CONGRESS OF AFRICAN JOURNALISTS
RC: 153753
Improving the practice; protecting the practitioner
About
CAJ is a vanguard organisation uniting the voices of professionals of African origin across the globe. Its membership spans all the 5 regions of Africa and is open to the African Diaspora (those that trace their roots in Africa). It was formed as an umbrella for journalists practising journalism in all its forms.
CAJ is also guided by understanding of the critical role information plays in Africa’s development trajectory and will encourage and facilitate the sharing of factual information.
CAJ is guided by the principle of promoting high ethical standards in the profession, training, retraining and further education and up skilling of its members and general public with interest in journalism.
CAJ will be a prominent voice in advocacy for a safer working environment for journalists and a watchdog against the persecution of journalists discharging their duty lawfully.
CAJ promotes excellence, community and innovation through publications, awards, recognitions and conferences.
Objectives
Objectives of Congress of African Journalists (CAJ)
1. Seeking to establish a Pan African journalists organisation with the aim to bring together, under one umbrella, journalists of Africa origin, both conventional and non-conventional, establish greater unity, cooperation and solidarity.
2. To raise awareness among journalists and media professionals in Africa through education of the importance of ethics, human rights and good governance in the exercise of journalism and the administration of news media.
3. To promote and encourage interaction between journalists in all its forms on the value of informed, ethical journalism in Africa
4. To advance the education, skills and competence of people engaged in all forms of journalistic work at all levels of media and across all platforms (New Media/Social Media and the conventional media) of media throughout Africa and the rest of the world
5. We also seek to promote the dignity and honour for the status of journalism by enhancing levels of skill and knowledge of ethical principles within media, particularly through training and education of journalists, media managers and owners
6. Appraise critically, current ethical challenges and governance issues affecting journalists and their work, seek to resolve these issues through information sharing; country missions; targeted research; and distribution of reports and materials on matters of contemporary concern to journalists and media professionals which will be freely available to all
7. The organisation seeks to promote unbiased investigative and interpretative journalism, elimination of hate speech, fake news and to eliminate any form of government or external influence on journalists and journalism
8. Monitoring members in order to promote best practices or advocate for improvement with respect to coverage of the African community and Africans in the Diaspora.
9. Promote and encourage good leadership and governance in Africa countries through awards and recognitions and also honors journalism excellence and outstanding achievement.
10.Seeking to serve as platform for credible news and information dissemination in Africa continent.
Board of Trustees
Fundamental Responsibilities:
The Board of Trustees shall have the fundamental responsibilities of providing the organisation with sound governance, fiduciary and strategic oversight and direction. The board shall oversee the operations of the organisation, ensures that the public’s trust is upheld. It shall ensure the organisation’s financial integrity and ethical practices. It shall ensure legal requirements are met and established procedures to safeguard the organisation from fraud and risk.
Duty of Care:
The board members shall discharge duties in good faith. Board members shall: Attend board and committee meetings, Prepare for meetings in advance, Review financial reports and other critical information regularly, Exercise independent judgment, Request information needed for decision making.
Duty of Obedience:
The board members shall make decisions in accordance with the objectives of the organisation, uphold its bylaws, policies, and functions, and not act in a way that is inconsistent with the central goals of the organisation. The board members shall: Ensure compliance with all reporting requirements, Examine all legal and governing documents, Make decisions within the scope of the objectives and the law.
Loyalty:
The board members shall act in the interests of the organisation and not their own personal interests or the interests of some other person/organization. The Board Member shall: Adhere to the conflict of interest policy, Disclose all conflicts, Avoid the use of the organisation’s opportunities for personal gain, Maintain confidentiality of information held by the organization
Roles:
The board members must be: Loyal, and Obedient. Leadership positions are created within the Board of Trustees to assure that responsibilities are fulfilled.
