The Institute of Corporate and Public Sector Professionals (ICPSP) and the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Lagos State Chapter, on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on capacity building.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the official signing of the MoU also featured the conferment of ICPSP Honourary Fellowship award on NAWOJ Lagos Chapter Chairperson, Mrs Adeola Ekine.
In her address, Dr Folashade Airebamien, President, ICPSP said the MoU is geared towards building the capacity of NAWOJ members to enhance the development of professional women in journalism and the nation at large.
Airebamien, represented by Mrs Omolara Adelakun, Registrar, ICPSP stated that ICPSP as a career building institute was happy to sign the MOU with NAWOJ in accordance with the institute’s laid down guidelines.
She explained that the MoU reflected a shared value and focused on seeking collaborative opportunities within each organisation’s respective vision, mission, and programme focus, thus establishing capacity-building opportunities.
“Our mandate at ICPSP is to support professionals whose daily effort impact people’s lives and the society at large and to bring out the best in them.
“You will agree with me that the role of journalists in nation building cannot be over-emphasised, thus the decision to enter into this agreement with NAWOJ is on course and a right step in the right direction,” she said.
The president noted that the institute would endeavor to fulfil her part of the agreement and expected that NAWOJ would do the same to fully implement the agreement and sustain the mutually benefitted relationship.
Airebamien congratulated the NAWOJ chairperson for being found worthy by the ICPSP’s Governing Council for conferment of the institute’s honorary fellowship.
“We expect you, as a honorary fellow to uphold and guide the objectives and principles of the institute jealously to enable us materialize our mission and vision statements sooner than expected,” she added.
In her response, Ekine expressed profound appreciation to the institute for extending its hands of fellowship to Lagos NAWOJ towards building the capacity of members.
“We deeply appreciate the institute for offering us such a rare opportunity,” she said.
Ekine stated that the MOU would, among other benefits, focus on the development of NAWOJ, while the association would through her membership strength provide publicity to the institute’s activities, where possible.
“We sincerely thank the generosity and support of ICPSP to address one of the greatest challenges of women practicing journalism by building the capacity of female journalists.
“We expect that both parties would leverage on each other’s respective strengths, experience, technologies, network, and resources to pursue and or fully implement the MoU.”
In his remark, Mr Leye Ajayi, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council, applauded ICPSP and NAWOJ for entering into the partnership to promote the skills, effectiveness and profile of female journalists.
Ajayi urged both parties to follow the implementation of the MoU to the letter.
“I congratulate the NAWOJ chairperson for this milestone and ICPSP for setting a positive pace for other institute to follow.
“NUJ being the umbrella parent for NAWOJ would watch as the MoU is being implemented, so as to also key into such partnership with the institute with time,” he said.
Present at the event were members of Lagos NUJ exco including the Treasurer, Mrs Iyabo Ogunjuiyibi as well as the Chairman, Sport Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Mr Debo Oshundun.
