By Emma Okereh
Women journalists in Nigeria, under the aegis of the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), is in partnership with Verbatim Media Group, publishers of Verbatim magazine and Verbatim online newspaper, to hold an innovative 100-Women-of-Excellence-event in the last quarter of this year.
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· The initiators of the program, Verbatim, broke news of the partnership with NAWOJ in Abuja yesterday in a press statement. It explained that the event will hold in Abuja with key activities as highlights.
· It listed the event highlights as the investiture of Nigeria’s first lady, Aisha Buhari as Champion of Excellence and Integrity and the unveiling of a Compendium of 100 Women – a special publication on exemplary achievements by Nigerian women in public service, politics, business and other vocations.
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· Project Coordinator and publisher of Verbatim magazine, Tobs Agbaegbu, who signed the statement stated that Verbatim sought partnership for support to showcase ‘’a bold and innovative project, in words, photographs and document, to appreciate contemporary contributions of women in nation building in Nigeria, through collaborative action with NAWOJ and other gender friendly personalities and institutions.’’
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· He explained also that in the case of the first lady of Nigeria who has in the past 7 years of the President Buhari administration, lived exemplary life by demonstrating immense courage to ask relevant questions about governance, led fights against various forms of abuses; for rights and privileges of women, and also for less the privileged in the society, ‘’the champion of integrity award will show that the media also applauds when things are being done right’’.
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· Agbaegbu also expressed happiness that NAWOJ, the authentic voice of women in the journalism profession in Nigeria, was quick in accepting partnership with Verbatim through a letter signed by Helen Udofia, the National Secretary, pointing out that with NAWOJ’s added strength, a higher percentage of success in the program will be achieved.
· Agbaegbu, while acknowledging that the job to be done is enormous also promised that soon, the duo of Verbatim and NAWOJ will file out to visit gender sensitive personalities, institutions and corporate entities in Nigeria to seek their support for the project, in demonstration of love for women who are cornerstones of family growth and nation building in Nigeria.
