From Felix Ikem, Nsukka
The former Director and Global Head of Communications and Events Management at Afreximbank, Obi Emekekwue is billed to deliver the 2nd Jacksonites Professional Development Series [JPDS] seminar.
Emekekwue’s lecture titled: “Crisis Survival in Today’s Viral World: The Communications Conundrum,” will examine effective communication as a way of navigating and managing the negative impact crisis has on organizations and institutions at both national and international levels.
The seminar series is organized by Jacksonites Worldwide Forum, an alumni association and professional development network of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
The Jacksonites Professional Development Series Steering Committee Chairman, Prof. Chinedu Mba of Algonquin College, Ottawa, Canada in a press release on Thursday said that the focus of the upcoming session is critical because communication blunders around the world have led to several disasters, wars, economic downturn, public health emergencies and air tragedies, adding that the lecture is timely and relevant, and that the teams involved in planning the event are intentional in choosing the theme for each session.
“We are focused on improving and building capacity, and selected seminar themes are a reflection of pressing needs in the environment that are begging to be addressed,” she said. “Mr. Emekekwue will skilfully examine the subject and participants can expect to leave the session with an expertly sourced toolkit for avoiding and handling different communication disasters.”
Emekekwue has over 35-year professional experience across corporate strategic communications, media, public relations, international civil service and event management.
He spent 18 years at the United Nations and led communications teams to bring visibility to the organization. He graduated from the Department of Mass Communication at UNN in 1982 and holds a Master’s in International Relations and a postgraduate diploma in International Law and Diplomacy from St. John’s University, New York.
He is also a graduate of the Executive Education programs of Harvard and IMD Business Schools.
The lecture series is slated for November 10, 2021, and would be held at 3 p.m.GMT+1 through the zoom visual communication platform.
It would be moderated by Marcel Mbamalu, a veteran journalist and Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Prime Business Africa, an online media platform.
The target audience for the event includes crisis management experts, PR personnel, publicists, media executives, politicians, and other public personalities.
The first lecture which was held in July 2021, was delivered by Dr Nduka Otiono, an Associate Professor at the Institute of African Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada with the title: A ‘Captured’ Media in an Insecure Nation: Democracy and Free Speech on Trial?.
Participants included; Garba Shehu, senior special adviser on media and publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari; Professor Pat Utomi, founder of the Centre for Values in Leadership and president of the alumni network.