I will try so hard to make this piece as brief as possible my president. Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers’ Union (RATTAWU), the 25th union registered in Nigeria and the umbrella union of all broadcast media and cultural workers with over 30,000 members at some points was the toast of many other unions with huge influence that opens any door at any level.
It is sad to say that the union currently has less than 5,000 members and it looks as though the leadership and elders are not bothered about the massive depletion in membership and influence, especially in the last 8 years.
I’m sure I may not need to overstate the fact that the union is dying and a decisive pragmatic action must be taken to secure continuous existence of the union.
For instance, I can’t recollect seeing the picture of the President with any State Governor, or Minister in the last 8 years. State Council Chairmen used to have unhindered access to Governors in the past, when the value and goodwill of the union were impeccable.
As part of the elders of the union myself, having served at the CWC almost two decades ago, I wish to break this disturbing conspiracy of silence among we elders and make these few suggestions that may help restore the once glorious union back to its old glory:
- I’m sad that the incumbent President is from my trade group, being the first ever, is destroying the trade group much faster and with impunity than his media practiintioners’ predecessors. I am sadder that other trade groups may be tempted to conclude that this is the best Arts and Culture Trade Group has to offer. I will therefore suggest that the Arts and Culture Trade Group, of course against the wish of the iron fisted president, voice out their displeasure of the outgoing administration and lend their support to the other trade groups due to take over leadership. Otherwise, the entire Arts and Culture Trade Group may bear the brunt of Kabir’s high handedness when a media person becomes the President. Although the Trade Group Coordinator, my brother Com. Sadiq may not be able to champion that for obvious reasons, but wish other leaders of the Trade Group can muster courage to pull through a meeting to achieve such goal for the sake of the union. Virtually all of us in my set, especially those at the current CWC are retiring from active service in few months’ time, including the President, the Deputy President, the Trustee, the Treasurer (I think he has even retired) and most of the Vice Presidents. The more reasons younger ones should take over from the older ones who have little to lose if the union is destroyed. I will recommend, all Trade Groups should follow same trajectory, take their destinies in their own hands by finding a way to meet and select candidates that will represent them at the incoming administration rather than waiting for some few individuals to impose on them, selfish comrades, who will definitely not work for the interest of the trade group or even of the union as a whole when they get elected. For instance, there is a circulating rumour that a certain individual who is almost 60 years old is being rooted for, by the President as his successor. The daring part of this strange proposition is that the fellow is from the same Trade Group as Com. Dr. Yemisi Bamgbose who just handed over to the incumbent. That will be an affront on the two major Trade Groups, NTA and FRCN/VON who are presently the life wires of the union financially. I will plead with the President to rethink such move if it’s true, as such singular action can sink the union irredeemably.
- The union is going into a general election soon and as we speak, scores of chapters and State councils, including FCT are being led by appointed caretakers, who are not qualified to, be delegates, or nominate delegates to the quadrennial conference according to the Constitution and the Electoral Guideline of the union. In order not to create undue tension and possible legal battles after the election, all pending State Councils’ elections must be conducted before the NDC to allow true representatives of the people elect their delegates for the conference.
- There is a satanic rumour, an expansion of the one I mentioned earlier, which I wish is not true that the outgoing President is forming a team of his cronies with whom the union was and is still being ruined for 8 years as the incoming leadership of the union with warnings that nobody should contest against them. I wish to plead with all past presidents to quickly call Comrade Tsanni to order as such move could end the union. The national positions of the union have never being given as gifts to anyone in the past, it has been in a peaceful rotation among trade groups for decades. If not that it was the turn of Arts and Culture Trade Group in 2016 after 8 years each of NTA and SOBON Trade Groups in succession, there was no way anyone from Arts and Culture would have ever become the President of the union. That is the sad truth. All stakeholders should prevail on the current leadership to allow for a peaceful election.
- Members of the union from NTA and FRCN Trade Groups are leaving the union in drove, I was made to know because of the feeling that the union has become irredeemably damaged. This trend is particularly dangerous especially as at least 80% of what the union uses to run the Secretariat comes from these two eatablishments. Allowing membership from these Trade Groups deplete unabated means the union may be starved of funds, pretty soon. Most unfortunately, very few members of these Trade Groups are among the current ruling class and if the next administration should take similar shape, the entire Trade Groups may consider pulling out of the union citing marginalisation. We can all recollect that NTA technically pulled out of the union in 2017 with just a piece of letter to the IPPIS when the union increased deduction without carrying members along. I will recommend that the leadership of the union should interface with NTA and FRCN especially and properly integrate them into the next administration, otherwise the exit of either or both eatablishments may mean the end of the union.
- Inadequate and inconsistent NEC meetings may look like a way of the CWC and especially the President trying to evade critical discussions, but it will do more harm than good to the union. How can NEC members be in the dark regarding happenings and activities of the union for years? I was reliably informed that, there were only two NEC meetings since last NDC in 2021! This is a meeting prescribed to be held quarterly by the constitution. If the very custodians of the constitution are the ones desecrating it, how will punishments be metted out to members who run foul of the law? I will recommend that there should be at least 2 NEC meetings before the NDC so as to pacify NEC members being the highest organ of the union and integrate them properly into the activities leading to the NDC.
- Lastly, for the union to remain, we must get this forthcoming NDC right. And I give kudos to the past administrations, for the peaceful rotation of the presidency among the trade groups which has reduced strife and enmity among the union members. Comrade (Dr.) Yemisi Bamgbose particularly pacified contestants from other trade groups to step down for Com. Kabir Tsanni and Com. Mai Bukar being the turn of Arts and Culture to produce the Union’s President in Kano, 2016. In the spirit of fairness in the rotation of the leadership of the union, Com. Abdulhamid Dembos of NTA (1998 – 2008) having handed over to Com. Dr. Yemisi Bamgbose of SOBON (2008 – 2016) and now to the incumbent from Arts and Culture (2016 – 2024), it is only fair that competent and qualified hands be put forward by FRCN/VOV Trade Group to contest among themselves to produce the next president. This is in addition to the fact that FRCN remains the only Trade Group that has never been elected president of the union in over forty years!. Although when the union emerged from a merger in 1977, a comrade from FRCN, Com. Chukwu Ugbeahuru was appointed pioneer President but had to vacate the seat few months when the first NDC was held which threw the union into some years of crisis before it stabilized once again in 1983. Till date, the union has produced seven elected presidents, four from State Owned Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (SOBON) Trade Group, two from NTA Trade Group and only one, the incumbent from Arts and Culture. With only FRCN/VON Trade Group left to have never been elected President of the union. Meanwhile, since those of us from the north have agreed reasonably so, that the presidency should traditionally flip to the south, any of the three zones in the South can produce the next president. This is because South West has only produced a president in Com. Dr. Yemisi Bamgbose while South South has equally produced a president in Com. Aqua Etim Aqua. While South East as well has had an acting President in the person of Late Com. Chukwu Ugbeahuru. Whichever of the three zones that will be producing the President, it is instructive that FRCN/VON Trade Group or at worst NTA Trade Group should produce the candidates.
In conclusion, with these open facts, we all know that all hands must be on deck to salvage the union and to a very large extent, we all know the right thing to do, so that elders like myself would not be accused of looking away till the union was allowed to plunge itself into irredeemable crisis. Almighty Allah shall reward all our labour of love towards this union here on Earth and in Al-Jannah Firdaus if the works of our hands will take us there.
Yours in struggle,
Com. Illyas Habeeb Mubarak.