Leadership
Ayodeji Michael Adeboboye
Chairman Board of Trustees/PresidentAyodeji Michael Adeboboye is a Nigerian Independent and freelance journalist whose works have been published in Asia and United States of America publications. I am a newspaper and magazine editor and publisher. Former Editor in Chief, National Watch Magazine, a monthly publication in Lagos State Nigeria by Positive Prints. Adeboboye is a citizen of Ondo State, Nigeria. He is a conceptualist and very compassionate about the welfare of African journalists and ethics of the journalism profession. He is the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Congress of African Journalists (CAJ), a registered pan-African organisation of journalists with headquarters in Nigeria.
Emmanuela Maikem
Secretary Board of Trustees/Vice President, Central Africa RegionAshraf Aboul-Yazid Dali,
Member, Board of Trustees/Vice President, North Africa RegionAshraf Aboul-Yazid, novelist, poet, translator and journalist from Egypt. Author of more than 40 books of poetry, novels, biographies, criticism, children’s literature and translations. His travels to 33 countries have been published in books and dozens of literary periodicals. He works as the editor-in-chief of the Silk Road Literature Series in Egypt and as the editor-in-chief of the Korean Arabic-language portal the AsiaN. He is the winner of Manhae Grand Prize in Literature , The Republic of Korea , 2014, Arab Journalism Award in Culture , UAE , 2015, The Gold Medal in LIFFT Eurasian Literary Festival, Istanbul, 2021 and Sawiris Cultural Award. Children Literature, 2023.
Joseph Adika
Member, Board of Trustees/Vice President, West Africa RegionAjong M. Laurean
Member, Board of TrusteesAjong Mbapndah L is a creative media professional with strong leadership and management skills, knowledge of Sub Sahara Africa, and hands-on experience in media editing, writing, and interviewing high profile personalities from Presidents, Prime Minister, Ambassadors, and numerous diplomatic, political, business personalities, and more. He is Founder and Managing Editor of Pan African Visions, a leading publication on African perspectives with operational base from the Washington, DC metro area and a growing network of over twenty journalists spread across Africa. He over sees the running of the news site www.panafricanvisions.com, and the monthly Pan African Visions magazine. He has been accredited with the Washington Foreign Press Center over the years. Some of the high-profile events he has covered include the USA-African Leaders Summit in 2014, and 2022, the Democratic Party convention of 2016 in Philadelphia, numerous editions of the US-Africa Business Summits and more. Ajong has had stints running a parliamentary office, working with diverse newspapers in Cameroon, and making African themed contributions to a number of international publications. He served as a reviewer of the Africa Integrity Indicators, Global Integrity, for Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Chad, DRC, 2013-2014. Ajong also served as a Mandela Washington Foundation Reader in 2016, 2017, and 2019.Most recently, he was a Judge on the 2021 African Business Heroes Prize Competition, the flagship philanthropic program of the Jack Ma Foundation spotlighting and celebrating Africa’s entrepreneurs. He holds Bachelor’s Degree and a Post Graduate Diploma in Law from Universities in Cameroon, and a Master’s Degree in mass communication from the Virginia Commonwealth University in USA.
Aremo Olusiji Balogun
Board Member/TreasurerDela Ahiawor
Vice President West Africa/ Bureau Editor, CAJ International MagazineA Ghanaian International Journalist
CAJ MAGAZINE Team
Kayongo Robert Nestrooy
CAJ Rep, Uganda/Member Editorial Team
Kayongo Robert Nestrooy is a Senior Journalist in Uganda, specialising in regional politics, democracy and human rights. Works with BBS TV as an Assistant Chief News Editor
Alison Lemeri
Special Contributor (Uganda/South Sudan)
Alison Lemeri is a South Sudanese journalist and contributor for CAJ Magazine based from Uganda. Studying freelance journalism at Morris Journalism Academy Australia, Lemeri is a fellow at One World Media UK with focus on refugees and climate change. A graduate in Business Administration from Makerere University Business School in 2021, Lemeri has more than 5 years of media experience having worked for several local print and broadcast media houses in South Sudan. His media journey started from a local journalism club in school, before joining Radio Easter 94FM of the Catholic Radio Network of South Sudan, local newspapers and eventually The Niles, a publication of Media in Cooperation and Transition – MiCT. Fleeing his country in 2017, Lemeri engaged in community humanitarian service in refugee settlements, in which for over 2 years, produced a community-centred radio podcast – Soot Semee - for refugees in Omugo refugee settlement, in the Northern part of the country. In 2022, he became one of the 2022 Minority Africa fellows in which he focused on covering refugees and climate change. Lemeri also contributes for Cross Border Network, an online media that covers issues across the borders of South Sudan and northern Uganda. Lemeri’s prides himself as a ‘journalist from dust’ passion who goes deep in uncovering underreported and unheard stories around media, entrepreneurship, environment and climate change.
