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The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) has received critical endorsement of stakeholders in the public, private and media communities at its seventh annual general meeting currently holding in Abuja.
This is as the stakeholders appealed to GOCOP to lead the war against fake news especially in the online space.
The endorsement came by way of goodwill messages by special guests, partners and sponsors who said they had observed the ways of the corporate online publishers in Nigeria over the years.
President of the Senate, Rt Hon Godswill Akpabio, represented by his spokesperson, Hon Eseme Eyiboh, acknowledged the role of the media in nation building, stressing that GOCOP has been at the vanguard of the push to enthronement an open ecosystem in leadership.
Akpabio thanked members of GOCOP for their constructive criticisms which have helped to shape conduct of public office holders.
The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, said his singular message to GOCOP was a charge to them to help in the fight against fake news.
He said newsmen must learn to confirm any information at their disposal before going to town. He said he has recently suffered the poison in fake news.
The CP used the opportunity to give the three crime flags of Ogun State: land-grabbing, kidnapping, and cultism, but said the command was giving them a big fight.
Supporting the endorsement of GOCOP, the Customs through Abudullahi Aliyu Mai Wada, National Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Customs Service, said most public relations divisions in the armed forces and beyond knew very much about the integrity in GOCOP.
He went on: “We hold GOCOP on high esteem and we congratulate you on your first AGM in Abuja, the nation’s capital.”
His counterpart from the Air Force, Group Captain K. Ali, who is the Deputy Director, Public Relations & Information, Nigerian Airforce Headquarters, Abuja, said the Nigerian Airforce leadership reserved huge respect for online publishers.
Saying it is worth their while to associate with GOCOP on its 7th AGM, he said; “The leadership of the Airforce Public Relations Division is keen on this conference.”
The Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) was not left out of the endorsement galore of GOCOP. The Deputy Commandant, Ndukwu Chidi, representing Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said online publishers were great allies.
He however noted that there is need for the citizens to be able to differentiate between publishers and bloggers or quacks. He pledged continued collaboration, saying; “We continue to work with GOCOP.”
The business sector was not left out as Mrs Ndidi Mbah, GM, Public Affairs, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), who was represented by Mr Eric Ephraim Ene, said they too respect GOCOP members a lot. “We respect you people a lot. Some of you that we have interacted with at events conduct yourselves creditably.”
Officials from SEPLAT added their voice by disclosing how some GOCOP members had helped to groomed many other media practitioners. One said: “Media has helped us a lot. We will do our best to support you. Let us sustain the relationship.”
Leke Bayewu, the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, noted that mentorship is very important. “Many media executives act only as bosses, not mentors.”
From Nestle, Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability Lead, made it clear that media people have emerged as the unelected representatives of the people. “You are the voice of the ordinary people. You people are big stakeholders in the society.”
Like others, he demanded for GOCOP to join the fight against fake news. “There is need to stifle fake news syndrome. There is also need for continuous engagement with stakeholders.”
GOCOP President assures stakeholder:
In her welcome remarks, the President of GOCOP, Maureen Chigbo, said the event was where the members played host to those that rather hosted them.
She reminded the masses to note thus; “We are mediapreneurs, not just journalists. You always invite us, so today, we invite you. You cant have this number when you invite us.
“This is also an opportunity for you to meet us one on one. We cherish the relationship we share with you people and we want it on sustainable or long-term basis,” he stated.
Chigbo said online publishing has come to stay. “You need to know that we are not quacks but seasoned professionals. Some of us have managed the regular media houses successfully.
“You have a chance to tell us what worries you have in engaging with the media. You can put a face to the online organisations you interact with you.”
Saying GOCOP was made up of seasoned journalists of thoroughbred practitioners, she made it clear that the Guild screened intending members well before admittance, saying there is a peer review process within GOCOP that disciplines erring members.
