- 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.
Chigbo, a former editor of the popular and influential Newswatch magazine, took over as President of GOCOP from the pioneer National President of the online group, Mr Dotun Oladipo, another distinguished journalist, who had taken GOCOP to greater heights in the past five years of its inception as a foremost digital media pressure group in Nigeria.
Among the latest avalanche of individuals, groups, and corporate organizations that have congratulated Maurene Chigbo on her new portfolio includes the Women Leadership Group (WLG) led by a veteran journalist and former editor of the Champion Newspapers, Mrs. Nkechi Nwankwo.
In a congratulatory letter to Chigbo and jointly signed by WLG Director, Nkechi Eke Nwankwo and its Programme Manager, Mrs Cordelia Onu, another prominent female journalist and also a former editor of Champion Newspapers on Sunday, the group expressed great elation at the ascension of Chigbo to the apex leadership of GOCOP as its first female president.
The WLG gushed with pride in their congratulatory statement, telling Chigbo that, “We celebrate this important moment and are convinced that you will excel in this role. Your position is strategic in a world where online and social media rule and can quickly douse or further aggravate tensions at this critical time in Nigeria’s history.
"We, therefore, are fully confident that you will deploy your wealth of experience in guiding your members to toe the line of peace, equity, and objectivity. With your pedigree, erudition, leadership skills and a well-honed sense of judgment, we have no doubt that you will take the association to enviable heights and etch your name in the history books, as one who contributed towards the stability of the country,” WLG's letter stated.
The group offered prayers for God's guidance of the new GOCOP's boss, reminding her of the enormous challenges ahead of her path in her new position. "You have the challenging task of deepening the credibility of the association, and we pledge our support and prayers as fellow journalists, gender equality advocates, and sisters", WLG wrote.
According to an earlier report by her digital news medium, Realnews online, Maurene Chigbo, a first female general editor of Newswatch Magazine founded in January 1985 by a quartet of Nigerian media titans comprising slain legendary Journalist, Dele Giwa and Messers Ray Ekpu, Dan Agbese and Yakubu Muhammed, has been active in Journalism practice for nearly 30 years.
RealNews online reports that "Her professional goal is to promote peace, justice and equal opportunity for all in Nigeria through effective investigative journalism that will expose any form of injustice and corruption and facilitate political, socio-economic development in the country. Chigbo has used her medium to expose corruption in both government and private organisations and institutions.
"She has used her medium to offer a voice to the voiceless, who are often neglected in policy and decision-making process. She works to engender transparency and accountability in governance, sustainable economic growth, and protect the environment from any form of degradation and also protect the rights of vulnerable groups, including women and the girl-child.
"She believes in using journalism to fight for a just and equitable society. She has endured many hardships, threats and intimidation that could break most female and male journalists in her quest for a just society in the course of duty. She started her journalism career as a correspondent covering crime/police beat for the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in April 6, 1992.
"She later joined the economic desk covering international and regional economic, financial and development institutions in Nigeria like The World Bank Group, United Nations Development System (including UNDP, UNIDO, UNIFEM), Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS. She joined Newswatch in August 1998 as an assistant editor, heading the Business and Economy desk.
"Widely travelled, Chigbo has covered major national, regional and international assignments, including African Risk Capacity Annual Meetings, Addis Ababa (2019), Ethiopia, African Capacity Building Foundation Annual Meetings, (2018) Yaounde, Cameroun, African Development Bank Annual Meetings, Marrakesh, Morocco (2013), Lusaka, Zambia (2016), and Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India (2017), Tana High-Level Security Forum in 2016 and 2017, Ethiopia; Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, Texas, USA (2011 and 2012); Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Conference, Vienna, Austria (2010) World Social Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark (1995); Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, China (1995); World Food Summit, Rome, Italy (1996), World Bank/IMF Spring Meeting, Washington, US (2009); and UN Conference on Climate Change (COP15), Copenhagen, Denmark (2009) among others.
