All the promises on the partnership, speakers, timing, presentations, and other activities at the 7th Annual and 1st Virtual Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars & Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) and Annual General Meeting, from September 2-3, 2020, were implemented as advertised, producing what a notable Nigerian communication and media scholar and professional in the diaspora, had declared, and which was truly a LOADED and pace-setting communication forum to be cherished for “long, long time.”
At the AGM, some new officers were unanimously elected to join the members of the executive who retained their seats. The new officers are:
- Prof. Umaru Pate, Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies, Bayero University, Kano, as President,
- Prof Oluyinka Esan, Visiting Professor, Department of Mass Communication, Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, as Deputy President and Diaspora Coordinator, Europe and the Continents
- Dr Ifeyinwa Nsude, Senior Lecturer, Department of Mass Communication, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, as Vice-President, South East Zone,
- Mrs Ify Obi, Station Manager, Unizik FM, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, as Zonal Mobilization Officer, South East Zone
- Dr Dare Ogunyombo, Associate Director, Media, Brooks and Blake Nigeria Limited, Lagos, as Linkages Officer
- Prof Adebayo Fayoyin, Regional Communications Advisor, UNFPA, East and Southern Africa Regional Office, Johannesburg, First ACSPN Diaspora Visiting Fellow & Visiting Professor of Mass Communication, Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, as Diaspora Co-ordinator, South and East Africa, and General Publications Editor
- Dr Abiodun Solomon Oyeleye, Lecturer, Department of Mass Communication, Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, as Deputy General Publications Editor
- Dr Titilayo Osuagwu, Lecturer, Department of Linguistics and Communication Studies, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as Welfare and Logistics Officer 2
- Mr. Monday Ashibogwu, Chief Executive Officer, The Republic Media Limited, Lagos, as Information and Communication Technology Officer 1
- Mr. Celestine Achi, Chief Executive Officer & Founder, Digitalprwire, Lagos, Information and Communication Technology Officer 2
- Prof. Lai Oso, School of Communication, Lagos State University, Lagos, ex-Officio
- Prof. Kate Omenugha, Commissioner for Education, Anambra State, ex-Officio
There were participants from the Netherlands, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, United States of America, United Kingdom, Brazil, South Africa, Kenya, France, and Canada.
The special Panel on “The Media, Artificial Intelligence, Nation States, and the Future”, moderated by the Nigeria Chair of IFAP and Chief Executive Officer, National Library of Nigeria, Prof. Lenrie Olatokunbo Aina, featured – Mr. Alexandre Le Voci Sayad, International Co-Chairman of the UNESCO-led initiative Global Alliance for Partnerships on Media and Information Literacy (GAPMIL), Brazil, Ms. Emerald Adjei, User Experience Researcher and Co-creator of Global Code Women’s Chapter, Ghana; Mr. Monday Ashibogwu, Managing Director/CEO, The Republic Media Limited, Nigeria, and Mr. Olusola Amusan, Artificial Intelligence Evangelist/CEO Coven Works Inc, USA.
The Female Researcher’s Panel on “The Woman’s Identity, the Media, and Nationhood”, was moderated by Nigeria’s first female professor of Mass Communication, and member, Board of Trustees, ACSPN, Prof. Stella Chinyere Okunna, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria, and Diaspora Coordinator for Europe and the Continents, current Visiting Professor of Mass Communication, Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, and new Deputy President, Prof. Oluyinka Esan. Panellists included Ms. Faiz Abraham, Executive Director, Institute for Advancement of Journalism, Johannesburg, Ms. Edwinah Orowe, Development Activist and Media Consultant, Kenya, Dr. Roberta Comunian, Kings College London, UK, and Dr. Samantha Iwowo, Lecturer, Scriptwriter and Director, University of Bournemouth, UK.
The Panel on “Flattening the Misinformation Curve in the Digital Age” moderated by the First ACSPN Diaspora Visiting Fellow, and Visiting Professor of Mass Communication, Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, Prof. Adebayo Fayoyin, featured Mr. Dapo Olorunyomi, Publisher, Premium Times, Mr. Wallace Gichunge, Founder and Executive Director of Nairobi-based Centre for Media & Information Literacy, Kenya, Ms. Moji Makanjuola, Executive Director, International Society of Media in Public Health, Nigeria, and Prof Emmanuel Ngwainmbi, University of North Carolina, USA.
The panel on “Reshaping Identities and Citizenship in the Evolving Media Landscape in Africa”, and moderated by ACSPN’s new President, and Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies, Bayero University, Kano, Prof. Umaru Pate. Discussants included Dr. Charles Muiru Ngugi, Associate Director, School of Media and Communication Studies, University of Nairobi, Kenya, Mr. Noel Ihebuzor, International Development & Policy Consultant, Abuja, and former UNICEF Chief of Education in Nigeria, Somalia and Democratic Republic of Congo, Dr. Hayes Mabwezara, University of Glasgow, UK, and Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, Former Head, Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos.
