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Tag: Editors

  • Editors seek repeal of anti-press freedom laws

    Editors seek repeal of anti-press freedom laws

    Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has urged lawmakers to make laws that protect journalists to guarantee freedom of the press.

    The Guild  called for the repeal of all anti-press freedom laws in our statutes.

    The editors stated this yesterday in a statement by its President Eze Anaba and General Secretary, Iyobosa Uwugiaren, to mark World Press Freedom Day.

    It said: “The Federal Government will fundamentally be promoting the enabling environment for media to operate responsibly if it adopts a law to protect persons who speak out on matters of public interest against abusive lawsuits meant to silence them.

    “The Federal Government should take a cue from the European Union and other democracies around the world, who have adopted similar laws to protect journalists and media houses against Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP suit).

    “More so, there are still many obnoxious and anti-media laws in our books that are targeted at journalists and media houses. The National Assembly  must take immediate step to repeal them.’’

    The statement added that “In line with the theme of this year’s  celebration, we believe that journalism and freedom of expression are crucial in the context of the current global environmental crisis.

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    ‘’Journalism and freedom of expression help in raising public awareness about environmental issues; holding power accountable; amplifying marginalized voices; promoting transparency and accountability; fostering public debate/engagement, and providing a platform for solutions’’.

    World Press Freedom Day is observed annually on May 3rd. Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993, this day helps to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom, assess the state of press freedom throughout the world, defend the media from attacks on their independence, and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

    The day also acts as a reminder to governments of the need to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression as enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It highlights the importance of a free, independent, and pluralistic media in fostering transparency, accountability and democracy.

  • Osoba, Amuka, Obaigbena, 300 others for 19th editors’ conference 

    Osoba, Amuka, Obaigbena, 300 others for 19th editors’ conference 

    • Tinubu opens event tomorrow
    • Eno is guest of honour 

    All is set for the 19th All Nigeria Editors’ Conference, which will begin tomorrow in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

    Vanguard Publisher Sam Amuka; former Ogun State governor, Aremo Segun Osoba; Chairman/Editor-in-Chief of ThisDay and Arise News Channel, Prince Nduka Obaigbena; and 300 editors are expected to arrive tomorrow for the annual conference.

    Governor Umo Eno will be the guest of honour at the event.          

    In a statement by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) President, Eze Anaba, and the General Secretary, Dr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren, the professional body of editors in Nigeria said the conference would be declared open by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while Osoba and Amuka will be the Father of the Day, and Chairman of the conference.

    The NGE said it had invited masters of economy and technocrats from global and local institutions to interrogate the economic situation in Nigeria, amidst several concerns over monetary/fiscal policy, missing gaps, and the role of the media executives/editors in resolving the challenges

    The NGE said the annual conference will also witness the launch of its Media Trust Fund, with a theme: Stimulating Economic Growth, Technological Advancement: Role of the Media.

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    “With few days to our annual conference in Uyo, Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, and many corporate organisations, like Nigeria Deposit insurance Corporation (NDIC), Nigeria Customs Service (NSC), and United Bank for African, have rallied support for the conference.

    “Other organisations that have also rallied support for the conference include the Delta State government, Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Dangote Group of Industires and many others that have also indicated interests to be part of the conference.

    “We are excited by the huge support that is coming in from many stakeholders in our economy. It is an endorsement of the conceived aim and objective of the conference: to rally all the stakeholders in starting a robust conversation aimed at resolving the nation’s current economic challenges,” the NGE added.

    The conference, which will also examine the Nigerian media sustainability and the existential threat by the Big Tech, as well as what the media ecosystem needs to do to arrest it, the statement said, is planned to remind editors and media executives that economic actors need accurate, credible and timely information to allocate resources judiciously.

  • Our Girls; 100; Promoted judges; Editors: Policies or politics?

    Our Chibok girls were kidnapped on April 15, 2014. Inexplicably our Dapchi girl, 15, Leah Sharibu is not released.

    More than 100 gallant officers and men of the Nigerian armed forces who were also our fathers, husbands, sons and brothers fell victim to Boko Haram’s unfathomably murderous ideology and evil ways. Add the Boko Haram’s kidnap of Gamdoru citizens numbering 50 with a very horrifying and emotionally terrorising uncertain fate as near-slaves, sex slaves and even become victims of staged televised execution. When will we take Boko Haram and other forces like Islamic State seriously war-like enough to adequately blanket the Northeast with adequate numbers of troops of the armed forces and compulsory garrisoning of every town and village and road in the area?