"A multiple award winning journalist, Chigbo has bagged both local and international awards and fellowships to show for all the courage, determination and hard work she has put into journalism over the years. The awards on different categories depicts her versatility and expertise on so many development issues not just on the economy where her main interest lies.
"Some of the awards are Nigerian Media Merits Award Print Journalist of the Year 2003, Investigative Journalist of the Year 2003, Political Report of the Year 2003, Oil and Gas Report of the Year 2012, Defence Reporter of the Year 2012, Business Reporter of the Year 2000, Capital Market Report of the Year and Diamond Award for Media Excellence Press Reporter of the Year and Political Reporter of the Year 2003 and runner-up Columnist of the Year 2012 among others.
"Chigbo studied at the Anambra State University of Technology, Enugu, and the University of Lagos, both in Nigeria, where she bagged a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science Degrees in Mass Communication, respectively. She had her professional training at the International Centre for Foreign Journalists, USA, 1993, and Westminster Press Editorial Training Centre, St. Leonards on Sea, East Sussex, U.K, 1995.
"She is a fellow of the International Centre for Foreign Journalists, Reston, Virginia, US and Harry Brittain Memorial Fellow of the Commonwealth Press Union, United Kingdom. Chigbo is also a Regional Fellow of the Ethiopia-based Tana Forum. She was the National Secretary of West African Media Network (WAMNET Nigeria Chapter) and a member of the Women Leadership Group.
"On these two platforms, Chigbo mobilized along with other members to train young journalists, labour leaders, aspiring female politicians and female members of National Assembly on different capacity-building workshops, respectively. She is involved in grassroots empowerment programmes for women with sponsorships from donor agencies. She was a media consultant to the UNIFEM on the Campaign on Violence Against Women in Nigeria after the 1995 Beijing, China, Conference on Women. She is a member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ)".
The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), comprises more than 80 credible online media organizations, including the: Nigerian NewsLeader Online published by a former Editor and Group General Manager (Publications) of LEADERSHIP newspapers, Celestine Okafor; RealNews online published by GOCOP President and former editor of Newswatch Magazine, Maurene Chigbo; the Eagle Online published by former Editor of Compass newspaper and the immediate-past president of GOCOP, Dotun Oladipo; Newsdiary online published by GOCOP's deputy national president and a former Executive Director of Insider news magazine, Danlami Mmodu; MetroWatch online published by the Secretary-General of GOCOP and a former Thisday Newspaper Editor, Collins Edomaruse and Newsexpress online published by senior Journalist and former editor of TheWeek magazine, Isaac Umunna.
Others include: Premium Times Online published by respected veteran Journalist, Dr Dapo Olorunyomi and edited by renowned newspaper editor, Musiliu Mojeed; Sundiata Post online published by a former editor of Thisday Newspaper and an ex-Managing Editor of LEADERSHIP newspapers, Max Amuchie; You News online published by a former Mirror newspaper Saturday Editor, Afolabi Odeyemi; QED online published by the ex-Saturday editor of Daily Independent newspaper, Olumide Iyanda; Newsmart online published by a former Champion Newspaper editor, Rose Moses; the Crest online published by the former SUN newspaper editor and Managing Director, Shola Osunkeye and Freedom online also published by a former editor and ex-Managing Director of New Telegraph newspapers, Gabriel Akinadewo.
Other GOCOP members are: Yes International magazine online published by former editor of Encomium magazine, Ichie Azu Arinze; Daylight online published by a former editor of Nigeria's foremost Entertainment newspaper, Azu Amatus; FrontPage news online published by a former Punch newspaper editor, Sakibu Olokojobi; News On the Go online published by former Saturday editor of Authority newspapers, Dr Ise Oluwa Ige; Daily Review online published by former editor of Champion Newspaper, Justus Nwakanmma and Frontiers News online published by a former senior editor of Punch newspaper, Horatious Egua.
