The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), an agency under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, paid a courtesy visit to the Plateau State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), calling for stronger collaboration with the media in promoting research-based information, peacebuilding, and Africa–China relations.
The delegation was led by Sunday Daji, Director of Finance and Accounts, who said the visit was part of the Institute’s nationwide dissemination of the Contemporary World Magazine, a research publication jointly produced with Chinese partners.
“We are here to introduce and distribute the Contemporary World Magazine. It is produced in collaboration with the Chinese to foster the relationship between Africa and China, particularly Nigeria and China, especially in research and academic development,” Daji said.
Providing further insight into the publication, Dr. Olalekan A. Babatunde, Head of the Directorate of External Conflict Prevention and Resolution, explained that Jos was one of several stops in the Institute’s distribution tour, following earlier editions in Abuja and Lagos.
“Journalists play a strategic role in the dissemination landscape of any academic magazine,” Babatunde said. “This magazine discusses policy, peace, security, climate change, AI, poverty, global governance and other issues affecting Nigeria, Africa, and the global south. When journalists disseminate this knowledge, it helps move it from the library into the minds of Africans.”
He emphasized the growing importance of scholarly exchange between Nigeria and China, noting the recent elevation of both countries’ partnership to a comprehensive strategic level.
“Our scholars in Africa and China are major contributors to this magazine. We also encourage journalists to submit articles for future editions, and we provide a small honorarium for contributions,” he added.
Responding on behalf of the NUJ Plateau Council, the Deputy Chairman, Pam (representing the Council Chairperson, Mrs. Ayudu Pascoe), expressed appreciation for the visit and affirmed the Union’s readiness to support the Institute’s mission.
“It shows your desire to collaborate with journalists in the state and the country to ensure that whatever policy or content is in the magazine is effectively reported,” he said. “As journalists, we have always been committed to promoting peace, reporting government policies and strengthening collaborations with other countries. We will study the magazine and ensure its contents are well reported for the benefit of the public.”
He assured the delegation that Plateau journalists—many of whom attended the preceding seminar at the University of Jos—would continue to engage with the publication and amplify research efforts that support development and academic growth.
At the end of the visit, the IPCR delegation presented the Plateau NUJ Secretariat with a copy of the Contemporary World Magazine for its library, along with a branded T-shirt and cap for the Council Chairperson.
