> By Funmi Falobi <

History was made as the Council of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), recently confirmed Mrs. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika as the first female professor, Mass Communication department.

Ogwezzy-Ndisika whose specialization straddles Communication for Development, Public Relations and Advertising was confirmed on Monday, June 5, 2017 making her the first female professor of the department in a record time spanning a 16-year stint as a lecturer in the Mass Communication department of UNILAG.

According to her, “It’s like a dream, I am still in disbelief, but it’s a reality now to be at the peak of one’s profession”. While admitting that it has not been easy, she said, “lots of hard work passed through the grill. At every stage in the university, you must meet a panel of experts. It’s a big relief I won’t meet it again. It’s a big relief and above all, it is the Lord’s doing.”

Commending the people who have been part of her feat, she said, “The university management should be commended. If you do your work, and meet the criteria for promotion, you will be promoted. I appreciate all my teachers. It has been through the grace of God, hardwork and the good people around me”, she said.

Recalling her journey through the years as a lecturer in the Mass Communication department, Ogwezzy-Ndisika who had previously served as Head of Department, alluded her feat to God.   “I was not born when the department was established but now, I’ve made history in the department. You will know that it’s the finger of God”, she said.

Commenting on her feat, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, Director, International Press Centre (IPC) noted that her confirmation into the professorial status was ‘very welcome’, describing her as a ‘thorough bred academic and professional’. “She has made enormous intellectual contributions to media professionalism and development,” Arogundade said.

Comments from former students were in unison that she is hardworking, diligent, persistent and intelligent and so “she deserves it”.

Mr.Biodun Elugbaju, a graduate from the department and a journalist with Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), said, “She has all it takes, she has the charisma and that’s the basic background for anyone in academia. She’s brilliant.”

“I am happy for her. She has worked to deserve such a position. I am not surprised at all.   I respect Prof. Ogwezzy,” said Dr. Kehinde Oyesomi, a graduate of the department and lecturer at the Covenant University.

On next step now that she is at the peak of her career, she told sdnonline: “my task now is to push other people under me up!”.

Professor Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika holds a B.A. in Linguistics and Communication, University of Port-Harcourt; PGD, M.Sc. in Mass Communication, University of Lagos, M.A. in Gender and Development, University of Sussex, England; and PhD, in Communication Arts, University of Ibadan.

Furthermore, she is a recipient of ELF Petroleum Coy Ltd and British Chevening scholarships; laureate of the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA); laureate of the African Association of Political Science, (AAPS)/Harry Frank Guggenheim (HFG); and 1991 best graduating student in Department of Linguistics and Communication, University of Port Harcourt.

In addition, she is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (MNIPR); Associate Registered Practitioner of Advertising (arpa); member, Association of Communication Scholars &Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN); African Council for Communication Education (ACCE); Association of Women in Development (AWID); Association for Promoting Nigerian Languages and Culture (APNILAC); and International Association for Mass Communication Research (IAMCR).

She is also a member of the editorial board of a leading national newspaper; has attended various local and international conferences; and published articles and books locally and internationally. She joined the services of the University of Lagos as Lecturer II in 2001.

>By Funmi Falobi<

It is a fact that Africa is endowed with huge mineral resources and human capacity. However, in the midst of plenty, a great number of the people of the continent wallow in abject poverty, lacking basic amenities and infrastructures to make life comfortable. One of the reasons for this state is due to the fact that most political leaders in the continent are not doing enough in the development and provision of basic infrastructure to ensure that the citizens have quality standard of living.

Nigeria, the acclaimed giant of Africa is also affected by this as poverty rate is on the increase and citizens live below one dollar ($1) a day.  Citizens, especially those in the grass root communities do not have access to basic infrastructural development and social amenities that will make life comfortable for them.

Though there are a number of policies by the political leadership and government agencies to address the poverty conditions of the citizens, implementation of such policies are often not citizens-driven, reaching the very poor, but focused on the urban areas, which invariably is for the benefit of the elite.

