As we bid farewell to the year 2025 and step with hope and renewed determination into 2026, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council, extends warm New Year greetings to all journalists in the state and to the good people of Delta State.
The year 2025 was, without doubt, a challenging one for our society and for journalism practice in particular. The nation grappled with economic hardship, social pressures, political tensions, and the growing menace of misinformation and disinformation.
These realities created a demanding environment for journalists, testing our resilience, professionalism, ethical standards, and commitment to the public interest.
For many practitioners, survival became a daily struggle, and in some cases, this pressure blurred the fine line between principled journalism and expedient reporting. While these challenges are acknowledged, they do not excuse a departure from the core values that define our noble profession.
Importantly, the adversities of 2025 also revealed opportunities. Many journalists and media organizations rose to the occasion, embracing innovation, digital transformation, investigative reporting, and solution-driven journalism. Their efforts reaffirmed that even in difficult times, credible and impactful journalism can thrive and contribute meaningfully to societal development.
However, as a professional body committed to truth and accountability, the NUJ must speak candidly. The outgoing year also exposed troubling lapses within our ranks. Instances of complacency, laziness, unprofessional conduct, overreliance on unverified sources, social media rumours, and copy-and-paste journalism eroded public trust and diminished the integrity of the profession. Journalism is not a vocation of convenience; it is a sacred public trust and a service to society.
Beyond content and competence, professionalism must also reflect in personal conduct. Journalists must consciously invest in self-development through training, research, and skill acquisition for greater productivity and relevance in a rapidly evolving media environment. We must conduct ourselves with dignity, discipline, and decorum, including proper appearance and dressing, because how journalists present themselves often determines how they are perceived and treated. The era of beggarly journalism must give way to confidence, integrity, and self-respect anchored on professional excellence.
In a democratic state like Delta, journalists owe the people accuracy, balance, courage, fairness, and accountability. We must be fair and objective to all, irrespective of tribe, religion, political affiliation, or personal association, guided always by facts, public interest, respect for leadership and the ethics of the profession. The media remains a critical pillar of democracy, tasked with holding leaders accountable, amplifying the voices of the voiceless, informing public discourse, and promoting social cohesion. When journalists fail in this duty, society is weakened; when they uphold it with courage and integrity, democracy is strengthened.
As we enter 2026, the NUJ Delta State Council calls for a renewed sense of purpose, discipline, and professional rebirth among journalists. The new year must mark a recommitment to ethical journalism, continuous capacity building, personal improvement, and a collective resolve to reject mediocrity while upholding excellence in practice.
We are optimistic that 2026 holds the promise of a better deal for journalism practice in Delta State, through stronger institutional support, improved welfare, enhanced training opportunities, unity within the profession, and uncompromising adherence to ethical standards. The NUJ remains committed to defending the rights of our member journalists while insisting on responsibility, professionalism and self-worth.
E-Signed :
Comrade Churchill Oyowe
Chairman,
Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ),
Delta State Council
Comrade Josephine Omodior
Acting Secretary,
Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ)
Delta State Council
