Maureen Chigbo Emerges First Female President of GOCOP

In a historic election held at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, last Wednesday, Ms. Maureen Chigbo, Publisher of Realnews, was elected new president of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP).

By the election, Chigbo, a versatile journalist, becomes the fourth president of the Guild, and the first female to occupy the high office.

She will paddle the canoe for the next two years.

She took over from Mr. Dotun Oladipo, publisher of The Eagle Online, who served two terms as

President.

During the election that took place at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Guild on Wednesday, October 6, at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, fourteen other executive members were voted to run the affairs of the Guild for the next two years.

They include Mr. Danlami Nmodu, mni (Deputy President), Mr. Ken Ugbechie (Vice President, South), Mr. Tom Chaiheman (Vice President, North), Mr. Collins Edomaruse (General Secretary), Mr. Olumide Iyanda (Deputy Secretary-General), Remmy Nweke (Publicity Secretary), Azuh Arinze (Financial Secretary) and Mrs. Yemisi Izuora (Treasurer).

Equally elected during the AGM are: Messers Max Amuchie, Horatius Egua, James Ume, Akeem Oyetunji, Raymond Ukaegbu and Tony Edike as Zonal Coordinators for the North Central, North East, North West, South West, South-South and South East respectively.

In her acceptance speech, Ms. Maureen Chigbo pledged to do her level best to uplift the ideals of GOCOP and the credibility of members with the support and cooperation of the group.

A release issued by Remmy Nweke said that the 2021 GOCOP Election Committee was chaired by Yusuf Ozi-Usman, publisher of Greenberg Reporters while Afolabi Odeyemi served as the Secretary. Other members of the committee include Dr. Monday Ashibogwu,

Mr. Wole Tokede, and Mr. Kazeem Akintunde.

GOCOP is a registered non-governmental, non-partisan, non-profit organisation, comprising owners of Online Publications, who previously worked as professional journalists in major mainstream media organisations.

The inauguration and induction of the new executive committee members and induction of new members were held on Thursday, October 7, 2021 at the same venue.