NIJ chief challenges journalists on professional ethics

Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) at Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos State, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, has advised Journalists in the country to remain consistent in upholding the ethics of the profession.

He gave the advice Adefaye on Wednesday at the hoisting of flags and the launch of framed code of ethics of professional stakeholders.

The event, which held on NIJ campus, was meant to be a reminder of the ethical requirements of the profession to practitioners.

According to him, the governing council membership of the institution is drawn from the professional bodies whose flags are hoisted on the school’s campus.

He said that the occasion was the initiative of his predecessor, Mr. Gbemiga Ogunleye.

He said: “Today, we hoist the flags of the International Press Institute (IPI), which provided the seed fund in 1963: the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the custodian and guardian of Journalism in Nigeria, the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE): the gatekeepers.

“Others are: the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) – the front-liners; the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) – the mouthpiece and the Advertising Council of Nigeria (CAN) – the town crier.

“We hope this unveiling will serve as a constant reminder of ourselves and others of the ethical requirements of our profession.

“I also hope this will serve as a constant reminder and consciousness builder for integrating the values and ethical standards required for professional practice.

“Our goal in this assignment is to provide a linkage and identification of these professional bodies with our institutions.

“It is our hope that the hoisting of the flags and the unveiling of the code of ethics plaque will open a new chapter in the transformation and repositioning of the institution as we transform to digitally impact our profession,” Adefaye added.

Former Ogun State governor, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, who was a guest at the event, called for a more reformed Nigeria and hoped that the country will be great again soon.