IPI Nigeria, the local chapter of the International Press Institute, has formed standing committees by appointing prominent figures in the Nigerian media to advance press freedom and ethical journalism in the country.
These appointments were announced in a statement released on Sunday in Abuja by IPI’s secretary, Ahmed Shekarau.
According to Mr. Shekarau, the committees – Fundraising, Programming, Advocacy, and Membership – are composed of experienced professionals from the media industry.
He noted that “notable appointees include the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; Garba Shehu, former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity and past President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE); Funke Egbemode; Emma Agu, former Managing Director of Champion Newspapers; and Gbemiga Ogunleye, former Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism.”
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Shekarau further detailed that the Fundraising Committee will be headed by Ms. Egbemode, with Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operations at The Nation, serving as Secretary. Other members include Idris, Juliet Bumah (Editor, New Telegraph), Shehu, Ken Ugbechie (publisher of Political Economist), Victoria Ibanga (publisher of The Next Edition), Olufunke Fadugba (Chairman of the Editorial Board of PenPushing Media), and Ogunleye.
The Programming Committee will be chaired by Oladotun Oladipo, Managing Editor/CEO of Premium Eagle Limited, publishers of The Eagle Online, and its Secretary will be Hajia Sani, Director of Digital Media at the Voice of Nigeria (VON). Other members include Zainab Okino (chairman of the Editorial Board of Blueprint), Dayo Aiyetan (Executive Director at The International Centre for Investigative Reporting, ICIR), Catherine Agbo (Deputy Editor, 21st Century Chronicle), Emma Agu, and Ahmed Shekarau (CEO, Media Trust Group).
The Advocacy Committee will be chaired by Tobi Soniyi, Media Adviser to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), with Ochiaka Ugwu (Editor, Features, Peoples Daily) as Secretary.
Its members include Sule Ya’u Sule (Associate Professor at Bayero University Kano), Danlami Nmodu (Publisher of Newsdiaryonline), Laide Abbas (Assistant Director, News, Nigeria Television Authority, NTA), David Ajikobi (Nigerian Editor of Africa Check), and Fred Ohwahwa (former Editor at The Guardian and Senior Partner, Tokee Consult Limited).
The Membership Committee will be chaired by Ruqayyah Aliyu (Associate Professor at Bayero University Kano), with Linda Kpum, IPI Nigeria’s Administrative Secretary, serving as Secretary.
Its members are Fidelis Mbah (Al Jazeera Media Network and Deputy President of IPI Nigeria), Naziru Mikailu Abubakar (PhD Fellow at the University of Westminster, United Kingdom), and Bolanle Ismail (Lecturer, Crescent University, Abeokuta).
The secretary explained that each committee has specific key responsibilities.
The Fundraising Committee is tasked with planning and executing fundraising activities to support IPI Nigeria’s programs.
The Programming Committee will design initiatives and develop programs aligned with IPI Nigeria’s objectives.
The Advocacy Committee will provide strategic direction for IPI Nigeria’s advocacy efforts, promoting press freedom and engaging public officials on policy issues.
The Membership Committee will focus on attracting new members, assessing their qualifications, and enhancing member engagement.
IPI Nigeria’s President, Musikilu Mojeed, was quoted as saying that “the reconstitution of these committees aims to accelerate efforts in safeguarding press freedom and promoting responsible journalism practices in Nigeria.”
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