Olusegun Osoba, a former governor of Ogun State is to chair the second annual conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, GOCOP, which is scheduled to hold at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos State on Friday, October 19, 2018.

A statement signed by Olumide Iyanda, the GOCOP’s publicity secretary, disclosed that the theme of the conference is: “Online Publishers’ Role Towards A Sustainable Economy, Credible Election and Security in Nigeria.” The guest speaker is Chidi Odinkalu, a professor of Law, and a former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission.

Ralph Akinfeleye, a journalism professor and the chairman, the Centre of Excellence in Multimedia Technology, Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos, and Leonard Shilgba, the director, the ICT Centre, Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, will be the discussants.

Speaking on the choice of the theme, Dotun Oladipo, the GOCOP president, said: “The prevailing economic, political and security realities in Nigeria require keen interest from the media.

“With the 2019 general elections approaching, Nigerians deserve access to authentic news and views, which are best provided through digital platforms upon which GOCOP members operate.

“As an organisation, GOCOP is committed to ensuring that the use of fake news and misinformation do not destroy Nigeria’s political, economic and security progress, hence the need to look at the critical role of online publishers as entrusted to them by the Constitution.”

The Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria, NPAN; Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria, BON; Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE; Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, and other stakeholder groups in the media will be represented at the conference.

The GOCOP represents media organisations registered in Nigeria with promoters drawn from practitioners who have served at senior levels in the profession.

– Oct. 8, 2018 @ 12:45 GMT |