By Favour Nnabugwu
Association of Cooperate Online Editors (ACOE) at its maiden post incorporation Congress has approved the extension of the tenure of its acting executives for another fifteen months with effect from May 16, 2024 with a mandate to midwife the election of a substantive executive within the window.
The Congress which held in Abuja yesterday May 16, 2024 also approved the appointment of both ‘Seun Ibukun-Oni (Daily Courier News) and Alabidun Abdulrahman (Intercontinental News 247), as Publicity Secretary and Assistant Secretary respectively, expanding the executive members of the Association. While Ibeneme Ebelechukwu (Chronicles Online ) was appointed to replace the Treasurer. In addition, the Congress constituted two ad-hoc committees to lay an enduring foundation for the Association.
Hence, the updated roll call of ACOE acting executives include: Chairman, Martins Odiete; Vice-Chairman, Ignatius Ushie; Secretary, Shola Akingboye; Financial Secretary, Khadijat ; Treasurer, Ibeneme Ebelechukwu; Publicity Secretary, ‘Seun Ibukun-Oni and Assistant Secretary, Alabidun Abdulrahman.
The extension of the Martins Odiete led executive’s tenure is in recognition and appreciation of the impact their leadership has had since conception of the Association to its current incorporation status. During the incubation phase , the executives focused on steadying the Association which was reeling from the effects of minimal trust in online platforms and repeated registration denials.
These efforts metamorphosed into this nascent but burgeoning media Association with the primary aim of promoting ethical journalism across the various online genres.
Within the period, the executive have been saddle with the task of conducting the inaugural investiture of the pioneer members of the Association in February 2025.
As part of its commitment to ethical journalism, the Association has set up an Accreditation Committee chaired by Onyebuchi Nze (Investigators News), with the task of setting admission criteria, vetting and screening potential members. The Association is convinced that the experienced committee members will add the bakers dozen to help position the Association as a professional, ethical and pragmatic media Associate.
Other members of the Accreditation Committee include: Fred Idehai, (CNA); Joy Odor, (Report Circle Online); ‘Seun Ibukun Oni, (Daily Courier); and
Queen Kunde, (Ziti Online News).
The near completion of the Association’s website was greeted with oviations by the Congress. The website, when activated will serve as the repository of all ACOE’s engagements and initiatives. It will serve as an authenticator for all members to separate the wheat from the chaff in the largely uncensored online journalism space.
In our bid to factually interrogate and demand accountability in the public sector, the Association has set in motion plans to host Quarterly physical/online High-level Policy Dialogue (For head of MDAs at the state and federal level, which will include the legislature, judiciary and the highest level of executive).
To educate the citizenry and to sustain public enlightenment, ACOE by the leave of Congress will facilitate a Monthly Twitter/Facebook live engagement for members and public enlightenment.
A media committee chaired by the Publicity Secretary, ‘Seun Ibukun-Oni was immediately set up for the tasks. The other members are: Moses Okorie, (Nations Pride); Nnamdi Okosieme, (News Allround); Ameh Gabriel, (The Sightnews); Queen Kunde, (Ziti Online News); Samuel Ahmadu (Savid News) and Raymond Nyatit Enoch, (Paradigm Online News) to develop and implement comprehensive media strategies for the Association. The committee will be required to coordinate media coverage for events, programs, and organizational milestones.
The Congress stressed the need to collaborate and identify opportunities for partnerships, exposures and professional development for all members.
ACOE, a professional body of news editors who publish online newspapers in Nigeria since inception has operated with its high ideals to promote ethical journalism as a prerequisite tool for online media practitioners; to uphold tenets of the profession, promote corporate values and the welfare of its members, and to maintain associations’ set standard in line with global best practices.