There are some other GOCOP members like: The Citizen online published by senior journalist and local government chairman of Igbo Etiti Council in Enugu State, Hon. Malachy Agbo; Newsmakers online published by former editor, Dipo Kehinde; Global Patriot Newspaper Online Published by former editorial board chairman of Champion Newspapers, Simon Iro Ibe; African News Circle online published by US-based senior journalist of the Guardian newspaper, Victor Onyeka-Ben; the Express News online published by a former editor of Sunday Punch newspaper, Pastor Kayode Olawuyi; ITRealms online published by senior journalist, Remmy Nweke and Quick News online published by a former Regional Manager of the Daily Independent newspapers, Dr Monday Ashibogwu.
Other members in GOCOP include: National Accord online published by a former newspaper editor, Tom Chiahamen; Prompt News online published by senior journalist, Akeem Oyetunji; The Rainbow online published by a former editor, Chijama Ogbu; World Stage online published by Segun Adeleye; Nigeria Politics online published by a former editor, Semiu Okanlawon; EnviroNews Nigeria online published by a former editor of Daily Independent newspapers, Michael Simire; New Mail online published by a former editor, Semiu Salami; The Advocate online published by a former Enugu Regional Bureau Chief of the Vanguard newspapers, Tony Edike; Nigeria Communications Week online published by senior IT editor, Ken Nwogbo; Upshot Reports online published by senior journalist, Mojeed Jamiu; Newsreel online published by a former editor, Seyi Fasugba and Greenbarge Reporters online published by senior journalist, Yusuf Ozi-Usman.
GOCOP equally as other members such as: Sahel Standard online published by senior journalist and former editor, Olawale Rasheed; Daily Post online newspaper; African Examiner online published by Oludare Fase; News Rangers online published by Laba Oghenekevwe; Biztellers News.com online published by Yemi Adeoye; Channelkoos.com online published by James Ume; New Sentinel online published by Peter Jones; Global Village online published by Femi Soneye; The Luxury Reporter online published by Funke Osae-Brown; Global Village Extra online published by Taiye Olayemi; Bende Analyst online published by Kalu David; Supreme Magazine online published by Raymond Ukaegbu and First Africa News online.
Other GOCOP members include: This is Lagos. Ng online published by senior journalist, Toni Kan; IQ4 Media online published by a former editor, Dele Fashomi; Newspot online published by respected veteran Journalist and former editor of Tribune newspapers, Sir Folu Olamiti; Silver News online published by Ignatius Chukwu; The Next Edition online published by former editor and ex-National Secretary of the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), Victoria Ibanga; The News Matrics online published by a former editor, Ayo Olesin; Confiance News online published by a renowned female journalist, Joan Chioma Obinagwam; The Lagos Times online published by senior editor, Biodun Durojaiye and Global Financial Digest online published by a frontline business/finance editor of the old Daily Times newspaper, Oludare Mayowa.
Some other members are Credible News Online published by senior journalist, Tajudeen Abdulkareem; Politics Nigeria online published by Dumebi Ifeanyi Chukwu; Katsina City News online published by Muhammad Danjuma Katsina; Daily Dispatch Newspaper online published by Olumide Bajulaiye; Neptune Prime online published by a former Managing Editor of LEADERSHIP Newspapers, Hassan Gimba; Glitters online published by a former editor of LEADERSHIP Newspaper, Kassim Akintunde and Political Economists NG online and former editor Post Express Newspaper, Kenneth Ugbechie.
However, GOCOP membership comprises mostly journalists who have distinguished themselves in their careers and have attained top managerial and executive positions, especially in Nigeria's print media industry.
According to RealNews magazine online, the Online Publishers Guild "serves as a peer review forum for members while pursuing activities that will empower the mediapreneurs to run a sustainable media enterprise as well as build capacity for the editorial and administrative staff in the various member-platforms". NNL.