While government alone cannot provide all the basic needs, it is expected of those in power to provide basic amenities for the mass of the people, majority of who are in the grassroots communities, facing a number of poverty conditions due to the lack of basic social amenities such as portable water, roads, conducive schools for children, etc, as is befitting to give them a sense of belonging as citizens in their own country.

It was as part of bridging the poverty conditions faced by rural/ grassroot communities and to ensure that grass root communities in Lagos State, the commercial nerve centre and most populous city in Nigeria are given a facelift and benefit from government’s social provisioning, that the International Press Centre (IPC) through a project with support of the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) worked with some journalists to interact with local community stakeholder groups in eight communities in the State on how to get government attention to provide basic amenities.

The eight communities, which served as a pilot for the project include: Erejuwa- Makoko and Isale Iwaya in Yaba Local Council Development Area, Otumara in Lagos Mainland Local Government  Area, Obele Oniwala in Surulere Local Government Area, Offin/Lajo/Oreta in Ikorodu Local Government  Area, Boshoa Community Development Association in Shomolu Local Government Area, Itu-Agan Waterside in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area and Iyagbe in Oriade Local Council Development Area.

Outcomes from the project, which involved a number of activities including capacity building for journalists and parley with community members working together to demand provision of social amenities from government agencies, saw the government attending to some poverty conditions in the communities by providing basic amenities like clearing of blocked drainages and road construction, rehabilitation of schools, provision of street lights, etc.

Speaking at the public presentation of Summary of Highlights and Outcomes of the IPC/WACC Solution-driven/Poverty reporting project, Nigeria, the Secretary General, WACC Africa Region, Lekan Otufodunrin commended the efforts of IPC and urged journalists to embark on more community reporting that will impact the lives of the grassroots.

“It’s one thing for grants to be given and it’s another thing for the project to be done or carried out. WACC sees Human Right as everybody’s rights that should be guaranteed and so it supports organizations to carry out various projects across the world”, Otufodunrin said.

Commending the outcomes achieved, he added: “This project is a welcome one. Poverty is real in Africa, in Nigeria, people live under one dollar a day. Beyond this, people should get back to the community and ask questions and hold the government accountable on their development needs”.

Similarly, Francis Abayomi, Executive Director, Peace and Development Project, enjoined journalists to be more community driven in their reports and play desired role to bring it to the fore burner. “When you engage the grassroots, you give them a voice. We can have more of these programmes in order to leverage on this in the country. Other stakeholders can also take it further.”

On his part, Executive Director, Journalists for Democratic Rights, Adewale Adeoye, said one major problem of the media is that most the times, “we report about the elites and the rich in the society, but this publication reflects the echoes from the valleys.”

Adeoye, who reviewed the publication on the summary of outcome of the project noted: “Over the years, the Nigerian media has witnessed its worst decline. … The travails, pains and pangs of the poor, the downtrodden, the marginalized majority are left unattended to. Even when stories of poverty are reported, the media only scratch the surface. Pictures about poverty follow the trend of opportunism instead of raising critical issues of underdevelopment”.

He added that the outcomes of the project as captured in the publication, “redefines the current role of the Nigerian media by making a conscious attempt to draw back the missing sheep. The publication captures the strategic role that the media can play in advancing the cause of   the people at the lowest layer of the ladder.”

Speaking on behalf of the communities, a representative of Boshua community in Shomolu LGA, Adewunmi Moses while commending the initiative said two roads – Apata and Bolaji Omupo in the area  had received government attention. “Apata is being graded while Bolaji Omupo is at the level of completion”, he said.

Tajudeen Bello, representing Obele Oniwala, in Surulere LGA said the over 40 years old Municipal School in Obele Odan which was in a dilapidated condition is now refurbished and fitted with modern fixtures for learning. Adding, “solar street lights have been provided by the Lagos state government to the area. Michael Ogun and Durjaiye roads have also been done. We urge journalists to be visiting communities, which speeds up development”, he noted.

By Funmi Falobi & Tobi Oyetunde<

Nigerian journalists have been commended for roles played in the entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria even as the media is urged to do more in the area of enlightening the people.