    Surely our government has already recruited the EU countries for satellite monitoring of the area to detect enemy troop movements with a view of counterattacking and even preventing attacks on our widespread civilian populations. Meanwhile, the herders/marauders raiding, ruining and murdering farmers nationwide and continues to cause havoc and create anxiety and looms large everywhere. It is difficult to say that the country is not in serious trouble. The question on everyone’s mind nationwide is – ‘what next, is anyone safe anywhere?’

    The very bad habit, now a ‘tradition’ of suspending the National Assembly, NASS, plenary whenever a member dies is a bad one, wasting the time and money of thousands who travel or otherwise have inconvenienced themselves to be present in NASS to meet a political person or otherwise interact. What is the cost of a suspending plenary? N10m, N100m? Another wasted day in Nigerian politics. The suspension of plenary over the death of the 44-100 soldiers in Metele, mentioned above is similarly in bad taste even if it is well meaning. A holiday is ridiculous at this time of national tragedy and major threat to Nigeria. What should have happened was a robust debate, a minute of genuine silence, continued work, a plan of action to support government in combating this murderous malevolent and well planned attack. NASS should suspend the ‘bad tradition of suspension of NASS on the death of any member’.

    There is a brand new Grand Egyptian Museum costing $1billion. Wow!!!  Meanwhile we in Nigeria have serial governments which cannot see the value in completing our National Library and our own museums decay and are still ancient refusing to become both ancient and modern.

    Elizabeth Ochanya, aged 13, raped to death, will not die in our hearts and minds but that is not enough. Justice must be swift and seen to be done. Too many open and shut cases stall with calculated delays and eventually slip through the cracks of justice creating the usual but unfortunately very well known injustice in our justice system. Indeed judges getting promotion should not be allowed to advance until they have disposed of all already started cases. Abandoning cases midway causing untold costs to both prosecution and accused and is a strain especially for victims and innocents and a stain on the reforms-in-progress judiciary. Similarly, now GE has withdrawn from the concession it applied for and won and fought for against the machinations of a noisy NASS for narrow gauge railway. What cost in time and money to the people of Nigeria using railways? More backwards and forwards with no progress.

    Our journalists and news review persons who review the newspapers every morning on radio and TV have regrettably fallen into the ‘Only Politics Matters’ Syndrome and largely ignore the other major non-political stories that really matter to the public. They have a duty to balance their commentaries and not give too much public space and time during press reviews to the trivial and sometimes disgraceful and well-choreographed political pettiness and tiffs which always dissolve into political nothing and reconciliation. So why waste time on them? Rather, after one political commentary, let them please put the people first and highlight real things that matter, also in the same papers.

    We see TV reviewers ignoring ‘real news’ items that matter to the majority in favour of ‘fake fights and make-up between politicians’ repetitively highlighted like the regular ‘Embrace Between Political Pythons’ or a ‘he-said-she-said’ all political trivia and gossip about political gladiators. The people and their matters must matter more to the newspaper editors and reviewers than political trivia designed to catch the eye and attention of gullible editors and reviewers. Politics makes us sick and dizzy with its backwards and forwarding. Who cares who politically stabs whom in the political back again and again? Politics is everything and nothing. In a society so abused by politicians, editors have the responsibility and the power not to create a political monster from over publicity.

    In the last couple of months before the election, editors of all newspapers have yet another opportunity, to naturally be abandoned, of direction wayward politicians towards the topics that really matter to all other Nigerians. Nigerian editors should seize the moment and produce front pages that matter to the citizen and the survival of the nation, and identify and use issues and real people news stories to push political personal stories sideways to force politicians to see and begin to debate the real news that will guide the politicians back to the old well-trodden but now discarded path of service to the people.

     

    • Uncover ‘I LOVE NIGERIA’ KNOWLEDGEABLE CANDIDATES for 2019 -SDG 16.

  • Editors urge politicians, security agencies to avoid intimidating voters

    Editors have urged politicians and security agencies to avoid intimidating voters for democracy to thrive in the country.

    This is part of the nine-point communique issued at the end of the 14th All Nigeria Editors Conference in Asaba, Delta.

    The communique was signed by Mrs Funke Egbemode and Mrs Victoria Ibanga, President and General Secretary of the Guild respectively.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Delta State Government hosted the conference attended by more than 400 editors.

    The conference participants deliberated on the theme “Credible Elections, Sustainable Democracy and the Nigerian media’’.

