GOVERNOR Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State will, on Thursday, declare open a two-day workshop on Good Corporate Governance in the Media, organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE.

The workshop, which would be attended by managing directors, publishers and editors of national media outlets, including print, broadcast and online, holds at the De Rembrandt Hotel, Alausa in Ikeja with the theme ‘Journalism and Digitalisation: The Imperative of Good Corporate Governance.’

In a statement by its President and General-Secretary, Messrs Mustapha Isah and Iyobosa Uwugiaren, the NGE said the workshop is aimed at exploring the impact of digitalisation on journalism, the media industry and prescribe practicable responses to its disruptions.

Digitalisation has changed the face and the practice of journalism, eroding its space,” the NGE said, adding, “For the profession to thrive, it needs more efficient management models.”

It stated that a lecturer at the School of Media and Communication, Pan Atlantic University Lagos, Dr. Pius Onobhayedo, will deliver the keynote address on the theme, while the former Managing Director of Guardian Press Limited, Mr Emeka Izeze, would speak on the sub-theme ‘Striking the Balance among Commercialism, Proprietary Right and Professionalism.’

The statement reads: “The former Managing Director, The Sun Publishing Limited, Dr. Tony Onyima, and the former Deputy Editor-in-Chief of The Punch, Mr Gbemiga Ogunleye, would deliver papers on ‘Surviving the Digital Onslaught,’ and ‘Journalism and the Law: Who Watches the Watchdog?’ respectively.

“The workshop, which is supported by the Lagos State Government, would attract 50 participants spread across Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Edo and Delta States.”

Meanwhile, Lagos community pleads with Sanwo-Olu to intervene in land dispute

RESIDENTS of Iba-Oloja Community in the Ibeju-Lekki Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, yesterday, urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to save them from some notorious land grabbers that have made life difficult for them in the community.

Residents of the community, who came out en masse, expressed their grievances over alleged invasion of the town by suspected thugs that were also aided by the mobile police officers attached to a prominent property manager.

Speaking on the crisis engulfing Iba-Oloja town, a community leader, Chief Hasan Lawal, said: “We are appealing to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to save us from these criminals. Our children can no longer go to school because of this crisis ravaging the community. Farmers can no longer go to their farms and market women have remained indoors because of the fear of being attacked by the land grabbers, who regularly disrupt the peace in the town.”

Lawal noted also that two of the residents of the town are still receiving treatment at Akodo General Hospital, as a result of the gunshot injuries sustained during last week’s attack.

The community leader said: “Governor Sanwo-Olu should help us get rid of these land grabbers. They have turned our community into a war zone and we can hardly sleep with our two eyes closed.

“We cannot go to the market. We cannot live our normal lives since this crisis started and the police that ought to prevent the breakdown of law and order are looking the other way by arresting innocent people who are indigenes and law-abiding residents of the town.”