The Realnews Magazine and Publications Limited will hold its Seventh Anniversary Lecture on Tuesday, November 19, 2019. The lecture entitled: “Beyond Politics: An Economic Narrative for West Africa” will be delivered by His Excellency, Mr. John Dramani Mahama, former president of Ghana.

It will take place at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria by 10 am prompt.

Dr. Mansur Muhtar, vice president, Country Operations, Islamic Development Bank and former Nigerian finance minister, who will chair the occasion, will also speak on the sub-theme: “The End of Oil: Wither the Nigeria Economy”.

Maureen Chigbo, publisher of Realnews Magazine Online, said: "Our choice of the 2019 topic and sub-theme was informed by the need to escalate and broaden the conversation on the economic challenges facing the region with Nigeria as its economic powerhouse, and Africa in general, with a view to teasing out lasting solutions and against the background of the recently endorsed Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA).

“Mahama’s impressive antecedent and vast experience in governance and leadership in policy formation and implementation across disciplines, including agriculture, communications, environment and politics, puts him in a good stead to do justice to the topic, especially at this critical juncture of West Africa’s struggles on the path to regional development and integration.”

This year’s annual lecture will bring together policy and decision makers from the private and public sectors, academia and civil society, including the media. Like in previous occasions, it will also feature a stimulating Panel Discussion by experts with guaranteed audience participation.

The panellists are Mr. Alex A. Okoh, director general of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, and Mrs. Margaret Olele, chief executive office of the American Business Council.

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 Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission; Dr. Haroun Adamu, former chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund; 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; Engr. Simbi Wabote, executive secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, 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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