30th anniversary: ThisDay alumni congratulates Obaigbena, ThisDay newspapers - ITREALMS

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The THISDAY Alumni Association (TAA) has joined in celebrating THISDAY Newspapers' remarkable milestone of 30 years of exceptional journalism, innovation, and impact, reports ITREALMS.

In a congratulatory message signed by the Association’s President, Dr Tony Onyima, the group hailed Prince Nduka Obaigbena, the Board, Management, and Staff of THISDAY for their visionary leadership and commitment to excellence, which have positioned the newspaper as a towering symbol of integrity and innovation in the media industry.

First female editor, Champion Newspapers, Dr Ngozi Fidelia Anyaegbunam is dead - ITREALMS

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The first female editor of Champion Newspapers and avid journalist, Dr Ngozi Fidelia Anyaegbunam is dead, reports ITREALMS.

This was confirmed by the family in a press statement signed by her son, Rocky C. Agbese, noting that with gratitude to God for a life well spent, that Dr Ngozi Fidelia Anyaegbunam died after a brief illness.

NLNG Media prize goes to Prisca Sam-Duru of Vanguard Newspapers for storytelling - ITREALMS

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The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) managements has recognized the media for exceptional coverage of The Prizes for Literature, Prizes for science in the last twenty years with the sum of 5million Naira doled out to Prisca Sam-Duru of Vanguard Newspapers, for her excellent story-writing in Literature and Science in the last twenty years, reports ITREALMS.

In his welcoming speech, the General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Nigeria LNG Limited, Mr. Andy Odeh appreciated the immense contributions of the media in sharing the significance of the awards to the public over the past two decades.

Communiqué: Global Patriot Newspapers’ Dialogue 2024 - ITREALMS

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The Global Patriot Newspapers’ Dialogue on the theme: “The Media of the Future: Bridging the Gap Between the West and People of African Descent” was held on Friday, September 20, 2024, as a side event of the Black Futures Summit convened on the sidelines of the United Nations Summit of the Future.

The international meeting, attended by personalities from the media, government, civil society, and academia, emphasized the importance of media representation for people of African descent worldwide. It also addressed the need for Africa and people of African descent generally to rebrand journalism for effective mass communication and to build influential international media platforms to close the wide gaps existing between the media of people of African descent and the media of the West. It focused on the future of people of African descent and the role of the media in shaping a new narrative about the potentials of African peoples worldwide. It emphasized the importance of people of African descent controlling their own stories, changing negative narratives about themselves, and having a clear vision for a better future.

Global Patriot Dialogue'24 on 'Media of the Future' holds tomorrow, Friday - ITREALMS

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... Dabiri-Erewa, Khalfani, Adaba, Anderson, Kolawole, Umesiri, Akande, Coker, others feature

Top media practitioners, political and business leaders, diplomats, scholars, activists and other stakeholders will, on Friday, September 20, 2024, converge, for a virtual Dialogue on "The Media of the Future," a side event of the Black Futures Summit taking place on the sidelines of the 2024 United Nations Summit of the Future in New York, United States of America (USA).

The UN Summit of the Future is taking place during the 2024 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), which will feature High Level Debates by leaders from different countries of the world who will congregate in New York.

Trending #AfricaThisWeek Volume 1, No. 1 - ITREALMS

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Highlights:

1. Political parties sign peace accord
2. Court orders govt to compensate 16 Rwandese, Ugandan businessmen
3. TAEF condemns Sudan over newspapers seizure
4. La Nouvelle Tribune shuts down
5. Enters deal with China, Court removes age limit on presidential election
6. Over 50 legislators decamp to opposition parties

Follow on Twitter: @#AfricaThisWeek. 

Full edition: #AfricaThisWeek Volume 1, No. 2. This edition is also available in French.

*Courtesy Remmy Nweke/ED, Ops

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Paradigm condemns Nigeria attempts to clamp online newspapers

ITREALMS:

Paradigm Initiative has expressed serious concern over alleged Federal Government’s secret attempts to block the domain names of several identified websites accused of threatening national security in Nigeria. These attempts are an unacceptable violation of constitutionally and globally guaranteed rights of expression and information.

According to a report published in the Nigerian Tribune, the Federal Government is alleged to be currently carrying out this operation through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), ostensibly hiding behind Section 146 of the NCC Act 2003. The section, which provides generally on the duties of a network licensee to assist the Commission in preserving national security and preventing the commission of a crime, must not be used by the Federal Government to intimidate online news providers and infringe on their rights.

