JULY 13TH
Wole Soyinka Centre
Media Lecture Series
About the Lecture
The Wole Soyinka Media Lecture Series is an annual programme of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) aimed at examining varying topical issues that have a reverberating effect on the perceived performance of the media on the health of Nigeria’s democracy and the country at large.
Held first on 27 March 2008, WSCIJ has since 2009 held the lecture on 13 July, to commemorate the birthday of Africa’s first Nobel Laureate in Literature and Grand Patron of the WSCIJ, Professor Wole Soyinka.
Past lectures have explored several issues of public interest, including electoral reform, media challenges, local governance, national security, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), corruption, oil revenue, tax regime, basic education, electricity, conflicts and peace-building.
Our distinguished speakers and panellists have come from different walks of life— scholars, public servants, diplomats, political analysts, tax professionals, and heads of government parastatals.
Past Lecture Events

Education, economic diversification, freedom of speech and constitutional review take centre-stage at Wole Soyinka Media Lecture Series
Speakers at the 13th Wole Soyinka Media Lecture Series held Tuesday, 13th July 2021 in Lagos to commemorate Professor Wole

Identity data critical for national planning, resource allocation – Onigbinde
Oluseun Onigbinde, Co-Founder and Director of BudgIT Foundation, has championed the need for data on the identity of citizens in

Dan-Ali condemns public relations in media reportage, calls for storytelling with data
A former Editor-in-Chief of Daily Trust Newspaper, Mannir Dan-Ali, has condemned what he described as the ‘capture of the Nigerian
Kale calls for improvement in the Nigeria’s data landscape
In assessing the status of the current data landscape in Nigeria, Yemi Kale, Statistician General of the Federation and Chief
Coordinated national statistical system key to production of reliable, quality data — Alaba
The need to coordinate the national statistical system, especially for the production of reliable and high quality data, was stressed

Shettima calls attention to media sustainability, proposes data dashboard for development planning
Kole Shettima, Director of the Africa Office for the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, has urged the media