The panel on “Protecting Fundamental Rights & Freedom of Expression: Lessons Learned from COVID-19”, was chaired by Professor of Mass Communication and Social Change, University of Jos who is currently on sabbatical at Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, and Treasurer of ACSPN, Prof Victor Ayedun-Aluma. It had Prof. Jonathan Rozen, Senior Researcher, Africa Program, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Mr. Bunmi Makinwa, former UNFPA Africa Regional Director, Mr. Akin Jimoh, Executive Director, Development Communications Network, and Prof Daniel Wale Awodiya, Delaware State University, USA.
A second jointly chaired panel had Prof Oluyinka Esan, and Dr Anuli Agina, Lecturer, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, and focused on “Reimagining the future: Health, Wellbeing and People’s Engagement”. Discussants included Prof Sue Goldstein, School of Public Health, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Mr. Jacob Enoch Eben, Regional Communication Adviser, UNFPA West and Central Africa Region, Dakar, Senegal, Ms. Rayana Rassool, Regional Communication Adviser, International Planned Parenthood Federation, Nairobi, Kenya, and Mr. Abdulmutallib A. Abubakar, Lecturer, Department of Mass Communication, University of Maiduguri.
The first Keynote Address on “Promoting Inclusive Democracy through Access to Information and Knowledge Societies”, was by Ms. Dorothy Gordon, Chair of the UNESCO Information for All Programme. On Day 2, HRH Igwe Onuora Nwuneli, Igwe Malume of Igbaku, Professor of Mass Communication, and member, Advisory Group, ACSPN, spoke on “Communication Technologies and Glocalised Identities.”
The opening formalities of the conference, will include goodwill messages by the ACSPN President Prof. Lai Oso, Founder, Ben TV, London, UK, Mr Alistair Soyode, Information for All Programme (IFAP) Chair, Nigeria and Chief Executive Officer of National Library of Nigeria, Prof. Lenrie Olatokunbo Aina, and Officer-in-Charge, UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office in Abuja, Mr. Mamadou Lamine Sow, represented by Mr Abubakar Salifou.
ACSPN Book Series 5 titled: Media Freedom, National Interest and Governance, edited by Prof Lai Oso, Prof Rotimi Olatunji, Dr Dele Odunlami, and Dr Kola Adesina, with Foreword by Bruce Mutsvairo – Professor of Journalism, Auburn University, Alabama, USA, and published by Canada University Press, Concord Ontario, Canada, was launched by Prof. Idowu Sobowale, Chairman, Board of Trustees, ACSPN.
A UNESCO publication on: Steering AI and Advanced ICTs for Knowledge Societies: A Rights, Openness, Access and Multi-stakeholder Perspective (UNESCO Series on Internet Freedom), was launched by Mr. Bhanu Neupane, Programme Specialist, Communication and Information, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France.
The conference with the theme: “Communicating Identities and Nationhood: Promoting Inclusive Democracy through Access to Information and Knowledge Societies,” was in collaboration with UNESCO, Information for All Programme (IFAP), and World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST), and Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), and had as coordinating moderator, Dr Chido Onumah, Vice-President, ACSPN North Central, who directed affairs from his current location in Canada. Other moderators for the plenary were Mr Olushola Macaulay, National Professional Officer, Communication and Information Sector, UNESCO Regional Office, Abuja, while Dr. Ruqayyah Aliyu, Vice-President, ACSPN North West, and Mr Idowu Lateef Olagunju, Secretary General, UNESCO National Commission, Nigeria, gave remarks.
The General Rapporteurs, Dr Joseph Wilson, Associate Professor, and Mr Abdulmutalib Abubakar, Lecturer, Department of Mass Communication, University of Maiduguri, presented the Conference Communique during the AGM.
Expect more conference-related communication.
We appreciate the ACSPN and UNESCO team that worked tirelessly to ensure a successful meeting.
ACSPN remains open to productive partnerships.
Please visit our website www.acspn.com.ng for more on the association.
Join ACSPN TODAY
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ACSPN – The future is here
–
Prof Nosa Owens-Ibie
General Secretary, ACSPN & Vice Chancellor,
Caleb University,
Km 15, Ikorodu-Itoikin-Ijebu-Ode Road,
Imota,
Lagos,
NIGERIA
Website: www.acspn.com.ng
Email: info@acspn.com.ng, acspn.communicationnigeria@gmail.com
Phone: 234-8053439426