    The editors observed that elections in Nigeria were not built on truth and urged politicians to do away with the culture of winning at all cost so as to avoid electoral violence.

    They decried the level of insecurity in the country, stressing that the nation deserves more than rhetoric and political slogans on issues of citizens’ welfare.

    While commending the 91 registered political parties for displaying maturity during the party primaries, the conference also frowned at the allegations of vote buying by politicians.

    They urged the umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remain independent in its practice by allowing citizens’ votes to count.

    The editors also expressed the need for Nigerian journalists to intensify efforts towards sustaining investigative, balance and analytical reportage as these were being threatened by the emergence of the social media.

    “The conference challenged media practitioners to join in the mobilisation of Nigerians through unbiased reports to take collective responsibility in choosing leaders for the nation in the next general elections.

    “Editors, at the end of deliberations, agreed to defend the truth through professional practice,’’ the communique read in part.

    The Guild expressed appreciation for the presence of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the conference and thanked Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for the support towards the successful conference.

  • Editors: mace snatching an affront on democracy

    Editors yesterday condemned  Wednesday’s snatching of the mace at the senate by thugs, describing it as “an affront to or assault on our fledgling democracy.”

    In a statement by Nigerian Guild of Editors President Funke Egbemode and Secretary Victoria Ibanga, the NGE said:

    “On Wednesday, April 18, 2018, Nigerians watched in shock as yet another charade unfolded in the Senate with the snatching of the Mace in the Senate, the symbol of authority from the Red Chamber,  by alleged thugs.

    “Even more reprehensible is the confirmation by the Nigerian Senate that this dastardly act was perpetrated on the instruction of an elected representative of the people.

    “The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) condemns in very strong terms, any and every act that constitutes an affront to or assault on our fledgling democracy.

    “Such brigandage and acts akin to hooliganism, as was witnessed on Wednesday, run contrary to the concepts and tenets of the democracy that the Fourth Estate of the Realm struggled to enshrine in our country

    “The NGE, like other law-abiding organisations, agencies and persons across all strata, demand that the perpetrators be tracked, arrested and tried in accordance with the country’s constitutional provisions.

    “The NGE notes and commends the Police for swiftly responding to the emergent crisis. However, all security agencies are again enjoined to as a matter of urgency, renew their commitment and restrategise to forestall a recurrence, not only in the National Assembly but throughout the country.”

     

     

     

     

  • NPAN, editors, IPC slam EFCC raid on The Sun

    The Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the International Press Centre (IPC) Lagos-Nigeria have condemned the invasion of the premises of The Sun Publishing Limited by heavily armed operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the early hours of Monday.

    The fierce-looking operatives prevented workers of the organisation from either entering or leaving its premises and, in the process, disrupted the circulation processes.

    In separate statements, NPAN, NGE and IPC said they received the news of the invasion with grave concern.

    NPAN President Nduka Obaigbena’s statement reads: “Facts before the NPAN indicate that the EFCC operatives swooped on the newspaper in the early morning of June 12,  while Nigerians were commemorating the historic day of free expression, and  ordered  security men to take them on a guided tour of the premises of the newspaper.

    “The EFCC operatives subsequently prevented journalists and staff from performing their constitutional duties, and abridging their rights to free speech by preventing those who were in the premises from leaving, and others reporting for duty from entering the premises.

    “Although the EFCC  said they were there to enforce a 10-year old Interim Order of Forfeiture on the shareholding of Sun Newspapers, the editors of the Sun Newspapers said the EFCC officials were there on a vengeance and intimidation mission to settle scores on several stories published by the newspaper, including the alleged ownership of certain properties by the wife of the EFCC Acting Chairman for which the Acting  Chairman had threatened libel lawsuits.

    “Instead of lawsuits,  the EFCC operatives raided the newspaper offices to revive a 10-year old  Interim Order of Forfeiture that is already before an appellate court.

    “Given these developments, it is our considered view that the EFCC, being a state institution and a creation of the law, cannot be above the law: and the manner of the invasion tends to suggest that the EFCC was out on a self-help mission, a voyage to intimidate journalists, criminalise journalism  and cower free speech.

    “We should continue to remind ourselves that this crude tactics of invasion of  media houses and harassment of journalists did not work in the past,  is not going to work now, and will never work. It is unknown to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “We call on the Federal Government of Nigeria and all people of reason  and goodwill to call the EFCC to order for the greater good of the Federal Republic Nigeria and the rule of law.”

    NGE President Funke Egbèmode, in a statement, said the unwarranted siege to the company subjected workers to crude intimidation, psychological and emotional trauma.

