About NAWOJ

The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) was formed in September 1989 to serve as a rallying point for female Journalists in Nigeria.

 

The birth of NAWOJ was the result of a struggle by a group of concerned women journalists, who saw the need for a gender focused association to meet the yearnings and aspirations of practicing female Journalists in a male dominated profession, and to gain adequately required recognition for women in the Journalism profession.

 

The effort was initiated by the pioneer President of NAWOJ, Mrs. Brenda Akpan and few female Journalists, with the support of some of their gender sensitive male counterparts during the George Izobo’s led tenure as National President of the NUJ.

 

NAWOJ was formed as affiliate of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), constituent on the provisions of Article 10, on affiliations, sub section I(b), that “the union shall take notice and deem Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria and the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), etc as its affiliates”.

 

Professionally, NAWOJ is an umbrella organization for all female Journalists in Nigeria with the aim to cater for their career interests in terms of training towards professional interests. It is also a non-governmental organization (NGO), saddled with the social responsibility of promoting the welfare and interests of women and children in the society.

 

The first and pioneer President of the association, Dr. (Mrs.) Brenda Akpan, handed over to Mrs. Hannatu Musa, who also handed over the mantle of leadership to Mrs. Moji Makanjuola. Mrs Kande Daniel took over from Mrs. Makanjuola and passed the baton to Evelyn Onyilo and subsequently Mrs. Toro Oladapo came on board. Alhaja Fatimah Abdulkareem was the seventh president following her election on August 26, 2007, at a Delegates Conference, which took place in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Another Triennial Delegates Conference in Kano in January 2011 brought Asabe Baba Nahaya into office, and in 2014, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Omowole took over at a Delegates Conference in Badagry, Lagos. Omowole was re-elected National President in 2017 at a Delegates Conference in Benin City, Edo State, becoming the first National President of NAWOJ to have done a second term of office. In November 2020, Ladi Bala was elected as National President at a Triennial National Delegates Conference in Minna, Niger State.

NAWOJ National delegate conference was held in Abuja on the 25th of November 2023, and Aisha Ibrahim K Bura emerged as the National Chairperson of the association