The Oyo State Commissioner for Information Prince Dotun Oyelade, has advised journalists in the country to engage in meaningful fall-back ventures that will help them to be financially viable and less dependent during and after retirement.
The commissioner gave the advice on Thursday while speaking as the chairman of the Veterans Day organized as part of the 2025 Press Week of oyo state chapter of the Nigerian union of journalists (NUJ). held at the NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan.
Oyelade said such ventures would help journalists remain relevant and self-reliant after retirement and still keep their self-esteem.
He encouraged veteran journalists in the state to use their training and past experience to write commercially viable books that would further boost their earnings.
The commissioner cited examples of how he engaged in the writing and publication of books which enabled him to be financially and politically relevant after about five decades as a journalist.
He suggested the publication of a collective, well researched book on the unique personal experiences of members of the oyo state NUJ League of veterans and donated one million naira for the kick off of the project.
‘You have a story to tell. Don’t go to your graves without rewarding the world with your narration in the course of your sojourn in our beautiful profession ‘
According to the Commissioner, he expects the money, which is part of proceeds from his earlier books, to be fully deployed to the Veteran book project which should be launched with fanfare during next year’s Veteran Day Anniversary and the proceeds used to take care of veterans who contribute to the content of the book.
In his speech at the occasion, Chairman of the state League of Veteran Journalist, Mr Banji Ogundele, commended the commissioner for his advice and support to veterans in the state.
He further advised serving journalists to have alternative ventures and put quality educational training of their children as priority.
In his remarks, the outgoing state chairman of the state (NUJ) Chief Ademola Babalola, thanked the commissioner and the state government for their continued support for the NUJ in the past six years, urging that such should be extended to the incoming executives of the union.
Eminent journalists, including past chairpersons of the state National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) and past secretaries of the state NUJ were also honoured at the occasion for their contributions to the union.