    The EFCC, she added, had accused The Sun of publishing pro-Biafra, Boko Haram and Niger Delta militant stories.

    The statement reads: “The latest action of the EFCC on a newspaper house is a sad reminder of the dark years of military dictatorship and a deliberate effort to muzzle the press.

    “As a statutory agency birthed by an Act of Parliament in a democracy, we had expected the EFCC to explore civil means of addressing perceived infraction by a critical stakeholder in the Nigerian

    democratic project.

    “Rather than see the Fourth Estate of the Realm as an opposition, the commission should realise that the media is an indispensable partner in its fight against corruption.

    “The Guild notes that the latest affront on The Sun by operatives of the EFCC is one in a number of targeted attempts by a section of the nation’s security agency to gag free press. We recall the recent expulsion of Mr. Olalekan Adetayo, the State House correspondent of Punch Newspapers from Aso Rock by Bashir Abubakar, the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to President Muhammadu Buhari.”

    It added: “The alleged forfeiture order the EFCC brandished is 10 years old and a matter still before the Court of Appeal. The Guild wonders why the commission felt it had to act ahead of a case before a court of competent jurisdiction. It bears restating that such an attempt to intimidate the media does incalculable damage to the image of the EFCC and indeed the Nigerian government. Besides, it does not only undermine the foundation of our young democracy, it is a major threat to its sustenance and existence.

    “The Guild condemns the EFCC action in its entirety and calls on the commission to purge itself of all anti-democratic tendencies in order to foster mutual cooperation with the media and other stakeholders in its crusade against graft.”.

    The IPC described the invasion as a violation of the individual rights of the journalists and media workers, besides constituting an assault on press freedom.

    Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, in a statement, said the act was uncalled for.

    According to him, it was a twist of irony that the invasion occurred on June 12, a day traditionally associated with the vanguard role that the media played in  the struggle for democracy in Nigeria.

    Arogundade said: “The EFCC owed the nation as a whole and the media and freedom of expression community in particular, an explanation for the unwelcome raid.”

  • NPAN, editors, IPC slam EFCC raid on The Sun

    NPAN, editors, IPC slam EFCC raid on The Sun

    The Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the International Press Centre (IPC) Lagos-Nigeria have condemned the invasion of the premises of The Sun Publishing Limited by heavily armed operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the early hours of Monday.

    The fierce-looking operatives prevented workers of the organisation from either entering or leaving its premises and, in the process, disrupted the circulation processes.

    In separate statements, NPAN, NGE and IPC said they received the news of the invasion with grave concern.

    NPAN President Nduka Obaigbena’s statement reads: “Facts before the NPAN indicate that the EFCC operatives swooped on the newspaper in the early morning of June 12,  while Nigerians were commemorating the historic day of free expression, and  ordered  security men to take them on a guided tour of the premises of the newspaper.

    “The EFCC operatives subsequently prevented journalists and staff from performing their constitutional duties, and abridging their rights to free speech by preventing those who were in the premises from leaving, and others reporting for duty from entering the premises.

    “Although the EFCC  said they were there to enforce a 10-year old Interim Order of Forfeiture on the shareholding of Sun Newspapers, the editors of the Sun Newspapers said the EFCC officials were there on a vengeance and intimidation mission to settle scores on several stories published by the newspaper, including the alleged ownership of certain properties by the wife of the EFCC Acting Chairman for which the Acting  Chairman had threatened libel lawsuits.

    “Instead of lawsuits,  the EFCC operatives raided the newspaper offices to revive a 10-year old  Interim Order of Forfeiture that is already before an appellate court.

    “Given these developments, it is our considered view that the EFCC, being a state institution and a creation of the law, cannot be above the law: and the manner of the invasion tends to suggest that the EFCC was out on a self-help mission, a voyage to intimidate journalists, criminalise journalism  and cower free speech.

    “We should continue to remind ourselves that this crude tactics of invasion of  media houses and harassment of journalists did not work in the past,  is not going to work now, and will never work. It is unknown to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “We call on the Federal Government of Nigeria and all people of reason  and goodwill to call the EFCC to order for the greater good of the Federal Republic Nigeria and the rule of law.”

    NGE President Funke Egbèmode, in a statement, said the unwarranted siege to the company subjected workers to crude intimidation, psychological and emotional trauma.

    The EFCC, she added, had accused The Sun of publishing pro-Biafra, Boko Haram and Niger Delta militant stories.

