Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), will on Monday, October 19, convene media professionals to examine press freedom, investigative journalism and democratic accountability in Nigeria, as the country marks 40 years since the assassination of journalist Dele Giwa.
The virtual engagement, scheduled for 10 a.m. on Monday, will bring together leading media professionals to assess the state of press freedom, threats to journalists and the media’s role in promoting democratic accountability.
Giwa, the founding editor of Newswatch magazine and one of Nigeria’s most influential journalists, was killed on October 19, 1986, by a parcel bomb delivered to his residence in Lagos. Four decades later, questions surrounding his assassination and the broader issues of journalist safety, press freedom and accountability remain relevant to Nigeria’s democratic development.
The webinar, themed “Forty Years After Dele Giwa: Press Freedom, Investigative Journalism and the Future of Democracy in Nigeria,” is expected to explore how journalism can strengthen democratic institutions, hold public officials accountable and protect citizens’ access to credible information.
The Publisher of Premium Times, Mr. Dapo Olorunyomi, will deliver the keynote address as guest speaker.
He will be joined by Hamza Idris, Deputy Editorial Director and Chairman of the Editorial Board of Daily Trust Newspapers, Abuja, and Mr. Yekeen Akinwale Nurudeen, Abuja Bureau Chief of TheCable, as discussants.
The Vice-Chancellor of UDUS, Professor Bashir Garba, MFR, will serve as Chief Host, while the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Professor Ibrahim Mustapha Dankani, will serve as Host.
The Head of the Department of Mass Communication, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, who signed the announcement, will moderate the session.
The discussion will also examine the challenges confronting journalists in the discharge of their professional responsibilities and consider practical measures for protecting journalistic independence in Nigeria’s changing political and digital environment.
The department said the engagement would provide an opportunity for academics, journalists, media researchers, students and other stakeholders to reflect on Giwa’s legacy and the continuing responsibility of the media to defend democratic values and the public’s right to know.
How to participate
The webinar will hold on Zoom on Monday, October 19, 2026, at 10 a.m.
Meeting ID: 649 7425 2302
Passcode: 772857
