By Nahum Sule (Taraba State Correspondent, in Jalingo) 

In the ancient history of the Jukun, a popular tribe in both Taraba and Benue States, North-East and North-Central Nigeria, there is a tradition among the Jukun people called 'Pankya'.

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-Chief)

The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) has nominated veteran Journalist and Publisher of NewsPot Online to be honoured with the fellowship of the highly regarded media body.

• * Pro-democracy Activists, Scholars, Students, Others To Lead Conversation

By Arinze Onuoha (Media & Civil Society Reporter)

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) will commence its Town Hall Meeting in the South-West geo-political zone on Thursday December 2, 2021, at De Rembrandt Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-Chief)

ThisNigeria Media Limited, Publisher of ThisNigeria Newspaper will organize its maiden Annual Lecture and Gold Prize on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, at the Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Center, Abuja.

• * Engr. Simbi Wabote, NCDMD Boss To Deliver Lecture At Sheraton Hotel, Lagos

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-Chief)

All seem set for the RealNews Magazine Online 9th Anniversary Lecture scheduled to take place on Thursday, November 18, 2021, at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, by 10 am prompt.

According to the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of RealNews Magazine, Ms. Maurene Chigbo, in a statement, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMD, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote will deliver the Anniversary Lecture with a theme: “Nigeria in the Unfolding Integration of the African Market: The Oil and Gas Perspective”.

Chigbo who is also the National President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), explained that the choice of this year's lecture topic of the magazine was borne out of the "realization that at present, the Nigerian economy is heavily dependent on oil".

She stated that "As we think of weaning the country of this dependency and lay emphasis on gas (especially with the declaration of the decade for gas in Nigeria by the federal government), we believe speakers at the lecture can provide a guide to achieve this objective, especially as more oil and gas are being discovered in countries in Africa at a time the integration of the African market through the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) has begun and emphasis is shifting to sustainable renewable energy resources.”

According to Maurene, “the Lecture is also an opportunity to discuss Africa’s economic development, especially against the background of the ongoing debate on the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, AfCFTA, whose implementation began on January 2021, amidst the controversy over the adoption of a regional currency by the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, and how this will affect exploitation of oil and gas resources in Nigeria and the continent in general".

The RealNews Magazine Publisher added that: “The lecture presents an opportunity for different experts to share their experiences on economic development in Africa with a mix of the growing audience following Realnews Magazine services on various media platforms. The Lecture is expected to have massive positive impact on society. Like in previous occasions, it will also feature a stimulating Panel Discussion by economic experts with guaranteed audience participation".

Maurene also said in the statement that "Prior to his appointment as the Executive Secretary, Wabote worked briefly in the banking sector before joining Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, Nigeria Limited, where he rose to the position of an Executive Director and the general manager business and government Relations for Shell Companies in Nigeria, SCiN.

"Before taking up his role as an executive director, he had served Shell in various senior positions within and outside the country in Engineering, Contracting & Procurement, External Affairs and Community Affairs Directorates. As head of Civil Engineering in the Shell Eastern Division, he was responsible for major key civil engineering projects for the company, including the Shell Osubi airport in Warri Delta State, Nigeria.

"He served as the National Assembly Relations Adviser to Shell and was the general manager, Local Content Development of Shell Exploration Production Company in Nigeria, SEPCiN. He was responsible for the development of Royal Dutch Shell’s local content strategy and framework and supervised Shell Local Content implementation across several countries including Nigeria, Gabon, Brunei, Oman, Kazakhstan, Australia, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan, USA, and new frontier countries for Shell.

"Wabote holds an MSc from Leeds Metropolitan University, Graduate of Civil Engineering from Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, and a graduate of INSEAD group leadership program. He is also a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and a COREN registered engineer and a member Institute of Civil Engineers, London".

Realnews past anniversary lecturers include Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and chairman, Presidential TaskForce of COVID-19 (2020); President John Dramani Mahama, former President of Ghana (2019) and Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Nigeria INEC, (2018).

Others are Dr. (Mrs) Oby Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education and Vice President, World Bank (2017), Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head, United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (2016); Professor Chukwuma Soludo, former Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, (2015), and Professor Maurice Iwu, former Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, (2014). NNL.

By Ankeli Emmanuel (In Sokoto State)

The publisher of Premium Times news online, Dr. Dapo Olorunyomi, has urged journalists practicing in Nigeria to strive towards minimizing harms in their reportage.

• As NEWSLEADER Releases A Comprehensive List of GOCOP Members

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-Chief)

Barely two weeks after her election and assumption of duty as the National President of the Nigeria Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) on Thursday, October 7, 2021, at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja, Lagos, encomiums are beginning to pour in torrents for Maurene Chigbo, a renowned female Journalist and Publisher of RealNews magazine online.

• * As Lagos Gov, SGF Confirm Participation

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-Chief)

Barring any last-minute change in arrangements or of the event, the 5th annual conference of Nigeria's Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) is set to hold on Thursday, October 7, 2021, at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja, Lagos.

• * Gets Supports From Elumelu Foundation, CBN, Globacom, Air Peace, Zenith, Access Banks, Others

By Chinwendu Agoha (Governance/Media Reporter)

The 17th All Nigeria Editors’ Conference scheduled for late October has received a strong boost by many corporate organizations and security agencies, including, the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Globacom, Air Peace, Zenith Bank Plc, Access Bank Plc, Department of State Security (DSS) and others.

By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North-Central, in Minna)

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Niger state Council, has called on the state government to prevail on the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) to desist from compelling customers to provide transformers and other components as a precondition for being supplied with electricity.

By Danjuma Williams (Gombe State Correspondent)

A renowned communication expert and Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Kashere, Gombe State, professor Umar Pate has described Journalists as key players in encouraging acceptance of vaccination against covid-19.