    The statement reads: “The latest action of the EFCC on a newspaper house is a sad reminder of the dark years of military dictatorship and a deliberate effort to muzzle the press.

    “As a statutory agency birthed by an Act of Parliament in a democracy, we had expected the EFCC to explore civil means of addressing perceived infraction by a critical stakeholder in the Nigerian

    democratic project.

    “Rather than see the Fourth Estate of the Realm as an opposition, the commission should realise that the media is an indispensable partner in its fight against corruption.

    “The Guild notes that the latest affront on The Sun by operatives of the EFCC is one in a number of targeted attempts by a section of the nation’s security agency to gag free press. We recall the recent expulsion of Mr. Olalekan Adetayo, the State House correspondent of Punch Newspapers from Aso Rock by Bashir Abubakar, the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to President Muhammadu Buhari.”

    It added: “The alleged forfeiture order the EFCC brandished is 10 years old and a matter still before the Court of Appeal. The Guild wonders why the commission felt it had to act ahead of a case before a court of competent jurisdiction. It bears restating that such an attempt to intimidate the media does incalculable damage to the image of the EFCC and indeed the Nigerian government. Besides, it does not only undermine the foundation of our young democracy, it is a major threat to its sustenance and existence.

    “The Guild condemns the EFCC action in its entirety and calls on the commission to purge itself of all anti-democratic tendencies in order to foster mutual cooperation with the media and other stakeholders in its crusade against graft.”.

    The IPC described the invasion as a violation of the individual rights of the journalists and media workers, besides constituting an assault on press freedom.

    Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, in a statement, said the act was uncalled for.

    According to him, it was a twist of irony that the invasion occurred on June 12, a day traditionally associated with the vanguard role that the media played in  the struggle for democracy in Nigeria.

    Arogundade said: “The EFCC owed the nation as a whole and the media and freedom of expression community in particular, an explanation for the unwelcome raid.”

     

     

     

     

  • Guild of Editors inaugurates electoral committee

    Guild of Editors inaugurates electoral committee

    THE Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has inaugurated a five-man electoral committee to supervise election of its new executive at the biennial convention scheduled for April 28 to 30 in Lagos.

    The committee is headed by renowned journalist, Mr. Ray Ekpu. He is expected to be assisted by Mr. Gbemiga Ogunleye, Mrs. Dupe Ajayi-Gbadebo, Comrade Bonnie Iwuoha and Mallam Abdulhamid Majia.

    Speaking during the inauguration of the committee, NGE President, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, urged the Ekpu-led committee to ensure that capable hands are elected.

    She said the Guild has become more attractive to all within and outside the NGE and therefore advised the members to do everything to keep the NGE attractive, healthy and responsible.

    Her words: “The duties of the electoral committee shall include but not be limited to; giving out the nomination forms to aspirants, receiving the nomination forms, ensuring the aspirants are qualified for the offices they seek, conducting the election, announcing the results of the exercise and swearing-in the new Standing Committee.

    “The electoral committee of the NGE has always been reserved for elders, fellows and custodians of the history of this august body for obvious reasons. The assignment is delicate. It requires experience of only level-headed, sure footed and fair-minded men and women.

    “The NGE convention is taken very seriously by members and as such tempers tend to rise and nerves frayed, but thankfully for just a short period. Respect for our elders and consideration for a healthy Guild in spite of everything always prevail.”

    She said the outgoing Standing Committee has done its best to keep the flag handed to it flying.

    “Today, we commit into your hands, distinguished members of the Electoral Committee of the 2017 biennial convention, the ship that will bear the NGE into a safe harbour. We are sure of your capable hands and your fairness has come to the rescue of the Guild more than once. We know we can trust you with this assignment,” she added.

    Ekpuassured the NGE Standing Committee that the electoral committee will do a good job to sustain the Guild.

    “Election in Nigeria is a difficult job and not less in a professional Guild like NGE. Since I lost the NGE election in 1982, I have been actively involved in NGE and I have not looked back since then to prevent what happened in 1982, when the election was hijacked.

    “We will do everything to contribute to the success of the Guild. NGE is the most important group in our profession because it is made up of senior people. We see ourselves more as professional people. So, it is important for us to do a good job to sustain the Guild.”

