris Zuru, and the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Alhaji Mahmud Warrah, were among the important personalities that distributed relief packages to widows and children of the late journalists held at the NUJ press centre, Birnin Kebbi.
While speaking at the event, the wife of the Kebbi first lady described the distribution of the relief packages to the families of late journalists as “worthy of emulation”.
“This ceremony is worthy of emulation for not to forgetting your colleagues who had died during their active service in the state,” she said.
“I urge all of you to continue to relate with the family now that their breadwinners have gone. Life can be transient, people can easily forget people. But once you are relating with them, they would not feel alone.”
She commended Nigerian journalists for being on the front line during the COVID-19 pandemic, stressing that they are reliable stakeholders in the course of waging war against the novel coronavirus through educating and enlightenment of the general public.
In his remark, the General Manager of Labana Rice Mill, Alhaji Abdullahi Idris Zuru, noted that Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu was the first eminent personality to have attended the Kebbi NUJ Council’s distribution of relief packages to the families of dead journalists since the council commenced the programme five years ago.
Zuru said since the Council started, Labana Rice Mill has continued to support the event uninterrupted, stressing that the company would continue to partner with the Council to reach out to the less privileged.
“This is the first time calibre of people like Her Excellency, Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu will attend this programme. This shows your foresight and how determined you are to help the less privileged in society.
“Many people in the state have been giving good testimonies about you on how you have been helping people across the state. And how you have been educating the people how to prevent themselves against the COVID-19 spreading. We pray Almighty God to continue to be with you.”
Dr Bagudu also donated bags of rice and cash to the widows and children of the late journalists as well distributed bags of rice donated by Labana to the affected families alongside the Kebbi State Commissioner for information and Culture, Alhaji Mahmud Warrah.
Earlier, Chairman of NUJ, Kebbi State Council, Mallam Aliyu Jirjirma, in his remarks, explained that the idea of reaching out to the families of late journalists was conceived five years ago and the Council has continued the programme uninterrupted.
He commended the wife of the governor, Labana Rice Mill and other eminent Nigerians who have contributed to the success of the programme.
