Razaq Bamidele
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, have declared supports for the international summit on migration to be hosted by Journalists International Forum For Migration (JIFORM), a non-governmental organization.
The event is slated for November 25-29, 2019 in Abuja, Nigeria.
Speaking during a courtesy call by JIFORM President, Ajibola Abayomi, to the National Secretariat of the Union in Abuja, President of the NUJ, Chris Isiguzo said the initiative of the Foundation was a noble cause that was worthy of support from all well-meaning Nigerians.
Briefing the NUJ President on the activities of his Forum, Ajibola stated that the Foundation grew from the collaboration on migration matters between a team of international media trainers and the NUJ in Lagos in 2018.
He said the body now with over 150 journalists and volunteers across the continent was focusing on migration reporting and community services.
“Our focus is to re-orientate Nigerians on issues of irregular migration, drugs and human trafficking and conflict leading to internally displacement of citizens. The conference shall address migration opportunities in the economy, Diaspora matters and human security among other things,” Ajibola explained.
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After presenting a proposal to the NUJ president on the summit, Ajibola specifically said “we want the NUJ being the parent body for journalists association in Nigeria to assist JIFORM with logistics and moral support.
“For us, there can be no other personality to talk about the role of the media in migration than the NUJ president at the summit,” JIFORM boss asserted.
In his comments, the NUJ President commended the JIFORM President saying he had been monitoring activities of the organisation for a while.
“The NUJ believes you have been expanding the frontiers of journalism. We shall fully support JIFORM programmes because the youths of this country must be liberated from faulty orientation on irregular migration. No gold is free anywhere in the world.
“Unknown to many parents, some of their loved ones that passed through the Mediterranean Sea they thought were in Europe might have died because several people lose their lives through that journey on daily basis.
“We must join hands to encourage government to provide opportunities for the youths back home to curb irregular migration. That is the only way out and nothing else. I am happy that you are leading an advocacy on a very sensitive aspect of journalism that should dovetail into national discuss like the argument on restructuring. The Union is proud of this initiative and we shall support it,” said the NUJ President.
In a related development, the NIDCOM Boss, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, told the Forum boss, Ajibola that she had earlier been properly briefed about the Forum’s activities which she described as, “laudable.”
She therefore promised to be physically present at the Summit after her official engagement in South Africa.