‘It wasn’t easy’ — CrispNG’s Ndidiamaka Ede bows out as UCJ-UNN president

Ndidiamaka Ede, Crisp Nigeria’s campus reporter and outgoing president of the Union of Campus Journalists, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UCJ-UNN), officially handed over to the newly elected president, Kenechukwu Onah, on Saturday, June 29, 2024.

The handover took place during the union’s first induction ceremony and website launch. The occasion featured speeches by invited guest speakers, the induction of over 100 members, the launch of the union’s website, and award presentations to guest speakers and student journalists.

The chairman of the occasion, Prof. Nnanyelugo Okoro, praised Ms. Ede and her team for their hard work and resilience in pushing the union forward. He said, “We thank Ndidiamaka and her team for what they have done. She has been resilient in pushing the union forward. It is time for you people to come up on stage and assume what belongs to you, and that is communication.”

He added, “I want to tell you that this union is more than what you can see. It’s beyond the Department of Mass Communication to the entire university community.”

In an interview, Ndidiamaka emphasized the responsibility that comes with leadership and the importance of continuity. She expressed gratitude to God for completing her tenure and urged the new executives to continue from where they left off.

She said, “Being the president of UCJ-UNN gave me the opportunity to make an impact.

My team and I, though we had nothing, tried all we could to make sure that everything was in order. We operated with principles of accountability, transparency, openness, and accessibility. It was never easy because sometimes frustration set in and reactions changed.”

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“We are all humans, and I understand that. The most important thing is that in the end, we always found a way through. Being a leader requires a little bit of authoritativeness and full liberalization. Though I operated more on democratic principles which allow everyone to air his or her opinion, it is now left for the members to see what we did for them and continue from there.”

She continued, “I want to thank God Almighty who has made it possible for me to successfully complete my tenure. I feel speechless, looking back from where we started. I would have given up so easily, but God helped me. I kept motivating my team, and I also thank God that they were always supportive.”

“Though I feel relieved to have handed over, it does not end there. Handing over does not mean I will forget the union; responsibility never ends. For me, responsibility only ends when you stop living. The passion is still there, so I still feel that I have some responsibility towards the union. I will still be there to help the union grow and offer advice when and where necessary.”

She further advised the newly elected executives to keep the fire burning and adopt a flexible leadership style. “My advice for them is that they should not allow the fire to quench in their hands. They should do everything possible to ensure continuity. I want that in the next five years, I will see the union competing with other campus journalists in UCJ in University of Ibadan, University of Ilorin, and University of Benin. I believe we have what it takes to be in the top category.”

The newly elected president, Kenechukwu Onah, acknowledged the challenge of filling the void left by the previous administration but expressed his determination to ensure continuity. He plans to build on the strong foundation established by his predecessor and expand the Union’s reach within and beyond the university community.

He said, “The immediate past administration has done a lot. When someone who ran before you has done so much, there is always that fear of catching up and possibly doing better. I knew from the start what was expected of me, which is to either run at the same pace as Ndidiamaka did or possibly increase the pace. My major aim is to ensure that whatever this present administration has started does not go into extinction. I will not cut short the expectations of making the Union grounded in the university community and beyond.”

“I already have a strong foundation; all I have to do is to build on it. I will start by getting the necessary equipment for our broadcasters and partnering with other media organizations to ensure that members are trained.”

By Kelechi Ogbu