Tension in the Oyo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) escalated on Wednesday as the Southwest Bureau Chief of Sunrise Times, Adebowale Adeoye, issued a blistering denunciation of a viral video featuring the Chairman of the BCOS Management Committee, Mrs. Dotun Olaitan.
Adeoye described Olaitan’s comments as “ reckless, destabilising, derogatory, inflammatory, defamatory and a disgrace to public office,” warning that her conduct represents “a dangerous injection of toxicity into a democratic process that has thrived on decorum for decades.”
The video, which spread rapidly across NUJ platforms, showed Olaitan speaking during a small campaign meeting where she launched an attack on the outgoing State Chairman of the Union, Comrade Ademola Babalola, accusing him of refusing to impose her preferred candidate, Olusola Oladapo, on the Union.
Adeoye, in a statement that resonated across the media landscape, expressed shock that a senior government appointee could “ descend into the gutters of divisive politicking, abandoning every code of ethics, maturity and leadership.”
“ Her utterances were not only false but dangerous,” Adeoye declared.
“ They are capable of poisoning the atmosphere, undermining confidence in the election, and assaulting the moral integrity of journalists across Oyo State.”
“ Why the desperation?” — Adeoye queries
Adeoye demanded an explanation for what he described as Olaitan’s “embarrassing desperation,” saying she appeared “ like someone contracted for a dirty assignment who, upon realising the assignment has failed, resorted to tantrums to justify collected money.”
He further accused her of issuing “ unprovoked insults” against the two other chairmanship candidates, questioning their antecedents despite having no moral basis to do so.
He continued:
“ This singular outburst has exposed Olaitan as someone shockingly detached from the progress of the Union. One of the candidates she insulted, Comrade Raji Adebayo, secured a ₦10 million donation for the Union during Press Week—yet she calls him irrelevant. Raji has raised millions for NUJ over several years, including during COVID-19. Where is Olusola Oladapo’s own record? What has he contributed in over fifteen years?”
Adeoye stated that only a person “ blinded by laziness, compromise or corruption” would ignore such facts while claiming superiority for a candidate who has yet to match such pedigree.
He added that several journalists privately alleged that Olaitan’s desperation may not be unconnected with “ financial inducements she allegedly received, ” saying her expressions in the video were consistent with someone “ trying to justify a poorly executed transaction.”
“ The NUJ is not anybody’s family estate” — Adeoye
Adeoye reassured members that the video cannot derail the process, asserting that:
“ The NUJ is not, and will never be, anyone’s personal property — not that of an appointee, not that of a politician, not that of any benefactor pulling strings from behind the curtain.”
He emphasized that the election will be decided solely by duly accredited delegates, not “shadowy agreements cooked in private corners.”
He urged candidates to remain focused, adding:
“ Our union’s moral foundation—built on decades of sacrifice, courage and honour—cannot be shaken by careless speeches or desperate actors seeking relevance at any cost.”
Adeoye demands public apology
Adeoye called on senior journalists, professional elders, NUJ veterans and well-meaning Nigerians to urgently call Olaitan to order before her remarks degenerate into full-blown conflict within the union.
He insisted that nothing short of an unreserved public apology to:
the outgoing Chairman, Comrade Ademola Babalola,
the two other chairmanship candidates, and
the entire NUJ family
would restore calm and safeguard the dignity of the union.
He warned:
“ Silence in the face of such misconduct is complicity. And complicity is how institutions decay.”
Commends NUJ leadership
Adeoye praised the NUJ National President and the Oyo Council Chairman for “ standing firm against manipulative pressures engineered by enemies of the democratic process.”
He concluded with a dose of philosophical reflection:
“ History teaches that truth outlives propaganda, integrity outshines noise, and the will of the people always defeats the will of the desperate. No amount of intimidation, fabricated narratives, or divisive rhetoric can derail journalists committed to a clean, credible NUJ.”