Speaking at a recent roundtable of the Nigerian Journalists’ Safety Initiative on the theme, “Safeguarding Press Freedom and Safety of Journalists among Rising Conflict”, former Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, Monday Ubani said journalists have done so much but they still need to do more to educate the society.

In safeguarding press freedom and safety of journalists in the country, Ubani called on the Federal Government to enact modern and robust laws that will help safeguard journalists. He also urged the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to ensure that there is adequate and strict compliance to journalism ethics by professionals in discharging their duties.

Ubani, who was represented by Barrister Evans Ufeli  at the event, organized by the International Press Centre (IPC) Lagos, with the support of Open Society Foundations (OSF), pointed out that the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria does not sufficiently give room for press freedom. He noted that a strong freedom of the press,  ensures informed, active and engaged citizenry, and therefore called on journalists and media groups to work for the enforcement of Chapter 2 of the Constitution for them to be able to perform their function as the fourth realm of the estate.

“Strong freedom of press is essential to ensure the safety of journalist and eradicate impunity. Section 22 and 39 of the 1999 constitutions (as amended) guarantees freedom of expression but in spite of all these constitutional provisions, there is no clear indication of strong and special forms of protection for the press to carry out its constitutional obligations without interference, threat to life or extra-judicial repercussion”, he said.

“Section 45 of the same Nigeria constitution curbs the freedom given by Section 22 and 39. This kind of curtailment is abundantly manifested in Nigeria media environment with draconian legislations and decrees like the Sedition act.” He added.

Lamenting the various attacks on journalists where some have been killed, he reiterated the importance of maintaining true press freedom in the country. “The special protection that strong freedom of the press should provide journalists and media workers should be holistic to include preventive, protective and pre-emptive measures.”

He therefore urged government to make the environment conducive and safe for journalists to discharge their duties of holding the government accountable to the people.

Mr. Tive Denedo, former Campaign Director of Media Rights Agenda and CEO of Sunfair Communications also decried continuous assaults of journalists and beckoned the pen pushers to position themselves to ensure Nigeria attain the state where there will be true press freedom in the country.

“No government official will offer you freedom, you must fight and take it forcefully. Journalists should not keep quite when under threat but must always open up on any threat they face from anybody as they go about discharging their duties”, he said.

-By ‘SANMI FALOBI & TOBI OYETUNDE

Community members from Lagos grassroot communities have been told that they can use budgetary provisions to engender development in their communities. This was the outcome from a 2-day budget literacy and monitoring training organized for leaders of community based groups from Boshoa, Orile Shomolu, Araromi Odo, Bashua and Bajulaiye areas in Shomolu local government, Lagos.

The two-day training which had experts on specific subject matter speaking to enlighten participants on what to know about engaging in budgeting process and monitoring the implementation of social provisioning targets in the budget at local and state levels was organized under the Strengthening Citizens in Electoral Processes (SCEEP) project being implemented in Lagos state by the International Press Centre (IPC) across six local government areas; Shomolu, Lagos Mainland, Surulere, Ifako Ijaiye, Ikorudu and Amuwon Odofin. The SCEEP project is with the support of Actionaid Nigeria and the UKAID/DFID.

According to the organizers, the broad objective of the training aims to broaden the knowledge of targeted community leaders/activists on the whole gamut of the budgeting process so that it can be used as an instrument of making government provide social facilities and development.

“Budgets can show if a government is pro-poor or pro-rich, based on what the budgeted money would be spent on which may have vary effects on different population groups. For example, a government that budgets more money for education, health care, roads, etc can be said to be pro-poor or pro-people”, Lanre Arogundade, Director, IPC stated.

“Budgets are factors in politics and political participation. The people have a right to be involved in the budgeting process, that is why overtime, trade unions, businesses, industries, civil society groups and other interest groups have always sought to be involved in the process and that is why this budget literacy training is being designed in such a way that community representatives can be in a position to make inputs into the budget of our local government or the state, and also be able to follow up the implementation, through monitoring and tracking”, he added.

