Mr Gbemiga Ogunleye, the Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), has asked the National Assembly to review the law establishing the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to enable private tertiary institutions in the country to also benefit from the activities of the Fund.
Mr. Ogunleye made this call at the 5th Convocation and Conferment of Fellowship Award, Awards of National Diploma, Higher Diploma, Certificates and Presentation of Prizes of the institute of in Lagos.
Mr. Ogunleye said that the exclusion of private tertiary institutions among beneficiaries of TETFund is discriminating.
He said, “I want to appeal to the National Assembly to amend the TETFund Act to include rivate tertiary institutions in distribution of funds. It is discriminating for students from private tertiary institutions not to benefit from the discharge of funds. We cannot imagine a Nigeria without private tertiary institutions. Many individuals whose companies contribute to TETFund have children and wards in private institutions.”
Mr. Ogunleye also said he was optimistic that the 1,841 students who were graduated at the convocation ceremony will represent the institution positively like their predecessors.
“A very high proportion of renowned journalists in Nigeria passed through this institution. It is my pleasure to present these graduates, who will represent the institute in same light. I charge you to go out to the world and make the necessary impact in the journalism profession,” Mr. Ogunleye said.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Ray Ekpu, a former chief executive officer of Newswatch Magazine, who represented Mallam Ismaila Isa, the chairman of the NIJ Governing Council, asked the new graduates to approach journalism with professionalism.
While noting that social media had changed the dynamics of the profession of journalism, he urged them to be ready to hard work as they enter the field.
“Today marks the beginning of another chapter in your lives which I call the University of the streets. You must realise that the mainstream media has the social media to contend with. This is because social media has changed the dynamics of journalism. You should be prepared to work till your fingers ache, because that is what will feed, clothe and shelter you," Ekpu said.
A business mogul, Chief Kessington Adebutu and Mr Dapo Olorunyomi, publisher of Premium Times, were awarded fellowship of the institute at the ceremony.
