BY NGOZI ONYEAKUSI


The Nigerian Chapter of the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria) will hold its annual general congress on 11 and 12 December in Abuja, Nigeria’s federal capital, the organisation has announced.

Ahmed Shekarau, the group’s secretary, released a statement on Sunday stating that the annual congress would be a three-part event comprising a conference on 11 December, an annual general meeting and election of new officials on 12 December, and a dinner on the night of 12 December.

Mr Shekarau said all the events will be held at the Abuja Continental Hotel (formerly Sheraton Hotel).

The statement said the conference, with the theme “Democracy, Media Freedom and the Imperative of Protecting Nigeria’s Civic Space”, will provide members and other attendees the opportunity to brainstorm on some of the challenges affecting the practice of journalism and how practitioners can survive in challenging environments.

“The conference will also help journalists to interact with leaders of key security agencies and seek common solutions to incessant clashes between journalists and security agencies,” Mr Shekarau said.

“The sessions are designed to afford all participants the opportunity to share experiences and learn from one another how to survive as media practitioners in a challenging environment like ours. The deliberations will significantly enrich discussions and contribute to finding solutions for a better media environment in Nigeria.”

The IPI Nigeria secretary said the organisation will also hold a members-only convening on 12 December.

During this meeting, the current executive committee led by Musikilu Mojeed will render accounts, and members will elect new officials. The three-year tenure of the group’s current executive committee expires on December 16.

“To ensure a seamless transition, the Trustees of IPI Nigeria have constituted an electoral committee to oversee elections for executive positions, as stipulated in our constitution,” Mr Shekarau said in his statement.

“Further details about the membership of the electoral committee and the guidelines for the election will be provided in the next few days.”

The 2024 annual congress of the IPI Nigeria will conclude on the night of 12 December with a dinner for the organisation’s members, partners, and supporters.

The International Press Institute (IPI), with headquarters in Vienna, Austria, is a global network of media executives, editors, and leading journalists. Since its establishment in 1950, it has consistently advocated for journalist rights and media freedom worldwide.

IPI Nigeria is the Nigerian branch of IPI Global and is totally committed to credible and independent journalism, media freedom, freedom of speech and the free flow of news and information in Africa’s most populous country and the continent’s biggest economy.