Ololade Adeyanju/
Foremost professor of law and renowned African activist, Professor Patrick Lumumba, the Chairman of the Nigerian Federal House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, former Canada Immigration Minister, Gerry Wiener, and the Controller General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede and others will on October 15 address the world migration forum at the Pensioners’ FM hall in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
The programme would also feature International Organization for Migration (IOM) Gambia and Nigeria as well as Diaspora Innovation Institute, US, Rescue Africans in Slavery Foundation, US and ThisLebanon from Lebanon.
The event combining virtual and physical presentations is themed: Migration Governance and Media Strategy for Development during Pandemic is the 2020 edition of the Journalists International Forum for Migration (JIFORM) with over 200 journalists across the continents covering migration matters’ annual summit.
Ajibola Abayomi, President of JIFORM in a statement issued in Ibadan on Tuesday says the conference would address among other things, the need to evolve better framework to better the lots of humanity in the areas of migration.
“As fall out of this year workshop, we intend to produce a glossary of migration terminologies to be distributed to over 10,000 journalists and media houses across the world and further the beat of tolerance for migrants as we promote safe and regular migration,” he stated.
The summit would be formally unveiled by Babandede with participation of other notable speakers that include Dr Princess Ocansey, member African Union Advisory Committee on Labour Migration, Professor Byron Price of Diaspora Innovation Institute, USA; Johanna Mac from Erich Brost Institute, Germany; Mr Ggenga Omotoso, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lagos State; Professor Ikechukwu Anthony Kanu, Ms Omotola Fawunmi and Patricia Phradan from Lebanon.
Ajibola added that gathering would also reflect on media contributions to the advancement of purposeful migration required to discourage slavery and strengthen economic capacity aimed at turning around economies especially in Africa.
“We have come to a point where media cannot but join in the struggle to liberate the minds of millions of souls being sold to slavery and prostitution through false characterization by the privileged exploiters. On the other hand, African leaders must do the needful and reset priorities so that the continent can continue to be a land of desired dreams for its citizens,” Ajibola stated.
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