Preparations for Nigeria’s hosting of the 2018 World Congress and General Assembly of the International Press Institute (IPI) have begun with the constitution of nine planning committees.
The committees were set up at an extraordinary meeting of Nigerian Media Stakeholders held on Tuesday, 28th November, 2017 at George Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The committees include the umbrella Local Organising Committee(LOC) and the committees on Finance; Sponsorship; Programme and Events; Media and Publicity; Transport and Logistics; Contact and Protocol; Venue and Accomodation and Security.
The LOC is headed by the President of the Newspapers Association of Nigeria(NPAN), Prince Nduka Obaigbena with Mallam Kabiru Yusuf and Mallam Garba Shehu as deputy chairmen.
The Secretary, IPI Nigeria, Mr. Raheem Adedoyin, will serve as Member/ Secretary.
Other members of the LOC include Mallam Ismaila Isa; Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Mallam Wada Maida; Lady Maiden Ibru; Dr. Kalu Orji Kalu; Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah; Mr. John Momoh; Mallam Yakubu Muhamned; Mr. Bayo Onanuga; Dr. Tonnie Iredia and Mr. Folu Olamiti.
Also in the LOC are Mrs. Funke Egbemode, Mr. Waheed Odusile, Mr. Victor Ifijeh, Mr. Emma Agu, Mallam Mohamned Idris and Mr. Eric Osagie.
Heads of the other committees, their deputies and secretaries are:
Finance:
Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua (chairman), Mallam Kabiru Yusuf (deputy chairman), Mr. Waheed Odusile( member/ secretary)
Sponsorship:
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (chairman); Prince Nduka Obaigbena (deputy chairman), Victoria Ibanga (member/ secretary).
Programme and events:
Mallam Kabiru Yusuf (chairman), Mr. Eniola Bello (deputy chairman), Tracia Ubani (member/ secretary)
Transportation and logistics
Mr. Folu Olamiti (chairman), Mr. Nnamdi Njemanze (deputy chair), Dr. Qasim Akinreti (member/ secretary)
Media and publicity:
Dr. Tonnie Iredia (chairman), Mr. Eric Isagie (deputy chairman), Mr. Yemi Ajayi (member/secretary)
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Contact and protocol:
Mallam Garba Shehu (chairman), Mrs Comfort Obi (deputy chairman), Hajia H.H. Sanni (member/ secretary)
Venue/Accommodation:
Mallam Wada Maida (chairman), Mrs Funke Egbemode (deputy chairman), Catherine Agbo ( member/ secretary)
Security:
Mallam Idris Mohammed (chairman), Mr. Madu Onuorah (deputy chairman), Madam Rafat Salami (member/ secretary).
Speaking at the Ssakeholders meeting, LOC Chairman, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, said the Nigerian media was ready to host the world.
”We have the whole world to host in six months; and we are prepared to host the world in six months, to showcase the best of Nigeria and the best of Africa,” he said.
Obaigbena also promised that the host committee “would promote an agenda on issues that matter to us (Nigerians) and that matter to Africa.”
The committees are to meet in December to fashion out a work plan and submit their reports to the LOC in January.