Oseni Yusuf Salam
General Contributor
Oseni Yusuf Salam, a Joúrnalist, Media Consultant, and Researcher, Advoçate; Global Health Communication( Member Professional Global Health Communication Practitioners, Member, Africa Media History; University of Edinburgh, Member; Nigerian Union of Journalist( NJJ), Member Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Member Content Authenticity Association UK, Member, Development Communication Inítiative Network, CEO; Yuslam Media Consulting Firm( YMCF), Chairman; Youth Anti-Drug Campaign Africa( YADCA), Member, Global Legal Empowerment Network ( NAMATI), Member, Association of Media Lawyers in Africa, Advisory member ITVNews( Online), Advisory member OneWorld Media ( Online), Member, Community of Professional Resume Writer( CPRW), Member, Association of Content Developers and Digital Marketers, Member, Community Interventions On Network On Drug( CIND), Member, Association of Alcohol and Harmful Substance Advocates ( AAHSA), etc.
Manuel Camalata
Contributor, Angola
Manuel Camalata is an Angolan journalist, graduated in Social Communication from the Agostinho Neto University, in Luanda. In his years of professional experience, he has worked for various media, such as Rádio Ecclésia - Catholic station in Angola, Semanário Económico, Deutsche Welle, and Correio da Kianda. He is also a Journalism trainer at the Journalists Training Center (CEFOJOR) in Luanda.
Ibrahim Sherif
Contributor, Liberia
Ibrahim Sherif Ibrahim Aspen Sherif, a 2020 graduate of the University of Liberia with a BA in Mass-communication. Current Assistant News Editor at the Liberia News Agency (LINA). I'm passionate about Community Health issues and as such, I'm seeking a full time opportunity where I can employ my community Health skills acquired from the Africa Center for Disease Control, OXFAM Liberia and the Mentor Initiative Liberia's Chapter
Mutayoba Arbogast
Contributor, Tanzania
I am Mutayoba Arbogast,Champion journalist working with The Guardian Newspaper and other media outlets in the country as a correspondence. I went to International Correspondent school,Dar es salaam branch and St Augustine University of Tanzania(SAUT) for journalistic courses. I am currently Vice chairperson ,Kagera Press Club,a member of Tanzania Union of Press Clubs. My love to help the voiceless have their voices heard,has promoted me to write and work with Congress of African Journalist(CAJ) which has attracted the largest networks of men and women in the noble pen profession for its glaring and stupendous uniqueness.
Eugene Dube
Contributor, Eswatini
Alice Chisanga
Contributor, Zambia
Membership
Membership of CAJ:
Membership of CAJ is by registration and open to all forms of journalism practices but with emphasis on truth, facts and all ethical standard of journalism.
Media owners/proprietors who are of African origin from all over the world are eligible for application for registration as member of CAJ.
Membership Composition:
CAJ shall be composed of journalists, journalism educators, media owners, students pursuing a career in journalism, mass communication, media related courses and people or entities that support the CAJ’S vision and goals.
Membership Eligibility:
Membership of CAJ shall be by registration with specified amount payable by applicant into the accredited bank account(s), MANUALLY, VIA CAJ’s online payment platforms or recommended officers of CAJ.
