By Chinedu Echianu
The International Press Centre, IPC, Lagos, has paid tribute to former President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, GOCOP, Dotun Oladipo, who was laid to rest on Friday.
In a statement, the Centre describes Oladipo as a committed journalism professional, media development advocate and strong supporter of ethical journalism, professional standards and democratic accountability.
The IPC said Oladipo played a significant role in strengthening professional engagement within the Nigerian media, particularly during his tenure as GOCOP president.
According to the Centre, his leadership brought him into sustained engagement with the IPC on issues including media professionalism, electoral reporting and responsible journalism.
It noted that Oladipo was instrumental in securing GOCOP’s position as one of the first umbrella media professional bodies to formally support and endorse the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage, introduced by the IPC in 2018.
The Code provides a professional framework aimed at promoting accuracy, fairness, balance, accountability and conflict-sensitive reporting throughout the electoral cycle.
The IPC said Oladipo went beyond the Guild’s institutional endorsement by encouraging individual GOCOP members to subscribe to the Code and uphold its principles.
The Centre also recalled his consistent participation in major industry gatherings, including conferences of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, media leadership summits and other professional forums.
Executive Director of the IPC, Lanre Arogundade, said Oladipo’s leadership reflected a strong commitment to professional standards, responsible journalism and the collective advancement of the Nigerian media.
Arogundade said Oladipo’s efforts contributed meaningfully to strengthening professional engagement and the role of the media in Nigeria’s democratic development.
