NUJ FCT Urges SOPTCAM’s New Leadership to Embrace Digital Innovation, Professional Excellence

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, has challenged the newly inaugurated executive of the Society of Practicing Television Cameramen (SOPTCAM), FCT Chapter, to prioritise professional development, embrace digital innovation and uphold ethical standards in broadcast journalism.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Abuja on Saturday, NUJ FCT Chairman, Comrade Grace Ike, described the emergence of the new leadership as a significant milestone for broadcast journalism at a time when the profession demands technical excellence, ethical practice, creative storytelling and digital competence.

She assured the new executive of the union’s commitment to collaborating with SOPTCAM FCT to strengthen capacity building and promote higher professional standards across the media industry.

Ike said the NUJ FCT Council was ready to support workshops, certification programmes, digital skills training and advocacy initiatives aimed at improving members’ welfare and advancing professional development.

She urged the new leadership to prioritise continuous training in emerging technologies, digital production and distribution, safety on assignments, visual ethics and multimedia storytelling.

The NUJ chairman also encouraged television cameramen to adopt digital workflows and leverage online platforms to create new opportunities for innovation, audience engagement and revenue generation.

She expressed confidence that the new executive would foster unity and deliver impactful programmes that would strengthen the association and the wider broadcasting community.

In his acceptance speech, the newly elected Chairman of SOPTCAM FCT, Mr. Ekundayo Femi, described the inauguration as a historic milestone, noting that it marked the association’s first democratically elected executive committee in the Federal Capital Territory.

Femi thanked the national leadership of SOPTCAM and the Electoral Committee for conducting what he described as a transparent, credible and peaceful election.

He said the new executive accepted its mandate with humility and a strong sense of responsibility, pledging to advance the welfare, dignity and professional standing of practicing television cameramen in the FCT.

The chairman unveiled a six-point agenda centred on professional training, members’ welfare and healthcare, discipline and ethical conduct, unity, transparency and greater visibility for the association.

“Our lens has captured Nigeria’s story for years. Now it’s time we focused the lens on ourselves,” Femi said.

Also speaking, the National Chairman of SOPTCAM, Comrade Olugbenga Adejuwon, urged members to approach television camerawork as a professional business by building strong personal brands, maintaining integrity, investing in quality presentation and producing stories that reflect Nigeria’s realities.

He also encouraged practitioners to establish professional digital platforms, honour contractual obligations, meet deadlines and continually improve their creative skills to remain competitive in the rapidly evolving media industry.

The inauguration marks the beginning of a new leadership for SOPTCAM FCT, with a renewed commitment to improving professionalism, enhancing members’ welfare and positioning television cameramen for greater relevance in Nigeria’s digital media landscape.