IPI sets up trust fund for Dimba Igwe, Bilkisu Yusuf

The Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI), the global media network for senior editors and media executives, has set up a trust fund for two of its deceased members – Mr. Dimgba Igwe and Hajiya Bilkisu Yusuf.

Igwe was killed last year by a hit and run driver while jogging in Lagos while Hajiya Bilkisu died in the stampede during last month's hajj in Mina, Saudi Arabia.

At its quarterly meeting in Abuja yesterday, IPI said the trust fund will institute annual prizes for deserving Mass Communication students in selected universities in the name of the duo.

“The fund will also be used to support any other programmes and activities that preserve the good memory of the late IPI members. All members present at the meeting today made instant financial pledges while other members will be contacted for their contributions to the fund,” the IPI said in a statement.

Members of the Board of Trustees for the Fund are Alh. Ismaila Isa, IPI Patron (Chairman); Aremo Olusgun Osoba, media ICON and IPI Patron; Mallam Kabiru Yusuf, Chairman of Media Trust Ltd and Chairman of IPI Nigeria; Mallam Wada Maida, Chairman, Peoples Daily Newspapers; Mallam Mohammed Haruna, Columnist/ Managing Director, Citizens Magazine; Mr. Folu Olamiti, Resident Consultant, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC; Mr. Emma Agu (Media Consultant and former Managing Director of Champion newspapers and Mr. Raheem Adedoyin, Secretary, IPI Nigeria.

The meeting, which held at the Media Trust Ltd headquarters in Abuja, was attended by Funtua, Haruna, Yusuf, Maida, Olamiti, Agu, Adedoyin, Garba Shehu (Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari); Mallam Manir Dan-Ali( Editor-in-Chief of Trust Newspapers and Mallam Mustapha Shehu(CEO/ Editor-in-Chief of The Politico Magazine.

It said the meeting also endorsed the safety training programme for Nigerian journalists being packaged by the IPI headquarters in Vienna.