Funmi Olaitan, Ibadan

Former Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Media and former Editorial Board Chairman of Guardian Newspaper, Dr Reuben Abati, and other stakeholders will on Tuesday and Wednesday converge in Ibadan as Oyo State government holds the first state council on information summit.

A statement by Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun, said  the two day event is aimed at improving and strengthening the information network of government and making the media veritable partners in the sustainable development of the state.

He said the first of its kind State Information Summit will be an avenue for stakeholders to come together to address proper dissemination and management of information in the state and the country as a whole. 

According to him, the theme of the Information Summit is “Managing Information and Communication: The Catalyst for Sustainable Development” and will hold at Prof. Theophilus Ogunlesi Hall, opposite University College Hospital, (UCH), Ibadan.

Arulogun said Governor Abiola Ajimobi will declare the summit open while Abati will give the keynote address.

He explained that the summit becomes imperative based on vitriolic language and toxic narratives which have filled the media space in recent times, stating that these rancorous discussions especially on radio and the social media have distorted information dissemination in the country.

He added that Head of Department, Communication and Language Arts, University of Ibadan, Prof. Ayobami Ojebode will deliver a paper on Language Use in Communication at a session to be chaired by former Special Adviser to Governor Chimaroke Nnamani and Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Media and a member of the Editorial Board of Tribune Titles, Dr. Festus Adedayo, while a paper titled, "Everybody is a Journalist: the Implication of Digital Media", is to be delivered by former Thisday Editor and Publisher of TheCable NG, Mr. Simon Kolawole will be chaired by Dr. Babatunde Ojebuyi, a senior lecturer in the department of CLA, UI.    

Arulogun stressed that a paper titled, Journalism Profession: Ethics, values and Conducts, A Legal Perspective, will be handled by a Partner, Perchstone & Graeys, Mr. Tolu Aderemi at a session to be chaired by former State Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and former Head of Department, Mass Communication, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Mr. Kayode Akinpelu.

He stated that the summit will have in attendance Commissioners for Information from South West States, Publishers, Zonal Directors, Editors, Broadcasters, Radio and Television presenters, members of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Members of the Association of Advertising Agency of Nigeria (AAAN), members of the RATTAWU, members of FIBAN, League of Veteran Journalists and other stakeholders.