WSCIJ to hold annual media lecture next month

By: Taoheed Mohammed — The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) is set to hold the 14th edition of its annual media lecture series on the 13th of July, 2022 by 2pm (WAT).

The programme, themed “Can democracy work without a strong sub-national media?” will hold as a webinar and discuss the roles of media at the sub-national levels of government.

This was contained in a press statement made available on Wednesday.

According to the statement, the event will also serve as the public launch of the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability (CMEDIA) project of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ).

I-79 Media reports that the event will have in attendance Chiedo Nwankwor, Vice Dean for Education and Academic Affairs, Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced and International Studies (SAIS) and Kole Shettima, Director, MacArthur Foundation Africa office.

Ibiba Don Pedro, Managing Director, National Point; Haruna Mohammed, Co-publisher, WikkiTimes; ‘Fisayo Soyombo, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism and Social Justice; Adaora Onyechere, Executive Director, Gender Strategy Advancement International and Mansur Liman, Director-General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) will also feature as panellists at the event to be moderated by Uduak Amimo, broadcaster and executive coach.

The statement reads in part: “The saturation of media at the centre and the lack of accountability at the state and local government levels, even as the nation heads for the 2023 general elections, informed WSCIJ’s choice of the theme to draw attention to the need for an independent media holding government to account at the sub-national levels towards a vibrant and thriving democracy.

“The lecture event will mark the 88th birthday of Wole Soyinka, the grand patron of WSCIJ.”

Meanwhile, the CMEDIA is a multi-level intervention for media freedom and accountability of the government as reinforced by the MacArthur Foundation.

With 26 partner organisations, the CMEDIA aims to accelerate public enlightenment and the ecosystem for transparency, accountability and good governance and amplify marginalised voices especially at state and local government levels and the private sector.

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