From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule; his Plateau State counterpart, Simon Lalong; founder of the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria Centre of Excellence on Development Communication, Ogah Abah; are among over 20 pioneers of development communication and others who have advanced the practice are scheduled for honours at the forthcoming International Conference on Communication and Development in Africa, organised by the Institute of Strategic and Development Communication (ISDEVCOM), Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
This was contained in a release by the Chairman, Local Organising Committee of the conference, Diego Okenyodo, who stated that the conference is scheduled for Tuesday, 2nd and Wednesday, 3rd of May, 2023.
The statement quoted the Executive Director of ISDEVCOM, Emmanuel Dandaura, as saying that the awards are part of “our 5th anniversary celebrations as an Institute dedicated to the promotion of dialogue between the academia and the society for national development. We want to acknowledge the roles played by pioneer researchers, theorists, practitioners and different stakeholders in communicating development.”
Other honourees are Director General of the Nigeria Television Authority, Salihu Dembos; former Director General of NTA, Professor Tonnie Iredia; former Vice Chancellor of NSUK, Prof. Mohammed Akaro Mainoma; and the Director General, Sheda Science and Technology Complex, Prof. Paul Onyenekwe.
Others are Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, Mr. Samson Itodo, Center for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI), Mrs. Babafunke Fagbemi, Executive Director of African Radio Drama Association (ARDA), Mrs Data Phido; Country Coordinator of the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) in Africa, Nigeria Chapter, Dr (Mrs) Rose Gidado; and Chief James Ume (Ike Abam Onyerubi), Unubiko Foundation Abuja.
The conference is being organized in partnership with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) whose Director General/CEO, Aliyu Aziz, shall deliver the keynote speech. The Special Guest of Honour shall be the Secretary to the Government of Nigeria, Mr Boss Mustapha.
Institutional recognition for excellence in development communication go to ActionAid Nigeria and the Lagos-based Development Communication Network.
Others to receive the awards include Chairman of the Plateau State Health Insurance Scheme, Dr. Fabong Jemchang Yildam; Chairman NUJ Abuja Council, Emmanuel Ogbeche; Per Second News, Mr Femi Soneye; National Biotechnology Development Agency, Professor Maxwell Gidado, SAN, and the first Bassa PhD holder who is the Aguma of Turunku, Toto LGA, HRH Dr. David Tukura.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Suleiman Mohammed, is quoted to have said that he is very proud of what the Institute of Strategic and Development Communication has achieved in a short span of 5 years, one of which is organizing the Conference on Communication and Development in Africa.
In his words, “I am glad that this conference has become a veritable gathering of diverse experts from the academia and practitioners in development communication, alongside policy makers, civil society organizations, key government institutions and the media, and this edition is throwing light on how data has been a driver of strategic engagement for development.”
ISDEVCOM is credited with championing curriculum development in Science Communication in Africa, partnering with Sci-Dev of London and funded by Robert BoschStiftung of Germany. ISDEVCOM popularized Science Communication in Nigerian universities and also mentored the Makarere University of Uganda as well as other institutions internationally.
