The Realnews Magazine and Publications Limited will hold its Sixth Anniversary Lecture on Thursday, November 15, 2017. The lecture entitled, “Political Transitions and Africa’s Economic Development” which will be delivered by Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), will take place at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, by 10 am prompt.

Yakubu is a guerrilla warfare expert, and previously a professor of political history and international studies at the Nigerian Defence Academy. Prior to his appointment as chairman of the INEC, he served as the executive secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund. He was appointed to office in 2007 by then-President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua. During his tenure as secretary, a National Book Development Fund was established, supporting 102 journals of professional associations.

He also served as assistant secretary of Finance and Administration at the 2014 National Conference. In 2013, he was awarded an honorary fellowship to the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.

The Lecture will be chaired by Dr. Haroun Adamu, former chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF.

Immediately after the lecture, a panel of discussants will leverage on the topic to speak on Africa’s maturing democratic and economic culture. The panellists are Dr. Charles Okeke, dean, School of Education, Behavioural & Social & Professor of Economics, The College of Southern Nevada, Nevada System of Higher Education, Charleston Campus, Las Vegas, United States of America, USA, Professor Adebayo Olukoshi, director, Africa and West Regional Programme and Liaison Office of the African Union, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; and Engr. Simbi Wabote, executive secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Bayelsa, Nigeria. Both the lecturer and all of the panellists have confirmed their attendance at the event.

According to Maureen Chigbo, publisher/editor, Realnews magazine, an online publication: “Our choice of topic for the 2018 lecture has been informed by contemporary political, economic, security, socio-cultural challenges facing Africa, albeit Nigeria regarded as the “Giant of Africa” as it prepares for the 2019 polls where Nigerians are expected to elect leaders they hope will move country to the next level.” She added that given Yakubu’s world class experience, academic antecedents and his current position as chairman of INEC, he is in a better position to do justice to the topic.

Chigbo said that after the panel and interactive session, there will be an investiture into the prestigious Realnews Hall of Fame, exclusively reserved for only guest speakers, discussants, Realnews book reviewers and chairpersons at our Anniversary Lecture Series. Former inductees into the Realnews Hall of Fame are Dr. (Mrs) Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of education and former vice president, World Bank, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, United Nations Special Representative to West Africa and Sahel; Mr. Alex Cummings, Liberian Presidential Candidate; Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps; Ibrahim Idris, Nigerian Inspector General of Police; Alhaji Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, founder and chief executive officer, Alpine Investments Ltd, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Professor Maurice Iwu, former chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mr. Roberts Orya, managing director/chief executive officer of the Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIM), Dr. Ngozi Anyaegbunam, president, Media World, Mr. Benjamin Dikki, Director General, Bureau of Public Enterprises and Professor Joe. I. Ezigbo, Managing Director, Falcon Corporation Limited.

“They (inductees) all played key roles during our anniversary lectures and the induction into the Realnews Hall of Fame is just a token of our appreciation for the honour they did to Realnews Magazine and Publications Limited,” said Chigbo, publisher/editor of Realnews.

Realnews, a general interest magazine and an online publication which thrives on investigative journalism debuted November 19, 2012. It focuses on oil and gas sector with its attendant environmental challenges as well as issues relating to business and economy, politics, power, health, women and youth. Its aim is to unearth exclusive stories about real people and the challenges they are facing in their day-to-day activities. It does this bearing in mind that government can only act to influence the lives of people positively if they are aware of their true situation. Hence, its objective is to use its investigative skills to ferret out information in the sectors it focuses on and produce an unbiased report which will actually influence the government and decision makers to take actions that will make the society better.

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