Catholic Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah, will deliver the First News Newspaper annual national public lecture scheduled to be held on Friday, November 3, 2023, in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, to mark the 3rd anniversary of the online newspaper.
The 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 10 am.
The highlight of the event will be the conferment of the First News “Man of The Year Award” on minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike and the “Bank of The Year Award” on Premium Trust Bank.
Businessman 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.
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.
A former governor of Bayelsa State and incumbent Senator Seriake Dickson is the chairman of the occasion while the current governor of the state, Douye Diri, will be the special guest of honour.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC’s) managing director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, is a special guest and platinum sponsor of the public lecture alongside the government of Bayelsa State.
Also, former Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Col Milland Dixon Dikio, will be the lead panellist at the public lecture. He will be supported by Dr Matthew Ayibakuro, Governance Adviser, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Chairman/CEO of White Cloud TVET, chief Oluwaranti Netufo wi serve as a Key panelist and to be supported by a co-key panellist by the Labour Party governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, Engr. Udengs Eradiri.
Professor of Technologies Management and Security from Alzaytoonah University of Jordan, Ali Alao Babatunde, will also be one of the panellists at the occasion. His professional background and academic achievement span over two decades. He has extensive knowledge and international work experience in the areas of Business Information Systems, Technology Management and Automotive Engineering, Multimedia, Services Science, Oil and gas, Green Energy, and Industrial and Academic collaborative scientific field research. Prof Babatunde is also a multilingualist, fluent in English, German, and Yoruba and possesses a mastery in Arabic, French and Swahili, among others.
There will also be representations from the government of Kano State, the organisers said.