By Debo Adeoye, Ibadan, Nigeria
The drive by Comrade Raji Adebayo, Chairmanship candidate of the Divine Mandate Team in the December 9 Oyo State Council election of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), received a major boost over on Saturday as he sealed multiple international partnerships aimed at transforming the welfare and professional growth of journalists in Oyo State.
In what has been described as an unprecedented breakthrough in the history of the council, Adebayo concluded agreements with two multinational, foreign-based organisations, with several others already in advanced discussions. These partnerships are designed to create new revenue streams, skills development pathways, and long-term economic opportunities for journalists across the state.
According to details released by the campaign team, the partnering organisations will:
Provide specialised short-term training for hundreds of journalists, including those in government establishments;
Register Oyo State journalists with international bodies to enable them access global media markets;
Create opportunities for journalists to earn income in foreign currency through freelance, collaborative, and remote projects;
Help journalists develop, package, and commercialise creative ideas for sustainable additional income;
Guarantee royalty-based earnings for journalists even after retirement, through syndicated content and long-term intellectual property support.
Speaking on the development, Comrade Adebayo said the initiative represents a bold shift from traditional welfare support to a more sustainable, dignity-oriented empowerment model.
“What we are planning is to elevate members’ welfare to an entirely new level,” he said. “A unique level of comfort that will eradicate poverty from the newsroom and restore journalism to the prestigious, honourable and rewarding career it truly is.”
He added that the vision is to build a class of journalists who are not only financially secure but also capable of giving back to the union and contributing to the upliftment of the underprivileged.
“Journalism should not be a profession that impoverishes its practitioners,” Adebayo stressed. “We want to raise journalists who can donate meaningfully to their union, support society, and secure a reliable future for themselves and their families.”
He explained that the new welfare blueprint represents a shift from short-term palliatives, such as occasional bags of rice and food items, to an enduring model of global income empowerment.
“We are transforming welfare from temporary handouts to sustainable opportunities that can change members’ lives permanently,” he added.
With this new development, Comrade Adebayo has now secured three foreign-based partners committed to supporting the Oyo NUJ. Earlier, he had struck an agreement with an international medical organization to revive the union’s clinic through the supply of medical equipment and qualified personnel.
These foreign partnerships will complement the support of six multinational companies in Nigeria, including leading pharmaceutical firms, already aligned with his agenda. Discussions are ongoing to bring more global institutions on board.
Meanwhile, Adebayo reaffirmed his commitment to the full implementation of his five-point agenda, which focuses on transparency, accountability, welfare, digital transformation, and continuous professional development. He disclosed that a committee of professional experts is currently working on strategy development for the seamless execution of each component of the agenda.
“We are approaching this with seriousness and structure,” he said. “Our experts are dissecting and refining the implementation methods to ensure every member benefits and no one is left behind.”
Comrade Adebayo’s latest milestone has positioned him as the front-runner in the race, with growing confidence among journalists that his agenda could usher in a new era of prosperity, professionalism, and global relevance for the Oyo NUJ.
