Guild of Photojournalists Nigeria (GPN) the umbrella body for practicing photojournalists in Nigeria has concluded plans to hold the second edition of its annual conference/exhibition and award on Friday, December 2, 2022, at Lagos Country Club Ikeja, Lagos.

The theme for the conference is “Visual Communication: Threat or Asset to National Security and Social Development in Election Year”; while for the Awards night, it has as theme, “Storytelling and Associated Challenges of Security, Logistics, Education in Election Year”.

The Conference and Exhibition is scheduled to hold in the morning by 10 am while the award holds in the evening by 5 pm.

Guest Speaker at the morning (Conference) session is Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin, Chief Executive Officer, Media Career Development Network while the keynote speaker for the award is Mr. Femi Odugbemi, Founder/Executive Producer, ZURI 24 Media.

Commenting on the theme of the event, Abiodun Ajala, the Chairman of the Association, who is also the Photo Editor of ThisDay Newspapers, said: “the theme for the conference was chosen in view of current realities in our nation’s socio-political standing@; ad that “the theme for the Awards night was chosen because of the strategic place of the marketing communications industry in Nigeria, an industry that would be hugely represented at the Dinner as several brands, companies, and individuals would bag well-deserved awards while others would be present because of their partnership support”.

Ajala added that the themes would also enlighten other stakeholders, including government functionaries and policymakers on the very strategic place and contributions of the industry at such a time as in other times.

It would be recalled that the Guild is the umbrella body for practicing photojournalists in Nigeria, most of who ply their trade across the broad spectrum of the popular national media houses in the country while others are into private practice and entrepreneurship.

According to the Guild, its members “have been witnesses to the continuing evolution of our nation and have contributed and continue to contribute, positively to telling Nigeria’s and Nigerians’ stories through our visual presentations”; adding, “Indeed, our works have continuously lent credence to the saying, “A picture is worth more than a thousand words”.

Continuing, GPN states, “We have also, since the inception of the Guild, shown our thought leadership and torch-bearing credentials through our annual (two-in-one) event – the ANNUAL CONFERENCE/EXHIBITION AND AWARD DINNER, through which we have deepened and expanded the frontiers of knowledge in both the practice and the profession of photojournalism on the one hand; while we recognize, reward and celebrate our classic awards”.