“In summary, we want to be budget literate, to be a budget tracker and to be a budget monitor so that we can hold our government and leaders accountable and ensure good governance, by making sure that governments do what it says it would do in the budget, which is what accountability and transparency is all about”, he charged.

Taking participants through the rudiments of the budgeting process, Lere Oyeniyi from the Institute for Media and Society shared perspectives on the key concepts in budgeting and features/characteristics of a good budget, how to prepare budget using case studies of household budget, organizational budgeting and government budgeting processes, understanding the functions of budget as a tool for control, management, planning and social provisioning and the process in developing simple budgets to draw lessons on the inter-relation between allocation and utilization of resources in social provisioning, amongst others.

“Budgeting takes place in a human environment and it affects people’s behavior, depending on a number of factors such as: the way budget was drawn up, involvement in preparation or lack of it, manner of communication, education and training and the manner of implementation” he said. “A good budget should be motivating, challenging, based on Realistic Assumptions, prepared bottoms-Up & not Top Down, be detailed, measurable and assignable, be practical to implement, be attainable and be reviewable in the light of changing circumstances or reality”, he added.

In his own presentation, Micheal Awopetu from the Centre for Ethics and Cultural Orientation took participants through understanding the importance of budgets and how budgets are used in the planning of government administration including highlighting the different stakeholders in the budgeting process, with emphasis on how citizens can engage with the budget processes, viz-a-viz the key entry points for citizen’s engagement, as well as the concept of participatory budgeting, shared good practices from a rights-based approach for community engagement with all stages of the budget process.

“We should engage the budget at different levels and not just stay aside as if it does not concern you. When you speak out, your representatives can take your issues further, but when you don’t, they spend the money the way they like on your behalf” he said. “You can use the annual report by respective ministries to look at what is allocated to your community and how the budget affects you. Engagement with relevant officials and your representatives, lobbying, community participation through counter funding and physical inspection and monitoring of the stages of ongoing projects are tools that you should use to ensure that your community is not left out. You should not just rely on your representatives only, their personal aides and legislative assistants as well as other officers or appointees in government can be very instrumental in changing things” he added, amongst others.

According to Stanley Achonu, Senior Manager Projects of BUDGIT, there is a great need for citizens to engage the budgeting process to ensure effective execution.

He said, “you have to be involved in budget planning because it makes you participate in how government and tax payers money are being spent in a way that it will be beneficial to you. You have to stop complaining because complaining doesn’t solve any problem rather you should start acting and the action should be a peaceful and engaging one. The budget of a country is a law and it’s our duty as citizens of a country to inquire from our legislators to know what is allocated for our communities inside the budget.”

In addition, he made the people know that budget participation is a continuous process starting from budget planning to completion of the project.

“Budget involvement is a continuous thing, you start by engaging the Councilors and legislative members representing your constituency. Create and maintain a working relationship with your representatives, because they are the ones representing your interest both at the state and federal level. List your community needs in order of priority and present it to those representing you. Hold regular meetings with these people especially your counselors and these meetings should be peaceful and void of fight and riots.”

Participants at the training lauded the organizers in bringing the training to the grassroots,as it is a form of exposure and making the people know their right and how to be involved in budget process.

According to Peter Uche, a participants from Bajulaye: “the training is a very good one as it expose us to how to analyze and trace government budget. It also opened our eyes to knowing what to do as citizens when it comes to budget and also helps in enlightening other members of the community”.

Another participant,  Toyin Badmus from Orile Shomolu, urged other participants in the training to always speak out whenever they are in need of anything from the government and they should channel their actions in the right way that the government will know they need certain infrastructures in their communities.

– By Funmi Falobi –

As Nigeria intensifies the fight against corruption, a select of media professionals and civil Society Organizations (CSO) across Nigeria are partnering to bring to limelight, abandoned and hibernating high profile corruption cases under an initiative entitled,   “Reporting Until Something Happens (RUSH)”.  The  initiative which recently commenced with a 3-day CSO/Media case tracking and judicial performance oversight workshop in Enugu aims to increase reporting on hibernating high profile corruption cases  in order to engender public demand for speedy completion and as well get the government to prioritizing the cases in its anti-corruption agenda.

