LOC Expresses Satisfaction with Preparations for IPI Congress

Raheem Akingbolu

The local organising committee of the 2018 edition of the IPI Congress in Nigeria has expressed satisfaction with the feedbacks they have received so far.

With the warm reception they received in all the places visited to galvanise support for the international media congress, they said the stage is set to use the gathering to give Nigeria journalists the necessary exposure and networking that would deepen professionalism.

The Vice Chairman of the committee, who also doubles as Chairman of Daily Trust, Kabiru Yusuf, who spoke at a meeting held in The Sun Newspapers, Lagos, called on head of government, especially governors to use their office to mobilise media personnel in their various states to attend the congress.

‘’As part of our reasons for visiting state governors and other head of government agencies is to plead with them to use their good office to mobilise media personnel in their domain to be part of this epoch making event. It is our belief that the gathering will give ample opportunities to local media practitioners to have a taste of what is happening around the world in practice of Journalism,’’ he said.

He however pointed out that the objective of International Press Institute to congress is not to provide platform for politicians, either the All Progessives Congress (APC) or People Democratice Party (PDP) to promote their parties or governments. He pointed out that the congress is not interested in local politics but in the affairs of the media and its management.

Corroborating this stand, a former Director General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Mr. Tonnie Iredia, who chairs the publicity committee of the LOC, commended various stakeholders for all they have done as a build up to the event.

To this end, he called on media houses and their proprietors to push further to let the world know about the congress. ‘’Much as I appreciate what our colleagues have done in the area of publicity, I think we can still do more, we should not relent until everybody in Nigeria know about it. It is also necessary at this stage to explore the social media by collaborating with bloggers and online news portals’’

Speaking to THISDAY on what the congress could do for Nigeria, Secretary of IPI Nigeria National Committee; Mr. Raheem Adedoyin said hosting the congress would provide the chance to showcase the best of Nigeria.

“It is in our interest to showcase the best of Nigeria, to showcase our democracy which is thriving and continuing, to showcase the fact that that Nigeria is a beautiful place to live in and that the country has the best of practitioners,’’

Adedoyin described the congress as a platform that would connect Nigeria and its businesses with the rest of the world.

‘’If you are part of this, it means you are a part of a global body. For the Nigeria brand, IPI Congress will be another great opportunity to prove to the world that things are not as bad as they appear to other global media. The event will also be a good positioning platform for businesses and brands in Nigeria,’’ he added

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