BY NKECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR—Nigeria has accepted to host the maiden meeting of the African bloc of the National Committees of the International Press Institute (IPI).
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mallam Mohammed Idris, gave the indication during a meeting at the weekend in Vienna, Austria, with the Chairman of the IPI Executive Board, Mr. Marton Gergely, the IPI Executive Director, Mr. Scott Griffen, and IPI Executive Board Member representing Nigeria and Africa, Mr. Raheem Adedoyin.
The IPI Board had, on Thursday, approved the creation of regional blocs of National Committees as a means of dealing with specific regional interests within the global IPI community.
Speaking during the meeting, the Minister said “Nigeria agrees to host the maiden meeting of the African bloc. It is a great honour for us to lead as we always do.”
Idris recalled that Nigeria successfully hosted the IPI World Congress and General Assembly in Abuja in 2018, adding that the country “is ready for another world-class hosting.”
Although no date has been fixed for the meeting, Mr. Griffen disclosed that the IPI Secretariat in Vienna will work out the details with Mr. Adedoyin and the IPI Nigeria National Committee.
Chairman of the IPI Executive Board, Mr. Gergely acknowledged that Nigeria is a leading light in democratic governance with a free press.
Similarly, the IPI Executive Director, Mr. Griffen praised the Nigeria National Committee for its robust press freedom engagements.
During his discussions with the IPI leadership, the Minister also raised the lingering quest of the IPI Nigeria National Committee for IPI’s assistance to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) in Ogba, Lagos.
He recalled that NIJ was founded by the IPI in 1971 during the board presidency of the late Alhaji Lateef Jakande, and noted that its Governing Board is currently chaired by IPI leader and former Ogun State Governor, Aremo Olusegun Osoba.
The Minister, a leading member of the IPI, was a registered participant at the just-concluded IPI World Congress and 75th Anniversary held in Vienna.
The Nigerian delegation at the Congress included Board Member, Raheem Adedoyin; IPI Nigeria President, Musikilu Mojeed; former Presidential Spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu; Associate Professor of Mass Communication and Adviser, Public Communication, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Dr. Fabian Benjamin; Chief Press Secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, Mallam Rafiu Ajakaye; CEO, Patrons Media/The Culture Newspaper, Mr. Steve Ayorinde; Professor of Mass Communication and Member of the IPI Nigeria Board of Trustees, University of Lagos, Professor Abigail Ogwuensi; and IPI Nigeria Legal Adviser, Mr. Tobi Soniyi.