Speaking at the workshop organized by the Department for International Development (DFID) and supported by the British Council,  Emmanuel Uche, Anti Corruption Programme Manager, Justice for All (J4A) said that since the inception of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), only eight high profile cases have so far been convicted, adding that out of the eight,  one was upturned by the court making it only seven convicted, thus there is the is need to bring to the front burner these cases that are either hibernating or gone to sleep in the country.

“Most of the cases with the EFCC are either been stopped, hibernated or swept under the carpet. This can only be so on sheer impunity”, he said. He noted that there is need to empower the media and civil society organizations to take up high profile corruption cases as well as for the judiciary to be up and doing.

“For the anti- corruption campaign to be successful, the judiciary must demonstrate independence, impartiality, integrity, accountability and transparency to sustain the rule of law.

“Judiciary is arbiter of not only democracy but political, social and economic development. Nobody will come to the economy where there is no rule of law, respect for rights. For there to be government of the people, by the people and for the people, there must be a rule of law in place, if not, forget political development”, he added.

According to him: “Judicial systems need to provide timely access to fair and impartial judicial services and uphold the rule of law consistently.”

Similarly, Emeka Ononamadu, Executive Director, Citizens Center for Integrated Development and Social Rights (CCIDESOR) called for synergy between the media and the CSO in the fight against corruption in the nation.

Also speaking, Dr. Walter Duru, Executive Director, Media Initiative against Injustice, Violence and Corruption (MIIVOC) urged the media to sustain reportage of corruption and humanize effect of corruption in the society in order to engage citizens in the fight against corruption.

– By Tobi Oyetunde –

It was pleasant moments for 20 Students across Nigeria universities who received the 2016 Annual Gani Fawehinmi Scholarship.

The lucky students who receive the 2016 awards of a cash prize of 100,000 naira each include: Ajewole Thomas Adeyemi (University of Ibadan), Akinsanya Damilola John (University of Ibadan), Akorede Adelupe IIiyas (University of Lagos), Ariyibi Ahmod Babatunde (Bayero University, Kano), Ashiru Fatai Aderoju (Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta), Ephraim Jeremiah (Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi). Others are Eyam Rita Esighetti (University of Calabar), Folorunsho Abidemi Bashiru (Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta), Goji Joy (Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria), Kalu Kinsley Samuel (University of Calabar), Michael Faith Eloho (University of Calabar), Moshood Yusuf Lere (University of Ibadan), Okezie Nina Chidinma (Michael Okpara University), Okorie Uchechukwu Victor (University of Lagos), Olofinnika James Adewole (Obafemi Awolowo University).

The annual awards, which began in 1973, and has served as source of empowerment to over 800 students since inception was also used to celebrate and remember the legacy of Late Gani Fawehinmi. The event was celebrated with the theme, ‘Education in the Age of Neoliberalism: Local and External Contexts’.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Oladipo Fashina, Chairman of the Gani Fawehinmi Scholarship awards Board reiterated that the principle of late Chief Gani Fawehinmi must not be forgotten. While addressing the university students present, Mr. Oladipo advised them to be sincere and put more energy into their education.

He said, “we must never forget the principle of Gani and what he lived for. We must follow his legacy in improving the education sector of the country in any capacity we can. Education is a right which must be exercised by all Nigerians with real equality of opportunity, such right must be to a free education, free education is capable is capable of ensuring political stability and every Nigeria youth must e educated so that he may be free to live a dignified and useful life.”

The guest speaker at the ceremony, Dr. Sylvester Odion Akhaine, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science, Lagos State University lamented how policy made by government is killing education and encourage everybody to fight for their right.

“The fact that politicians now showcase red roofs in primary and secondary schools is an indication of the decay in that sector during the adjustment years. The short of it is that the structural advancement policy has endangered unprecedented levels of peonage in Nigeria’s history, economic underdevelopment”, he noted.

He concluded by saying, “we must rescue the educational sector from its present paralysis, free it from policy summersault, underfunding and the spasm of massification underlined by the illusion of choice and banking approach based on memorization.”

