Professor Biodun Jeyifo
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Professor Biodun Jeyifo of Harvard’s African American Studies Department will be speaking to the theme – The Freedom of Information Act and the Dictatorship of Corruption and Mediocrity as the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism hosts its Fifth Media Lecture Series on Saturday 13 July, 2013, at the Bola Akinyemi Hall of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island by 10am.
The Centre chose the theme of this year’s lecture to draw attention to the need to increase awareness on the Freedom of Information Act to Nigerian citizens and propagate its usefulness as a tool to tackle the now endemic issue of corruption, mediocrity and impunity in the country. It also hopes to highlight the media as a focal institution in ensuring the implementation of the Act.
Other speakers at the event will include Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa – Member, House of Representatives, Ikorodu Federal Constituency; Dr Chidi Odinkalu – Chairman, National Human Rights Commission; and Mr Peter Carter – Deputy High Commissioner, British High Commission to allow for a robust, educative and intellectually stimulating session whose recommendations will thereafter be published and forwarded to key stakeholders.
The Wole Soyinka Centre Media Lecture Series is designed to periodically examine varying topical issues that have reverberating effects on perceived performance of the media, on the health of Nigeria and its democracy. It intends to contribute to the body of knowledge of practitioners as well as increase awareness and debate around the nexus of media practice and social political development issues in the country.
The programme was first held in 2008 and has since 2009 been hosted traditionally on 13 July, which this year, is Professor Wole Soyinka’s 79th birthday, to honour the illustrious Nigerian and global citizen whilst drawing attention to critical national issues.
The 2013 edition is supported by the State of Osun, Zmirage light and sound, sunset cafe, Lagos State Government among others. The lecture programme has in the past beamed the searchlight on issues ranging from the role of the media in rightly telling the Nigerian story; local governance and media; and civil liberties during terrorism.
Attendance of the lecture programme is open to members of the general public.
Signed: Motunrayo Alaka, Centre Coordinator
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