•Diri, Dickson, NDDC MD, Dikio, others to grace event

Catholic Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah, will deliver the FIRST NEWS newspaper Annual National Public Lecture scheduled to hold on Friday, November 3, 2023 in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, to mark the Third Year Anniversary of the online newspaper.

The Annual National Public Lecture with the theme: “The Nigerian Question: Survival of the Federation in the throes of Increasing Economic Challenges”, will be held at the Harold Dappa Biriye Conference Centre, Onopa Villas, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, at 10am prompt.

Bishop Kukah will double as the Special Guest and Keynote Speaker on the occasion.

Globally renowned speaker, trainer and business adviser, Mr David Parrish, will deliver a special paper on Creative Economy during the Public Lecture. Parrish has worked in over 60 countries across the world.

Former governor of Bayelsa State and incumbent Senator, Seriake Dickson, is the Chairman of the occasion while the current Governor of the state, Senator Douye Diri, will be the Special Guest of Honour.

Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, is a Special Guest and Platinum Sponsor of the public lecture alongside the Government of Bayelsa State.

Business man and security expert, Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, will also be a Special Guest at the lecture while his Tantita Security Services is a sponsor of the public lecture.

Similarly, former Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Col Milland Dixon Dikio, will be the Lead Panelist at the public lecture. He will be supported by Dr Matthew Ayibakuro, Governance Adviser, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Chief Oluwaranti Netufo, Chairman/CEO, White Cloud TVET, is a Key Panelist and he'll be supported as a co-key panelist by Engr. Udengs Eradiri, the Labour Party Governorship Candidate in Bayelsa State.

Distinguished Professor of Technologies Management and Security from Alzaytoonah University of Jordan, Ali Alao Babatunde, will equally be one of the Panelists on the occasion. His professional background and academic achievement spans over two decades. He has extensive knowledge and international work experience in the area of Business Information Systems, Technology Management and Automotive Engineering, Multimedia, Services Science, Oil & Gas, Green Energy, Industrial and Academic collaborative scientific field research. Prof Babatunde is also a multilinguist, fluent in English, German, Yoruba and possesses a mastery in Arabic, French and Swahili, among others.

Hajiya Mariam Yako, the Executive Secretary, Zamfara State Investment Promotion Agency, will also be a Special Guest and Panelist, while Boason Omofaye, media personality, award-winning journalist and Arise TV anchor, will be the Chief Moderator of the FIRST NEWS Annual National Public Lecture.

There will also be representations from the Government of Kano State.

Highlight of the event will be the conferment of the FIRST NEWS “MAN OF THE YEAR” AWARD on the FCT Minister, His Excellency, Nyesom Wike, and FIRST NEWS “BANK OF YEAR” AWARD ON Premium Trust Bank.

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