At ACSPN conference, scholars interrogate freedom of speech, national interest

The Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) held its sixth yearly conference in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Themed, ‘National interest, freedom of expression and governance in Africa’, the conference celebrated 160 years of journalism in Nigeria. Media business began in the country in 1859.

Notable communication scholars and professionals attended the opening ceremony of the conference. Prof. Bolanle Idowu Akeredolu-Ale of the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, delivered the keynote address.

The ceremony featured the presentation of the ACSPN series 4 book titled, Fake News and Hate speech: Narratives of political instability.It also featured the visitation of the East and Southern Africa regional media and health communication adviser, Prof Adebayo Fayoyin, and the display of the ACSPN- UNESCO collaboration on media and information literacy non-curricular activities project to the participants.

There were special panels during the conference and the panel on ‘’Journalism, media sustainability and consolidation of democracy, 160 years after’ was chaired by the CEO Diamond Awards for Media Excellence, Mr. Lanre Idowu.During the conference, the first newspaper to be published in Nigeria Iwe Irohin fun awon egba ati Yoruba by Henry Townsend was re-launched.

The re-launch held at the palace of the Alake of Egbaland, HRH, Oba Michael Aremu Gbadebo (CFR) and former Judge of the International Court of Justice, at The Hague, former Attorney General and Minister for Justice, and proprietor of Crescent University, Abeokuta, Prince Bola Ajibola, was the chairman of the session.

At the end of the conference, participants made some observations and recommended that the government should establish e-participant initiative in order to improve and strengthen governance.