*Danlami Nmodu, mni, Publisher of Newsdiaryonline and new President of Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, pledges to uphold the ideals, rules and regulations of the Guild, pushing it to a higher level of growth within the online publishing ecosystem in Nigeria

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) Thursday, October 9, 2025, inaugurated a new Executive Council at its two-day 9th Annual Conference held in Ikeja, Lagos State.

绿帽献妻 reports GOCOP Thursday, on the second day of the conference, swore-in Danlami Nmodu, mni, Publisher of Newsdiaryonline, as the new President along with other members of the Executive, following a keenly contested election earlier held Wednesday, October 8.

L-R: Ofonime Umamah (TNN); Adedapo Falade (Newscoven); Olayinka Agboola (PMParrot & ParrotXtra Magazine); Olugbenga Kayode (绿帽献妻); Olumuyiwa Akintunde (BreezyNewsNG); and Tola Akinmutimi (BRTNews), During the Induction of New Members at the 9th GOCOP Annual Conference, in Lagos

The theme of this year’s conference, chaired by Chief Bode George, ex-Military Governor of Old Ondo State and former Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, is: “Reconciling Campaign Promises with Governance Realities – Challenges and Prospects”.

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Other newly-elected officers include Mr. Olumide Iyanda, Deputy President; Mr. Sufuyan Ojeifo, General Secretary; Mr. Akeem Oyetunji, Deputy General Secretary; Ms. Ngozi Onyeakusi, Treasurer; Mr. Moses Ebosele, Financial Secretary; and Ms. Kemi Yesufu as the Publicity Secretary.

New Executive members of GOCOP with some dignitaries at the event

The Presidency of GOCOP was the only contested position during the election between Mr. Danlami Nmodu and Mr. Segun Adeleye, his challenger.

The other officers were returned unopposed.

The electoral committee disclosed that out of the 114, 80 members attended the Annual General Congress in person, 71 voted physically, some nine members adopted e-voting.

Nmodu scored a total of 63 votes to emerge the new President of GOCOP.

L-R: Mr. Ken Ugbechie, Publisher of Political Economist as the Moderator; Alhaji Lanre Issa-Onilu, Director-General of National Orientation Agency; Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, Director of Institute of Continuing Education, University of Lagos; and Mr. Muskilu Mojeed, Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times at the panel session on the conference theme: ‘Reconciling Campaign Promises with Governance Realities – Challenges and Prospects’

Nmodu, with the inauguration of the Executive Council, has received the baton of leadership of GOCOP from Dr. Maureen Chigbo, immediate past President of the Guild and Publisher of RealNews Magazine.

Nmodu unveils leadership agenda

Expressing appreciation in his acceptance speech, Nmodu thanked members of GOCOP for finding him worthy of the office of President.

The new President also pledged to abide by the ideals, rules and regulations of the Guild towards taking GOCOP to a higher level of growth within the online publishing community in Nigeria.

He also stated: 鈥淚 take the responsibility of the office seriously. Our members shall come first.

“I promise to work harmoniously with other Exco officers and members to take GOCOP to a higher level of growth.”

Nmodu as well assured members of creating more human capital and business opportunities for them all.

Inauguration of 8 new members

In a related development, the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers on the second day of this year’s conference Thursday also inducted eight new members into the Guild.

The inaugurated members as Publishers and Chief Executives of online news publications are: Adedapo Falade (Newscoven); Olayinka Agboola (PMParrot & ParrotXtra Magazine); Olugbenga Kayode (绿帽献妻); Olumuyiwa Akintunde (BreezyNewsNG); Tola Akinmutimi (BRTNewsNG); Tony Amokeodo (The Ideal News); Ofonime Umamah (TNN); and Wilson Aderibigbe (Maritime First).

Speaking on the membership application procedures at the event, Mr. Muskilu Mojeed, Editor-in-Chief and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Premium Times, disclosed the new members had scaled through a rigorous process, having satisfied stated stringent membership criteria.

On role of media in advancing democracy, good governance

A key highlight of the well-attended conference was a panel session of discussants to do justice to the theme of the conference, moderated by Mr. Ken Ugbechie, Publisher of Political Economist.

Members of the panel included Alhaji Lanre Issa-Onilu, Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA); Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, Director, Institute of Continuing Education, University of Lagos (UNILAG); and Mr. Muskilu Mojeed of Premium Times.

In his contribution, Mojeed urged the Nigerian Government to provide sustained support for media professionals to perform their statutory role as the Fourth Estate of the Realm in the country.

He equally emphasised their critical role in bridging the gap between political campaign promises and governance realities in Nigeria.

According to him, despite the indispensable role of the media in democracy, government support remains minimal in the system.

Mojeed averred: “The government hardly gives us support.

“The fact is, everyone needs the media, especially when in power and even more when out of power.”

The media must be empowered to effectively serve as the voice of the people and watchdog of society, he stated.

Despite some palliatives handed out to certain media houses during the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, particularly through debt waivers, the media chief contended that such gestures were not enough.

He urged the Nigerian Government to do more to strengthen the media industry to thrive.

The COO of the online news medium as well decried the poor quality of leadership in Nigeria.

Several politicians come into office unprepared for the responsibilities of governance, said he.

He declared: 鈥淭here鈥檚 a clear disconnect between campaign promises and actual delivery.”

Urging media professionals to embrace technology and innovation, Mojeed described them as vital tools for enhancing accountability, and reinforcing the media鈥檚 role in promoting transparency and good governance in the economy.

GOCOP is a Nigerian, non-governmental, non-partisan, non-profit making organisation, borne out of the increasing need to ensure that online publishers uphold the tenets of journalism in the performance of their statutory role in the economy.

It is also about the pressing need to sanitise the online publishing space in the country, as it is the future of journalism as it obtains in the developed countries.

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