1. Lifetime Member
CAJ founders, Members of the Board of Trustees’ and past CAJ presidents NOT REMOVED FROM OFFICE shall be automatic Lifetime members.
2. Professional Member
Professional membership shall be open to any person whose principal livelihood comes from creating, producing or supervising the creation of journalism and related media activities.
3. Affiliate Member
Affiliate membership shall be open to unions/organisations/associations of journalists in Africa, journalists of Africa origin in Diaspora, including organisations that trades in any form of media related activities.
4. Academic Member
Academic membership shall be open to college and university faculty and other academic professionals, including administrators and trainers, with research and or teaching interests in journalism.
5. Veteran Member
Veteran membership shall be open to anyone who has been in the practice of journalism and media professionals for not less than 25 years.
6. Student Members
Student membership shall be open to students of institute of journalism, college or university students including undergraduate, graduate and associate degree students, who have demonstrated interest in journalism and media related courses and trainings.
7. Honorary Membership
The board of trustees shall have the authority to establish foreign colleagues and partnership networks whose works shall be to the advancement of journalism profession in line with objectives and missions of the organisation as honorary membership who shall be non-voting category of membership.
8. Fellowship Membership
Fellows of Congress of African Journalists shall be an honour bestowed on the best in the profession by election at the Board of Trustees in a meeting. The membership is in recognition of distinguished contributions to the journalism profession.
Benefits of CAJ's Membership:
1. Belonging to an international media association committed to advocacy on behalf of member journalists in matters pertaining to professional development and seeking opportunities for professional growth.
2. Being part of an international networking platform with colleague across the African diaspora.
3. Access to information on Training and up skilling opportunities.
4. Discover, launder and share ideas on CAJ platform based on critical thinking and objectivity.
5. Sharing of opportunities on employment opportunities, collaboration and referrals.
6. Content sharing about happenings around the globe and access to reliable information from members.
7. Members can serve as fixers in their respective countries to fellow colleagues who are also members of CAJ.
8. Travel opportunities across Africa for media seminars and conferences.
Register as Member
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You can submit this form only once.Account details:
Name: Congress of African Journalists
Bank: Access Bank Nigeria
Account number: 1455749939
ACCOUNT TYPE (US$ Domiciliary)
(1). Professional ($35)
(2). Affiliate ($350)
(3). Academics ($50)
(4). Veteran ($40)
(5). Student ($15)
(6). Lifetime ($1000)
NOTE: ONLY MEMBERSHIP REGISTRATION WITH FEES PAID WILL BE PROCESSED
Forum
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Editorial team
Michael Adeboboye - Editor in Chief
Ashraf Aboul-Yazid Dali - Deputy Editor in Chief
Regional Editors
Dela Ahiawor - West Africa Region
Sabiiti Daniel - East Africa Region
Admire M. Kudita - Southern Africa
Gallery
Online Courses
Donate to CAJ
Funding Congress of African Journalists for its effective running and objectives realisation.
Goal is $20,000 per annum
Journalists are working in order to give information to the public. Their work needs support in order for them not to compromise the truth. They need protection and better welfare. African journalists works are facing so much challenges in terms of compensation for their work. They need support.
Use of Funds: Advocacy, Journalists training, workshops, conference , seminar, legal aid publications and family support for African journalists.
Account details:
Name: Congress of African Journalists
Bank: Access Bank Nigeria
Account number: 1455749939
ACCOUNT TYPE (US$ Domiciliary)
$25
Contact
- 13 Olaleye Street, Somolu, Lagos, Nigeria
- Contact other Regions on available contacts
+undefined-+2349034766543 - CAJ International Headquarters- +undefined-+237 77707870 - CAJ Central Africa Region
- +undefined-+20 109 575 5602 - CAJ North Africa Region
- +undefined-+27 84 686 1394 - CAJ Southern Africa Region
- +undefined-+252 61 5540001 - CAJ East Africa Region
- +undefined-+233 24 758 1838 - CAJ West Africa Africa
- congressofafricanjournalists@gmail.com
- Mon-Fri - 08:00-19:00
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