It is time for communication scholars, practitioners to synergize–ACSPN

COMMUNIQUÉ AT THE END OF THE  11^TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND GENERAL MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNICATION SCHOLARS & PROFESSIONALS OF NIGERIA (ACSPN) HELD BETWEEN 4^TH – 5^TH SEPTEMBER 2024

PREAMBLE

The Association of Communication Scholars & Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) held its 11^th Annual Conference and General Meeting with the theme: “Digital Communication and Governance in Africa” between September 4^th and 5^th 2024. The Conference took place at Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja in partnership with Lagos State University (LASU), Covenant University, Caleb University, Crescent University, Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Olabisi Onabanjo University, International Press Centre, Ajayi Crowther University, D. S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic and Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON).

The ACSPN President, Professor Umaru Pate, Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Kashere, in his opening address, enjoined participants to cultivate, nurture and sustain network and relationship building among themselves, especially scholars and practitioners. He said this was one of the ways to further build and sustain communication scholarship and practice. The Chairman, Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye, delivering his opening remarks, stated that the process of digitalisation of information, good governance and change was very difficult and capital-intensive but must be confronted by leaders, scholars and governments at all levels.

The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee and Vice-President, South-West ASCPN, Prof. Rotimi Olatunji, welcomed invited guests and participants, thanking the National Executive Council for granting the hosting rights to South-west, particularly Lagos State, thereby giving participants an experiential learning opportunity from the leading tate in Nigeria in the deployment of digital communication in governance in Nigeria and Africa. He assured participants of fruitful deliberations, discussions and learning experience.

The Keynote Address

The keynote address titled “Digital communication and governance in Africa”, was delivered by Mr Dapo Olorunyomi, Publisher of Premium Times. He stated that the news media industry in Africa  is faced with unprecedented crises of funding and information disorder that require the focus and attention of media scholars, practitioners, government, civil society and all professionals in the media and communication space.  He posited that Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds  prospects for quality public service delivery, inclusivity, good governance, growth and accountability. However, he cautioned that AI must be deployed ethically to avoid privacy violations and ensure good governance. He called for the design and implementation of a national policy on the deployment of AI strategy

The Executive Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, ably represented by the  Honourable Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso,  stated that the theme of the conference was apt because it came at a time when the Lagos State Government is using digital communication as a pillar in transforming governance by connecting the State with fibre optic cables as part of its smart city project. He said roads in the State were installed with CCTV cameras to control crime and ease navigations by commuters

The Conference, during deliberations, noted  that:

1. Network and relationship management among communication scholars and practitioners are very important and significant to the development of communication scholarship and practice.
2. Building communication institutions, literature, researches are central to sustenance of communication scholarship and practice in Nigeria.
3. The news media industry are faced with unprecedented crises of funding and information disorder at a time when communication has transformative power that can support media, democracy, governance and the value of freedom of expression.
4. There  is little or no collaborative research effort, learning and practices between mass communication and computer science scholars and practitioners in Africa.
5. Digital communication for good governance should start from the minds of leaders who help formulate and execute policies.
6. Media are platforms but the content created is what qualifies such content to be journalism, which is the responsibility of communication scholars and practitioners.
7. There is little collaboration between government, academics, media and civil society on AI, ethics, threats of deepfake, and good governance.
8. There is a need for knowledge creation and national policy on AI, verification and fact-checking to deal with Misinformation, Disinformation and other ethical issues in digital communication, to improve elections, good governance and democracy.
9. There are challenges of infrastructure, quality of data, access, cultural complexities and explanation in Africa that enable digital communication, AI and good governance.
10. Researchers and practitioners around the world are developing AI methods that map opinions and discussion for good governance and development.

The Conference , therefore, adopted the following resolutions:

1. Communication scholars and practitioners should continuously engage in research partnerships that will build communication institutions, literature, researches that are central to sustenance of communication scholarship and practice in Nigeria.
2. Scholars and practitioners should engage in interdisciplinary collaborative research, learning and practices between Mass Communication, Computer Science and other disciplines.
3. Governments at state and federal levels should develop policies on AI, fact-checking, and verification. This should be done in collaboration with big tech companies, government agencies, civil society organisations and academics.
4. Communication researchers and practitioners should work with scholars around the world to understand and develop AI neutral network-based methods in order to map opinions and discussion for good governance and development in Africa.
5. Communication institutions in Africa should construct and maintain news rooms and laboratories managed by professors of practice, who will teach the next generation of journalists and other practitioners in media and communication industry.
6. Communication and Journalism institutions should start implementing the Teaching Hospital (PRACTICUM) Model in educating their students, a model that facilitates hands-on experiential learning thus combining theoretical knowledge with practical application in a real-world setting.  
7. Communication and Journalism institutions and scholars should engage in attracting funds that can be used to construct AI and digital communication laboratories and newsrooms for teaching next generation of scholars and practitioners. 
8. Individual Departments in the unbundled Communication and Media Studies in Nigeria should ensure that they add the 30% local content required in line with the expertise of the educators in their disciplines.
9. Young scholars at the Postgraduate Master class were advised to work with established researchers so as to learn how to write grant winning proposals.

Dr Solomon Abiodun Oyeleye,

General Secretary, ACSPN

September 5, 2024