As said by Paradigm Initiative’s Program Manager Magoyi (ICT Policy), Adeboye Adegoke, “Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria expressly provides that every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including the freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference. Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides similarly that everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice”

While commenting on the development, Paradigm Initiative’s Director of Programs, Tope Ogundipe says that “whatever process is underway by the influence of the NCC and the NSA would result in a violation of the Constitution and should, therefore, be halted. The Federal Government should desist from covert acts as such and should instead release a list of such sites purportedly threatening national security and follow the due course of the law in handling this matter transparently.”

Mrs Ogundipe further states that in an already declining society which pays minimal regard to the freedom of expression and press freedom, a dangerous precedent would be set if the NCC goes ahead with this plan to restrict access to certain websites in the Nigerian Cyberspace.

While speaking further on the development, Program Manager, Magoyi (ICT Policy), Adeboye Adegoke said that, “The right to receive information and the right to give information is expressly codified in legal instruments recognized in Nigeria and so it would be sheer defiance by the NCC to attempt to make a derogation in such a manner.”

Paradigm Initiative has noted the denial of this censorship plan by the Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, stating that he was not aware of any plan by the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) to gag online newspapers. The Honourable Minister should go a step further to investigate this claim and make a commitment to press freedom and unhindered internet freedom. On its part, Paradigm Initiative will continue to monitor the development and will deploy every legitimate advocacy tools to get to the root of it in ensuring that fundamentally guaranteed rights of citizens are safeguarded.

Ogo Nebenanya/GEE

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Tension: FG shutdown on online newspapers, others looms

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Babagana Monguno, NSA to President Buhari

The Federal Government (FG) may have commenced secret clamp down on some online newspapers, blogs and websites perceived to constitute “threat to national security” permanently shut away from Nigerian cyber space, reports ITRealms.

This is coming as there is apprehension with social media and Internet users in Nigeria as they may not be exempted from the squelching exercise suspected to have commenced since October 27, 2017.

According to a report by Sunday Tribune, the closest clue in this kind of indirect attempt to gag the press and suppress opposing views since the advent of the current administration is the controversial bill to regulate social media, which has passed second reading in the Senate.

Also Sunday Tribune reports that the government, through the Nigerian Communications Commission, has soliced the services of a Lagos-based Information and Communication Technology (ICT) firm to block the domain names of “several identified websites threatening national security” mostly those sympathetic to pro-Igbo and Biafra concerns.

ITRealms gathered that the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) had drawn the list of the alleged offensive and threatening websites and domains numbering about 21, based on the memo written by NCC, a copy of which was leaked to ITRealms.

Dated October 20, 2017, the reminder memo to the firm, entitled: “Re: Request to Prevent the Commission of an Offence under Section 146 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003” was signed by duo from NCC including its Head, Legal and Regulatory Services, Yetunde Akinloye, while an official of the agency co-signed for the Director, New Media and Information Security, Engineer Haru Alhassan.

The letter referenced earlier letter dated September 27, 2017 on the above subject matter, directing the contracted firm “to restrict access to several identified websites threatening national security as identified by the office of the National Security Adviser.”

Further, it read in part the firm “… is hereby required to immediately take steps to restrict access within the Nigerian cyberspace in respect of 21 (twenty one) additional websites by blocking the domain names. (The list of websites is attached)”.

Section 146 (1) of the NCC Act 2003 states: “A licensee shall use his best endeavour to prevent the network facilities that he owns or provides or the network service, applications service or content application service that he provides from being used in, or in relation to, the commission of any offence under any law in operation in Nigeria.

“(2): A licensee shall, upon written request by the Commission or any other authority, assist the Commission or other authority as far as reasonably necessary in preventing the commission or attempted commission of an offence under any written law in operation in Nigeria or otherwise in enforcing the laws of Nigeria, including the protection of the public revenue and preservation of national security.

“(3): Any licensee, shall not be liable in any criminal proceedings of any nature for any damage (including punitive damages), loss, cost or expenditure suffered or to be suffered (whether directly or indirectly) for any act or omission done in good faith in the performance of the duty imposed under subsections (1) and (2).”

Reacting, the Ministerof Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, said he was not aware any memo originated from the NCC instructing any firm to gag the press, particularly online newspapers, Internet and social media users or shut them down.

Shittu told Sunday Tribune that no instruction would be given to the NCC without such passing through him as the Minister supervising the NCC.

“I am sure NCC will never ever write such a memo. I am sure it never happened. President Muhammadu Buhari or any of the people working for him will never do or encourage anything that will amount to gagging of the press,” he declared.

*Ayo Midele with additional report from Sunday Tribune/GEE

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