  • Editors join fight against human trade

    Editors join fight against human trade

    The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) is worried about the growing menace of the trafficking in persons. As part of its campaign against human trafficking, the guild and a non-governmental organisation, the Human Dignity Project (HDP), have unveiled 8 Evils of Human Trafficking, written by Steve Osuji and Boniface Opute. EVELYN OSAGIE reports.
    To combat human trafficking, the Nigerian Guild of Editors and Human Dignity Project (HDP) have unveiled a book on the menace.
    Titled: 8 Evils of Human Trafficking, the book was written by a member of The Nation Editorial Board, Mr Steve Osuji and a media practitioner, Mr Boniface Opute.
    At the event chaired by former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, with Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike as chief launcher, were bigwigs including representatives of some states where the menace is prevalent.
    Also, at the event was a member of the Standing Committee of NGE, Mr Ray Echebiri.
    NGE’s Secretary-General, Victoria Ibanga urged the media to assist the guild bringing the issue to the front burner.
    ‘’All across the West Coast of Africa, South, East and North Africa into Europe, various reports state that Nigerian teenagers and young women continue to dominate the prostitution ring.
    “Since 2012, Nigeria has dropped from Tier 1 to Tier 2 in the US Department of State’s annual report on human trade, which means it is not fully complying with the minimum standards for the elimination of the menace. Unfortunately, the perpetrators are getting more devious in their methods, and the trafficking in persons ravages various parts of the country like wild fire,” she said.
    With the emergence of baby factories across the country, she said NGE was calling for a revamp of the fight against trafficking in person. In recent times, according to her, the campaign against the menace has been somewhat cold and the pursuit of the criminals has been tame.
    Ibanga, also a judge for the DAME awards (Migration category), said: “Coupled with the now burgeoning ‘baby factory syndrome’, the menace seems to have left officials overwhelmed. Instead, the perpetrators get more devious in their methods, and the trafficking in persons ravages various parts of the country like wild fire. It is particularly so in these lean times when resources are thin for other national essentials.”
    Ibanga, therefore, called for more proactive collaborations by the media, public, government, NGOs – local and foreign – in the vanguard of the campaign.
    The release of the book, according to her, is first of a series of actions by the guild and its partner to set agenda and create more awareness on the vice. The book takes an in-depth look at prostitution, child labour, baby factory syndrome, poverty, disease and deaths, offering appendices of key agencies, NGOs local and foreign in the vanguard of the campaign. “I am happy that these gentlemen were able to capture the menace in the book. The 8 Evils of Human Trafficking, highlights aspects of the malaise and their debilitating effects on the individual, family and our society. It is in its own class, and is tailored to be particularly exciting to young readers who would need the message most.”
    Although the book is written in a story format, one of the authors, Mr Osuji, said they intend to turn the advocacy stories into cartoons for children.
    Opute named poverty, ignorance and greed as factors that fuel the menace globally. He lamented that the story of trafficking is not being told enough, comparing the effects the victims suffer to that of the Chibok girls.
    “Sadly,the impoverished population are still being lured. Most stories used are real but pseudonyms are used to disguise the girls. About 21 state governments where the menace is prevalent were invited to launch so that they can join in the advocacy by buying copies of the books to empower the public on the mode of operandi of the traffickers,” he added.

  • Editors advocate economic diversification

    The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has urged the government to diversify the economy.

    In a communique at the end of the 12th All Nigerian Editors’ Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, it said there was a problem with the economy following the over-reliance on oil and gas revenue.

    With the theme:  ‘’Economic Diversification: Agriculture as Option for a Prosperous Nigeria’’, the conference was chaired by former Ogun State Governor Chief Olusegun Osoba.

    The communiqué was signed by NGE President Mrs Funke Egbemode and General Secretary Victoria Ibanga.

    NGE said agriculture remained the most viable option to revive the economy, create employment and usher in prosperity.

    It noted that agriculture suffered neglect due to negative mindset, reliance on outdated methods and underfunding.

    NGE urged the government to strengthen policies protecting farmers against influx of foreign agricultural products and encourage production for food sufficiency and processing of raw materials for export.

    The media, it said, should play a role in redirecting the consciousness of Nigerians, especially youths, in embracing modern, technology-driven agriculture.

    “Skills needed for agricultural production and processing should be stressed above mere certification for the sake of it. The government should recapitalise and make more functional the Bank of Agriculture and other institutions relevant to the agricultural programmes of the country.

    “Formation of more Farmers’ Co-operative societies should be encouraged while those in existence should be strengthened to improve productivity.

    ‘’States should collaborate in agricultural production and processing, using areas they have comparative advantage,” NGE said.

    The Guild lamented decline in the quality of journalism practice and non-adherence to the ethic of the profession.

    It urged editors to make efforts to redress the situation.