News
Communications Expert, Prof Opubor, Is Dead
Nigeria’s foremost communications teacher, Prof. Alfred Opubor, is dead.
The communications expert died in Benin Republic on December 2 during a brief illness. He was aged 75 years.
Prof. Opubor, the first African to get a doctoral degree (Ph.D) in communications, was the pioneer chairman of the board of directors of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He taught veteran journalists like Mrs. Oluremi Oyo, the Managing Director of NAN and her husband Mr. Vincent Oyo, the art of mass communications at the University of Lagos in the 1970s.
He was one of the first generation of specialists in the field of communications as a behavioural science, having graduated from the Michigan State University, in the U.S. with a PhD degree in 1969.
His expertise was in communication theories and message systems and their applications in development.
A former Head of the Department of Mass Communications at the University of Lagos, Professor Okpubor was also a researcher, government policy adviser and senior communications specialist in the United Nations system. He was also an international consultant in strategic communications and media development.
For nearly a decade (1990-1998), he served as Senior Technical Adviser in Information, Education and Communications for Reproductive Health with the UNFPA, first in Abidjan, before moving to the Country Support Team (CST) in Harare, covering more than 20 countries in East, Central and West Africa.
Between 2008 and 2009, he designed the institutional communications strategy for ECOWAS, entitled “From a Community of States to a Community of People”.
In 2009 he undertook missions on behalf of UNESCO to prepare analytical studies on the integration of communication for development in Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania, within the context of the UN system’s “Delivering As One” reforms.
He also provided capacity development for members of the UN Communication Group in these countries and was appointed a member of the Experts’ Group on Media Data and Indicators of the UNESCO Institute of Statistics, Montreal, Canada, undertaking missions in 2009 to India, France and Costa Rica.
From 2003 until his death, Prof. Opubor was Secretary-General of the West African Newsmedia and Development (WANAD) Centre in Cotonou.
He was also Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Panos Institute (West Africa), and Member of the Africa Board of Inter-Press Service (IPS), the Rome-based international news agency with regional headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Prof. Opubor is survived by his spouse, Antoinette, children and grand children.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to expedite the prosecution of the Director of the now distressed MBA Forex Trading, Mr. Maxwell Odum, in the interest of justice.
The Rivers State NUJ made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the EFFC’s Ag. Zonal Director, ACE Hassan Saidu, in Port Harcourt, recently.
The council’s chairman, Comrade Paul Bazia, said the appeal became imperative after it considered the number of Nigerians and others involved in the financial misconduct.
According to him, it has caused hardship among many households in the country and should be given the attention it deserves.
He said that investors cannot come into a country or invest in an economy or nation ridden with fraud.
This, he said, has made it more imperative to arrest, prosecute and convict alleged fraudsters like the MBA Forex Director, who is alleged to have defrauded thousands of unsuspecting Nigerians, to serve as a deterrent to others.
The chairman also requested that while the trial lasts, part of the swindled funds should be given to the victims that suffered loss and trauma as a result of the fraud.
The NUJ reiterated its resolve to change the narrative of reportage from crisis to developmental communication.
According to him, the NUJ’s main focus is blue economy and tourism.
He expressed the readiness of the Council to partner the agency in the area of information dissemination.
“We believe you have a responsibility to fight financial crimes. We also know that you need the Press to publicize your activities and NUJ can provide that,” he said.
Responding, the Zonal EFFC’s boss commended the NUJ’s vision to change the narrative of reporting from crisis to developmental communication.
According to Saidu, the Western world have since imbibed such culture, hence the negative stories about them are carefully sifted to allow only positive ones to be released to the outside world.
As for the trapped funds to be released, the EFCC Zonal Director stated that only the court can authorize such action, stressing that the primary responsibility of the Commission is to arrest and prosecute.
He pledged to partner with the NUJ now that the leadership has visited the Commission.
The Head of the Legal & Prosecution Department, DCE Odiase Stephen, corroborated the Zonal Director’s position and stressed that it was only when the matter has been determined by the court that such funds can be released.
He further stated that once a matter is before a court of competent jurisdiction, it cannot be discussed outside.
By: King Onunwor
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