African Journalists Get Space at Howard U.

"Howard University has given the National Association of African Journalists (NAAJ) a free office space to use as its national secretariat," the group announces.

"The gesture was approved recently by Dr. Jannette L. Dates, dean of Howard University’s John H. Johnson School of Communications in Washington, D.C. The deal also has the backing of Prof. Phillip Dixon, journalism department chair and Dr. Larry Kaggwa, Ugandan-born journalism professor and member of the African journalism organization also known as NAAJ. The new NAAJ secretariat, to be located at the lower level of the school of communications, has space for a conference room and a main office.

"The secretariat will be rent-free, but the organization will be responsible for expenditure to staff and furnish it.

"Howard University also will allow the NAAJ to use the Howard University Television studio (WHUT) for its press conferences with visiting African presidents, ambassadors to the United States and other political and business leaders involved with the African continent.

"This will accomplish one of our goals, which is for the NAAJ to serve as a forum for visiting African presidents and other prominent Africans to address African journalists on the situation in their various countries," said Eyobong Ita, the NAAJ founder and interim president who works as a reporter for The Kansas City Star. "We will be working with African embassies to work us into the itineraries of such people. Hopefully, no longer will they have to go to the National Press Club for their briefings," Ita said in the announcement.

Some 60 African journalists working in the United States held their inaugural meeting as a group during the Unity convention Aug. 7, as reported then.