The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) will hold the fourth edition of the Lateef Jakande Memorial Lecture on July 23 in Lagos, with discussions expected to focus on the role of the media, electoral institutions and voters in strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.
The annual lecture, instituted in 2023 to honour the legacy of the late Alhaji Lateef Jakande, will take place at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, from 11:00 a.m.
In a statement signed on Monday by the Guild’s President, Eze Anaba, and General Secretary, Onuoha Ukeh, the organisers announced the theme for this year’s lecture as “The Media, INEC, Voters and Path to Credible Elections.”
Professor Sylvester Odion Akhaine of the Department of Political Science, Lagos State University, will deliver the memorial lecture, while former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, will chair the event.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is expected as the Chief Host and Special Guest of Honour, alongside the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
Other expected participants include senior members of the Guild, among them former Ogun State Governor and veteran journalist, Chief Segun Osoba, as well as Vanguard publisher, Uncle Sam Amuka. Managing directors, editors of print, broadcast and digital media organisations, government officials and civil society leaders are also expected to attend.
The Guild said students and lecturers of journalism and mass communication from Caleb University, Lagos State University, Yaba College of Technology and the Nigerian Institute of Journalism have also been invited to expose aspiring journalists to leading media professionals and reinforce the values of excellence, public service and ethical journalism.
According to the statement, the memorial lecture has become a platform for robust national conversations on governance, public policy and the role of the press in democratic development.
“It continues to serve as a platform for thought leadership, policy debate and national introspection, while keeping alive the standard Jakande set in journalism and public service,” the Guild said.
The lecture series honours the enduring legacy of Alhaji Lateef Jakande (1929–2021), one of Nigeria’s most respected journalists and public servants. Jakande served as President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors before becoming the first civilian governor of Lagos State between 1979 and 1983, where he earned widespread acclaim for his mass housing, education and healthcare programmes. He later served as Minister of Works and Housing and remains one of Nigeria’s most influential figures in journalism and public administration.
The inaugural memorial lecture in 2023 was delivered by NGE Fellow, Chief Felix Adenaike. The 2024 edition featured Chairman of ThisDay and Arise News, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, who spoke on “Rapid Changing Media Landscape: Survival Strategies,” while the 2025 lecture, themed “Journalism and the Challenge of Nation-Building in a Multi-Ethnic Society,” was delivered by Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed.
