Public affairs analyst Dr Jide Johnson, security expert Timothy Avele, media figure James Ojo and Tope Balogun, the 2023 Action Alliance (AA) governorship candidate, are set to feature on a panel at a public-interest event in Lagos on Saturday, October 24. The event, organised by award-winning journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, will centre on Nigeria’s development challenges, with a keynote address by Gboyega Akosile, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The event, disclosed in a press statement issued by the planning committee and made available to Legit.ng on Sunday, October 11, combines a panel discussion on national development, the launch of Yusuf’s public-interest book, and a session on practical and beneficial artificial intelligence (AI) use for all persons. According to the statement, the event will bring together professionals from public affairs, security, journalism and politics.
Panel on National Development: Who Is Speaking?
The panel session is themed 'Nigeria Is Ours: Reimagining Leadership, Citizenship, and Security for National Development.' It will feature Dr Jide Johnson, who serves as Director of Special Programmes at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ); Timothy Avele, Director of Agent-X Security Limited and a prominent security expert; James Ojo, an experienced journalist and researcher; and Tope Balogun, described as a nationalist.
The discussion is expected to cover the roles that leadership, journalism, and citizenship play in national development, with particular focus on Nigeria's security situation, including the growing problem of kidnapping for ransom. The session will also examine how citizens, public institutions and other stakeholders can help tackle challenges hindering the country's progress.
Keynote Address and Notable Guests at the Lagos Event
Gboyega Akosile, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, will deliver the keynote address. His address, titled 'Building the Nigeria We Want: Leadership, Public Communication and Citizen Participation,' will centre on governance, public communication and citizen engagement in national development.
Prince Olaide Lateef Muhammed, a member of the House of Representatives representing Irepo/Oorelope/Olorunsogo Federal Constituency, is also expected to attend the event. Beyond the panel discussions, attendees will receive practical insights into how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used beneficially in daily life and work.
Book Launch and AI Session Highlight Civic Conversations
Yusuf's book brings together a collection of public-interest journalism examining issues that affect Nigeria and its citizens, making the launch event a gathering that combines evidence-based research, policy and civic conversations in one space. The event is organised by Yusuf, a Kishi-born journalist and current affairs editor at Legit.ng with more than nine years of experience.
In a related development, Reverend Samson Olasupo Ayokunle, immediate past President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), earlier assured Nigerians that regardless of the political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 elections, the country will pull through. The clergyman urged Nigerians not to give up, saying he believed divine intervention remained Nigeria's surest anchor. On the persistent problem of insecurity across Nigeria, Ayokunle stated that the answer lies in the resolve of those in power to confront the crisis honestly.
