Journalists in Kogi on Monday embarked on a road walk to promote physical fitness, unity and networking.
The walk was part of activities marking the 2026 Press Week of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state.
It began at the NUJ Press Centre, passed through the Government House and Post Office, and returned to the starting point.
Journalists from various chapels took part in the exercise, which also gave members an opportunity to interact and strengthen professional relationships.
The NUJ Chairman in Kogi, Mr Seidu Ademu, said the Press Week had brought members together despite their religious and other differences.
“The beauty of it is that all members gathered together for thanksgiving on Friday at the mosque and on Sunday at the church.
“This indicates that members are in the spirit of the programme,” he said.
Ademu said the road walk was organised to promote journalists’ physical wellbeing and create opportunities for members to interact and network.
He said the activities showed that journalists in the state remained united despite belonging to different chapels and having diverse professional backgrounds.
The Acting Secretary of the NUJ in Kogi, Mr Samuel Atuluku, described the Press Week as an annual opportunity to review the union’s activities and chart a way forward.
“The Press Week is a period of stocktaking, a period to X-ray the activities of the union for the past one year with a view to charting a way forward,” he said.
Atuluku said the programme also sought to promote national unity, stressing that religious, ethnic and tribal differences should not divide Nigerians.
He said the union had organised religious activities, the road walk and a free medical outreach to promote members’ spiritual and physical wellbeing.
Momoh Adeiza, immediate past chairman of the NUJ in Kogi and vice-president of the union’s North-Central Zone, said he chaired the Press Week organising committee.
Adeiza said the annual event gave journalists an opportunity to assess their performance, identify shortcomings and develop strategies to improve their professional responsibilities.
“The mandate of a journalist is to inform, educate and entertain,” he said.
He said the road walk was designed to encourage exercise, noting that good health was essential for journalists to discharge their duties effectively.
Adeiza said a free medical outreach would be held on Tuesday, with doctors from the Federal Teaching Hospital and other agencies expected to conduct health checks.
“Journalists hardly create time for themselves; nobody is going to the hospital. Some of these underlying sicknesses, we don’t know on time,” he said.
He said participants would undergo checks, including blood pressure and blood sugar tests, while those requiring further medical attention would receive appropriate recommendations.
Adeiza added that the grand finale, scheduled for Wednesday, would feature a lecture on responsible election coverage and peaceful conduct ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said veteran journalist Dahiru Mojeed would deliver the lecture, while five people who had contributed to Kogi’s development would receive awards.
Earlier, Benjamin Abah, a journalist and chairman of the Press Crew to the Governor, said the activities had progressed smoothly since the religious programmes held on Friday and Sunday.
“Today, we are doing the road walk to prove to people that even as we are doing the work, we are aware that our health is important,” he said.
Abah thanked the state government, the Ministry of Information and other relevant agencies for providing an enabling environment for journalists to perform their duties.
He said government activities in infrastructure and human capital development continued to provide news opportunities for journalists in the state.
Abah urged journalists to maintain professionalism and document developments affecting society.
Faith Adike of MLC TV described the road walk as beneficial to journalists’ health and fitness.
“For me personally, it will build my immune system and make my body system very fit,” she said.
Adike commended the NUJ leadership for organising the Press Week, saying the annual event provided an opportunity to recognise journalists’ efforts and strengthen professional solidarity.
Becky Abutu of Radio Kogi also described the exercise as an opportunity for journalists to socialise, improve their wellbeing and strengthen relationships with colleagues.
“It is a wonderful thing being together as a team, walking together. It is also a way of socialising and getting to know ourselves better,” she said.
Abutu said the Press Week promoted networking and boosted journalists’ morale. She commended the organisers and participants for their collaboration.
Stephen Adeleye, a reporter, said the road walk gave journalists an opportunity to exercise, relax and interact outside their usual work routines.
He urged media practitioners to give adequate coverage to their professional activities, noting that journalists often promoted other organisations’ activities while neglecting their own.
“We promote activities of other ministries and agencies, but when it comes to our own, we are negligent and it is affecting us a lot,” he said.
Adeleye called for a change in attitude, urging journalists, particularly those in electronic and print media, to publicise NUJ programmes more effectively.
He also encouraged members of the public to attend Tuesday’s free medical outreach, stressing the importance of regular health checks.
The Press Week is expected to culminate in Wednesday’s grand finale, featuring a lecture, awards and reflections on journalists’ responsibilities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
