The Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU) has honoured the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi, with its Golden Era Pillar of Critical and Strategic Intelligence for National Development Award as part of activities marking the union’s 50th anniversary.
The presentation took place on Thursday in Abuja during a visit by RATTAWU’s national leadership to the DSS headquarters, where both organisations also held discussions on media, security and strategic collaboration for national development.
The recognition comes as RATTAWU celebrates five decades of representing workers across Nigeria’s broadcasting, theatre and arts sectors while highlighting individuals and institutions it says have made significant contributions to national development.
Award presented during anniversary activities
The delegation was led by RATTAWU National President Emeka Kalu, who said the honour formed part of the union’s Golden Jubilee recognition programme.
According to Kalu, the award was created to acknowledge outstanding contributions in areas including national security, democracy, culture and Nigeria’s overall development.
He described Ajayi’s appointment as DSS Director-General in 2024 as an example of placing experienced professionals in strategic national positions.
During the presentation, Kalu praised the intelligence agency’s role in protecting Nigeria’s national interests and responding to increasingly complex security challenges.
He argued that the country’s evolving security landscape requires capable leadership and strong intelligence coordination.
Union highlights DSS role in national security
Kalu said the union considered the work of the DSS particularly important at a time when Nigeria continues to face multiple security challenges.
He pointed to the agency’s responsibilities in intelligence gathering, protecting critical national interests and supporting broader security operations across the country.
The RATTAWU president also referenced emerging technological threats as one of the reasons intelligence institutions have become increasingly important in national security planning.
According to him, recognising officials serving in strategic institutions encourages professionalism and reinforces the importance of competent public service.
The award, he said, was intended not only to recognise Ajayi personally but also to acknowledge the broader contribution of intelligence institutions to national stability.
Ajayi expresses appreciation
Responding after receiving the honour, DSS Director-General Oluwatosin Ajayi thanked the union for the recognition.
He described the award as an encouraging gesture that would strengthen his commitment to carrying out the responsibilities entrusted to him.
Ajayi said the recognition also reflected support for the work of the Department of State Services as it continues performing its constitutional responsibilities.
While accepting the award, he indicated that the honour would further motivate both him and the agency to remain focused on serving the country.
Security and media engagement
Beyond the award presentation, the visit also included discussions described as a media-security critical engagement and strategic partnership meeting.
The meeting reflected growing recognition of the relationship between security institutions and media organisations in addressing issues affecting national development.
RATTAWU’s leadership said the engagement was designed to encourage greater cooperation between the media sector and security agencies.
Such engagements have become increasingly relevant as issues including misinformation, digital security, public communication and conflict reporting continue to shape discussions about national security.
Although details of specific agreements reached during the meeting were not immediately disclosed, both sides presented the interaction as an opportunity to strengthen institutional collaboration.
RATTAWU’s Golden Jubilee celebration
The honour forms part of RATTAWU’s activities commemorating its 50th anniversary, a milestone marking five decades of representing workers in Nigeria’s radio, television, theatre and arts industries.
The union has indicated that the Golden Era recognition programme is intended to celebrate individuals and organisations whose work has had a significant impact on the country.
The anniversary provides an opportunity for the union to reflect on its history while recognising contributions across multiple sectors, including security, governance, culture and public service.
For RATTAWU, the award to Ajayi represents one of several efforts to acknowledge leadership considered important to Nigeria’s national development during its anniversary celebrations.
Recognition amid evolving security challenges
The award also comes at a time when Nigeria continues confronting security threats ranging from insurgency and banditry to kidnapping and cyber-related crimes.
The DSS remains one of the country’s key intelligence agencies, with responsibilities that include intelligence gathering, counterintelligence and protecting national security interests.
Kalu argued that recognising intelligence leadership during such a period was particularly significant because of the growing complexity of modern security threats.
His remarks linked effective intelligence work with broader national stability, suggesting that institutions responsible for early warning and information gathering remain central to Nigeria’s security architecture.
Symbolic significance of the award
While the award does not alter the operational responsibilities of the DSS, it carries symbolic importance as recognition from a national labour union representing professionals in the media and creative industries.
The presentation also highlights increasing interaction between labour organisations and public institutions outside traditional industrial-relations matters.
For Ajayi, the recognition represents public acknowledgement of his leadership since assuming office.
For RATTAWU, it reinforces the union’s broader message that national development depends on contributions from multiple sectors, including security, media and public administration.
As the union continues its Golden Jubilee celebrations, the award to the DSS Director-General stands as one of its notable recognitions of public service and institutional leadership in Nigeria.
