By Correspondent in Abuja.
Organisers of the 17th All Nigeria Editors’ Conference say all is now set for the event which starts on Thursday with Publisher of Premium Times, Dr. Dapo Olorunyomi; Editors-in-Chief of LEADERSHIP Newspaper, Azu Ishiekwene and the Minister of Works, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.
The President,Nigerian Guild of Editors(NGE), Mustapha Isah and the Secretary, General,Iyobosa Uwugiar, disclosed this in Abuja, in a statement they signed and a copy made available to The Reporters on Tuesday.
According to them, the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Malam Mele Kyari; Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, and other security chiefs have been scheduled to lead discussions at the conference.
The two officials added that some state governors with security challenges, including Dr.Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); Malam Nasiru El-Rufai (Kaduna); Alhaji Yaya Bello (Kogi); Seyi Mankide (Oyo); Alhaji Bello Matawalle (Zamfara); Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum (Borno), and Chief David Nweze Umahi (Ebonyi) had also been scheduled to be part of the conversation.
They further said:”Others state governors expected at the event include, Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN (Ondo); Adegboyega Oyetola and others
“The conference with the theme, ‘’Media in Times of Crises: Resolving Conflict, Achieving Consensus’’, will bring together editors and media owners across the country, as well as their foreign colleagues to discuss the security challenges in the country and agree on the solution to the raging strife.
“The conference, which is being supported by corporate organisations, including Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), United Bank for Africa (UBA), Glo, Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Air Peace and Trustfund Pensions Limited, the conference”, will take place at the Nigerian Airforce Conference Centre, Kado area of Abuja.
“Other promoters are Nigeria Deposit Insurance Company (NDIC), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Yobe State government.”
Isah and Uwugiar said that Oloruyomi,an accomplished internationally acclaimed investigative journalist and journalism teacher, would give the keynote address that would be discussed by security chiefs, including Monguno; Irabor; Director-General, Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Yusuf Bichi; and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Usman Baba.
The NGE executive members also revealed that Kyari would be the Special Guest of Honour, while the President, Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Malam Kabiru Yusuf, would be the Guest of Honour.
‘’A doyen of the media, Mr. Ray Ekpu, would chair the opening session with Fashola and others, including President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Chris Isiguzo and foreign ambassadors giving goodwill messages.
‘’Besides the opening session, the conference would have three others; the second session for the Day 1 of the conference has a paper titled, ‘’Conflict Reporting: The Editor as a Mediator’’, to be delivered by the Editor-in-Chief, Leadership Newspapers, Mr. Azu Ishiekwene.
‘’The paper would be discussed by the Editor-In-Chief, 21st Century Chronicle, Dr. Mahmud Jega; Director-General, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Mr. Mansur Liman and another leading journalist, Mr. Emmanuel Yawe. A Noted broadcaster, Ms. Kadaria Ahmed, would chair the session’’,the two officials said.
The organisers said morning session of the Day 2, being October 22, would have the Managing Director, Nigerian Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agriculture Lending (NIRSAL), Mr. Aliyu Abdulhameed, presenting a paper, ‘’Accessing Capital for Alternative Career Development for Editors.’’
“Discussants at the session to be chaired by the Managing Director/CEO, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, are former NGE President, Mrs. Funke Egbemode; Managing Director of New Telegraph Newspapers, Mr. Ayodele Aminu; and Executive Director (News), FRCN, Mr. Sani Suleiman.
“The afternoon session with the theme, ‘’Security Challenges: Recovering Lost Grounds’’, which the statement explained, would be attended by state governors, will be chaired by the Minister of Defence, Maj-Gen. Bashir Magashi,retired, according to them.
“The conference is to be rounded off in the evening with the induction of new fellows and members of the Guild
“Over 300 editors and media owners – from print, broadcast stations and online newspapers have registered for this year conference,” the president and secretary general stated.