– By ‘SANMI FALOBI-

Against the backdrop of the old adage that, ‘he who fails to plan, plans to fail’, stakeholders have tasked the Buhari administration to show more commitments in consolidating the gains of the 2015 elections by ensuring that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is properly constituted and given the enabling operational requisites to be able to conduct credible elections, especially ahead the 2019 general elections.

According to the stakeholders, beyond the present administration’s overt commitment to fighting corruption, the administration should also be equally committed to ensuring that the democratic processes are transparent and credible, in order to entrench the gains on the credibility and transparency demonstrated by INEC in the 2015 elections.

Sharing perspectives as panelists in a national town hall meeting in Abuja, civil society stakeholders, opinion leaders and other key electoral stakeholders were of the opinion that more needs to be done if INEC is to be able to deliver credible elections come 2019.

In her opening remarks, Ojobo Atuluku, the Country Director of Actionaid, organizers of the event, said the town hall meeting which was also used to publicly present the outcome of a 2015 post election survey report conducted by Actionaid under its Strengthening Citizens Engagement in Electoral Processes (SCEEP) project, was to create an opportunity to connect the people, citizen groups and policy makers to dissect issues to deepen the gains of the 2015 elections as well as on steps to conducting more credible elections in the future.

Speaking on the central theme, ‘Making the electoral process citizens-centred: Deepening the gains of the 2015 elections’, former Chairman, National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Chidi Odinkalu, said that elections may not hold in 2019 as there may be crisis and death if there are no adequate preparations to ensure that the elections are credible.

“Today, the executive has gone into lax mode; judiciary has become lawless; National Assembly is lacking in credibility; INEC is troubled; politicians have gone unruly. Government says it has no money to run the economy. Every element that made 2015 is currently missing,” he said.

According to him, it was worrisome that key portfolios of personnel and designations in INEC have been left vacant.  “There is absolutely no reason why the executive should allow the number of vacancies we have in INEC to be.”

“INEC is having a challenge. By next month, INEC will be having 28 vacancies among its RECs (Resident Electoral Commissioners) and seven commissioners. The Executive is carrying on as if this normal. It isn’t”, he added.

According to him, “continuing the way we are going, we will not be able to have elections in 2019. If it happens, there would be too many broken heads and dead people.”

In a related contribution, Clement Nwankwo, Executive Director, Policy and Legal Advocacy Center (PLAC) and Convener, Civil Society Situation room noted that all hands must be on deck to build on the gains of the successes of the 2015 elections. According to him, the civil society must continue to do the work they can to ensure that the democratic governance is deepened, adding that the country is presently in a national emergency as the  electoral body does not have the full complement of electoral commissioners needed for the  general elections.

“Nigeria is in an emergency situation. In less than two and half years to the 2019 elections, INEC does not have the full complement of electoral commissioners. The question then is why is the delay? … If we continue this way, we shall lose our democracy. So we must act. If those in government do not act with urgency, we will lose this democracy“, he declared.

Similarly, other perspectives were given by stakeholders which included representatives of other civil society groups, namely; Ekaette Umoh, National President, Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) Abiodun Ajijola of Election Monitor, Ezenwa Nwangwu of Partners for Electoral Reform and Samson Itodo, Head Research Policy and Advocacy, YIAGA, who spoke as an advocate of the #NotTooYoungToRun campaign.

While calling for collaboration of all stakeholders, Amina Zakari, INEC National Commissioner in charge of election operations, noted that the attaining credible elections involves all.

“In 2015, for the first time, Nigerians believed they could effect a change in our political system. There was also dedication in the part of INEC, Security agencies and civil societies who spoke in one voice”, she said.

“Democracy and elections is for all and by all; everyone, not just INEC or politicians”, she added.

In the same light, the Chair, Senate Committee on INEC, Abubakar Kyari who agreed that democracy was about the people told the gathering that the Senate was working to ensure that the electoral laws are amended to ensure credible elections.

“We have sought for suggestions from the general public in order to fashion out an amendment in the electoral system. Our plan is to get our electoral reforms ready before December and have the president sign it into law”, he said.