The President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr. Eze Anaba, has underscored the need to bridge the gap between academic training and professional practice in Nigeria’s media industry.
At the inauguration of the Guild’s Training, Research, and Publications Committee on Thursday, Anaba described the body as a strategic platform for addressing the disconnect that often exists between journalism education and the realities of newsroom practice.
He noted that the committee was carefully constituted to reflect a healthy blend of academic scholarship and industry experience.
According to him, the committee is expected to design and implement training programmes for editors, undertake research into the evolving challenges facing the Nigerian media industry, and publish findings to strengthen professional standards.
‘The membership of the committee was carefully selected to reflect this aspiration’, Anaba said, urging committee members to deploy their collective expertise to advance the NGE’s intellectual and professional mandate.
The committee’s Chairperson, Prof. Chinyere Okunna, who is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Paul University, Awka, Anambra State, described the initiative as timely and significant.
‘With the calibre and experience of members of this committee, I am confident that we will add considerable value to the Guild and the wider media industry’, she said.
Other members of the committee are NGE Treasurer, Dr. Iyobosa Uwagiaren, who will serve as Secretary; a former Managing Director of The Sun newspapers, Dr Tony Onyima, who is also a Fellow of the Guild; Founder/CEO of Omalicha FM, Angela Agowuike, who is also a Fellow of the Guild; and Vice President (West) of the Guild, Dr. Kabir Garba Alabi, who is also Editor of The Guardian (Weekend).
The brief ceremony, held at the Editors’ House in Ikeja, Lagos, was also attended by the Guild’s General Secretary, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh; Assistant Secretary, Mr. Gabriel Akinadewo; and a member of the Guild’s Standing Committee, Rose Moses.
