Media
NGE Seeks Blackout for Insurgents
The President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr Mustapha Isah, has called on media houses in the country to reduce the rate at which they publish activities of terrorists and bandits.
Isah made the call at the 17th All Editors Conference, 2021, held in Abuja yesterday,
The theme of the conference was “Media in the Times of Crises: Rising Conflicts, Achieving Consensus”.
The Guild President said the conference was an avenue for editors to come together and liaise with relevant stakeholders to discuss national issues and proffer solutions.
Isah further encouraged Editors to use their various media outlets in projecting the achievements of the gallant Nigerian military in the battle against insurgency.
He added “This forum has over the years provided news managers with the opportunity to put a searchlight on national issues with a view to proffering solutions.”
“The country cannot continue this way. The media have to be part of the solution and be at the fore front of the war against terrorism.
“I want to put a few questions out: should the media play the occasional successes of insurgents and bandits against that of our military? Shouldn’t the media deliberately give adequate publicity to our dedicated military against the bad guys?
“One thing I know is that terrorists and bandits need publicity to sustain their nefarious activities. Deny them those privileged activities and you would have crippled them,” Isah said.
Meanwhile, the President of Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigerian (NPAN), Mr Kabiru Yusuf, disclosed that the association was spearheading an initiative to find ways to stop the circulation of fake stories.
“In addition, to alleviate the various difficulties that have been posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to media organisations, especially the newspapers”.
Yusuf said the issue of importation of newsprints for newspapers and regulation of social media are some of the problems the association would be dealing with.
“We have a general ombudsman, a committee that will help the industry. The committee will have critical stakeholders, the media, the general public, politicians and the security agencies”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Yusuf was represented by the Secretary General of NPAN, Mr Muhammed Idris.
The Chairman of the event, Mr. Ray Ekpu, said to understand the insecurities bedeviling the country, we must first understand the causes.
Speaking, the Group Managing Director, Nigerian Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, decried the impact of insecurity on the oil and gas sector.
Kyari said oil and gas workers are targets of kidnap gangs around the country and so much money has been lost as ransoms to rescue kidnapped workers.
According to him, most of the communities around oil and gas facilities are communities of thieves, noting that they serve as hide outs for people who vandalize oil facilities and those involved in oil bunkering.
Kyari further assured of a new NNPC and better performance of the corporation in the coming years, especially with the advent of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIS).
“Today, as we all know, Nigeria is in an energy deficit. We import all our petroleum products. In the past several years, every attempt to salvage our refineries have ended up in one misfortunate or the other.
“There have been so many factors responsible for this. However, I can assure you that things have changed and so many things are about to change.
“For the first time in history, NNPC and its subsidiaries are allowed to do things the way they should be done.
“I can confirm to you that we will fix those refineries. We have started the process. Contractors have been mobilised and I promise they will be delivered soon. You will see what we will deliver before the end of the year.
Kyari said there was an ongoing energy transition and less focus on fossil fuel and more focus on renewable energy.
“However, we advocate for energy justice. There must be energy justice. This means that countries should be allowed to move at their own pace in line with their energy reality”.
Also speaking, Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, urged the Editors and media managers to play a greater mediatory role by entrenching a peace media system and building a culture of peace in today’s conflict-ridden world. (NAN)
By David Torough, Abuja
OurNigeria Magazine has announced plans for its 2025 OurNigeria Awards Ceremony, an annual event dedicated to celebrating Nigerians whose leadership, service and commitment to national development have made measurable impact across key sectors of the country.
The awards ceremony is scheduled to be held on Saturday, January 31, 2025, at 6:00 p.
m. at the Abuja Continental Hotel in the Federal Capital Territory.In a press conference by the magazine’s editorial board, Chairman of the Editorial Board, Dr. AK Peters, said the awards remain its flagship initiative aimed at promoting excellence, patriotism and positive national values, while recognising individuals whose contributions often go uncelebrated.
The theme for the 2025 edition, “Providing a Podium for the Unsung Hero,” underscores the magazine’s mission to spotlight Nigerians who have demonstrated courage, sacrifice and consistency in nation-building, frequently without commensurate public recognition.
For the 2025 awards, the magazine has selected three distinguished Nigerians for top honours. The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, will be honoured as Man of the Year, while Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, emerges as Governor of the Year. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has also been named Senator of the Year.
The organisers said the honourees were selected after a rigorous editorial assessment process, stakeholder consultations and a review of their leadership records, public service and national influence within the period under review.
The ceremony is expected to bring together key leaders from government, the private sector, civil society, the diplomatic community and the media, with the aim of celebrating exemplary leadership and inspiring renewed commitment to national service.
In addition, the magazine released a draft list of national awardees and special guests ahead of its 7th Our Nigeria News Awards scheduled for 2026. The list includes prominent political leaders, military officers, academics, civil society advocates, entrepreneurs and media professionals who have distinguished themselves in service, leadership and advocacy.
Among those listed are Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo as Minister of the Year, former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso for a Lifetime Achievement Award in Democratic Leadership, and Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji as Banker of the Year.
Several lifetime achievement and special recognition awards are also slated for figures in scholarship, interfaith dialogue, youth leadership, community service and public service.
The event is expected to feature high-profile dignitaries, including former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as Distinguished Guest of Honour, former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon as Father of the Day, and retired Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai as Chairman of the Awards.
Our Nigeria Magazine expressed appreciation to its media partners and stakeholders for their continued support in promoting positive Nigerian narratives and fostering a culture of excellence and accountability.
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Practicing Journalists in Kogi state have expressed readiness to partner with the State Internal Revenue Service on tax administration enlightenment and adequate publicity of its activities.
Chairman, Correspondents’ Chapel, Kogi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Segun Salami, gave the indication when he led his members on a visit to the Executive Chairman of KGIRS, Alhaji Salihu Sule Enehe.
Salami promised a robust collaboration with the agency in creation of public awareness on the need for all taxable citizens to embrace prompt payment of their personal income taxes.
“Our task as journalists is to assist the agency in meeting up with its target of revenue generation for Kogi government through our social responsibility duty of enlightening the people to key into regular and prompt payment of their taxes as when due
“Journalists also owe it as a duty to alert citizens on the need to contribute their quota towards the development of their state and the nation in general by meeting up with their financial commitment on prompt tax payment”
Salami advocated for quarterly media interaction with the agency as part of the partnership move in publicising its activities.
He commended the Executive Chairman and his management team for the resouding success so far recorded in generating more revenue for the state government to provide the needed democracy dividends to the people.
Responding, the Executive Chairman of the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, Alhaji Salihu Sule Enehe, expressed delight over the prevailing cordial relationship between his angency and practicing Journalists in Kogi since assumption of office.
He promised to sustain the feat in the interest of both parties geared towards achieving accelerated transformation of Kogi.
Enehe also gave an assurance that he would live above board under the partnership agreement which according to him would go a long way in improving the agency’s services of mobilizing resources for the development of the state.
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