Lagos — Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) has introduced its Ombudsman, Justice M. O. Onalaja (rtd), to Nigerians. The introduction was done at a press briefing addressed by President of NPAN, Ajibola Ogunshola, in Maryland, Lagos, on Tuesday.

Ogunshola was accompanied by other executive members of NPAN and other stakeholders on the occasion. He said the office of press ombudsman was not a court but instead a mechanism to examine complaints of professional misconduct.

"The office of the Ombudsman is not a court. It is conceived as an independent, voluntary mechanism, to examine published work in a newspaper or magazine, whether in printed or electronic form.

"In the discharge of its duties, it will notify all the parties involved of any complaints against them and call the attention of the relevant professional groups to the complaints as well,' he said.

Ogunshola further stated that the findings of the office of the Ombudsman will be published in the "newspapers and magazines of all NPAN members, including that of the newspaper or magazine against which a complaint has been made'.

He, however, added that the rulings on each complaint shall be the "sole responsibility of the Ombudsman'.

A clause in the modus operandi of the Office of the Ombudsman that elicited interest among journalist was that a complainant shall be required to waive his right to going to court having submitted to the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman, except where criminal liability is established, prima facie.

In his remarks, Onalaja thanked members of NPAN for finding him fit for the position. "I want to thank you all for considering me in view of the high light of the work of an Ombudsman that I am fit in learning and character to appointed into this position,' Onalaja said.