By Musa Inuwa (Niger State Correspondent)

An aspirant for the 10th Triennial Delegates Conference of the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) slated for Friday and today Saturday (13th -14th November, 2020) in Minna Niger state, Chinwendu Nnadozie, has commended the National Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) for stepping in to end campaign of calumny and character assassination amongst contestants.

Nnadozie who is contesting for National Internal Auditor in an interview said as a victim of character assassination from her opponent who tried to tarnish her image using a proxy in one of the platforms described the intervention of the NUJ not only as timely but will bring about the birth of a new NAWOJ.

“I was really not happy when I saw somebody disdainfully mentioning my name in one of the platforms that today people still play politics of character assassination instead of showcasing or marketing to their audience what they have to offer NAWOJians if given the mandate”.

Nnadozie stated that"Maybe the person believes that running me down would earn her desired victory, is destroying someone’s image come that cheap, she queried. Why would someone waste quality time running down opponents forgetting that it is only God that gives power and authority to whomever he deserves?

Nnadozie also said, “I already reported the matter to the zonal Vice President of NAWOJ and NUJ respectively and I believe they will not allow candidates who play such dirty politics of running opponents down to cause bad blood get away with their evil mindsets”.

Speaking on why she wanted to be part of the incoming NAWOJ exco, Chinwendu Nnadozie said she has a lot to offer NAWOJ at the national level, haven meritoriously served as Vice Chairperson Niger state chapter.

“I am a firm believer in team work to succeed in any organization, association of whatever platform I find myself, NAWOJ inclusive. I was then the second in command but I wasn’t waiting for or thinking, oh, I must wait for the chairperson, Hajiya Binta to do this or that but as a team we worked hard to add value to NAWOJ in Niger state”.

Nnadozie said she is ready to work with any of the four Presidential candidates that will emerge in the tomorrow’s election, because ‘it is all about NAWOJ and what we can do to make it better than what it is or to contribute our quota just as the outgoing exco have done theirs’.

According to her, “Being an Auditor goes beyond auditing the finances and properties belonging to the association, I can offer useful advice that would help NAWOJ grow from what it is today by way of changing some of the ways we do things as a family of women journalists”.

“The outgoing NAWOJ national executive led by, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Omowole, have done their best to keep the association going it is today. They have contributed their own quota and I believe if it pleases God that I become part of the incoming executive, I will also contribute my own quota”.

On qualities expected of leaders, Nnadozie said the reasons why some leaders fail is because they lead not according to the expectatios of the people who voted for them.

"To me leadership, being voted to power or occupying positions of authority should be about; you knowing what the problems are, ready to see such problems as if they were yours, think of how to solve the problems even if you can't, try. Let the people know and see you trying to work out answers to the problems they have".

According to Nnadozie, "If we all contestants sincerely see that there is a vacuum in NAWOJ we have identified, and able convince majority of the members (delegates) know that they (candidates) have what it takes to fill such vacuums, and vote for them, then we're good to go".

She prayed God to grant all NAWOJians and key stakeholders from the east, west, north and southern part of the country coming to Minna for the 10th triennial delegate conference journey mercies to and from Niger state.

“My prayer is that God grant every individual coming for this triennial delegates conference accident free, not distractions on the highways and that they should enjoy the peace and good things of Niger state and again, journey mercies as they go back to their respective destinations”. NNL.