Keynote Address by Oloriewe Raheem Adedoyin at The Inauguration of Kwara Chapter of The Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria

Courtesies
It is with a deep sense of humility that I present this inaugural speech on the occasion of the inauguration of the Kwara State Chapter of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN).

Though we are separated by distance, today’s virtual inauguration, however, evokes much symbolism: it brings together a community of distinguished scholars as well as respected members of the journalism and communication fraternity.

I, therefore, wish to congratulate the organisers of this forum for their profound insight in initiating a project for bonding of communication scholars and media professionals in Kwara State.

At a time when the country’s general elections is less than four months away, I am particularly honoured to be given the liberty to choose to speak on a matter of absorbing interest: “Journalism, Communication and the Imperatives of Good Governance. “

It is instructive to note that society stands at the intersection of the forces of journalism, communication and governance.

Journalism informs society,
communication connects society while governance directs society.

So critical is journalism to a thriving democracy that our grundnorm creates a pride of place for it.

Chapter 2 Section 22 of the Nigerian constitution, under “Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, ” gives the media a constitutional responsibility.

This section states clearly that the “ The press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people.”

It is heartening that no other human institution has been given this onerous constitutional responsibility as the Nigerian media.

If the media has been given this fundamental responsibility akin to another pillar of the Realm-the Fourth Estate-after the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, the challenge before us is to solidify the architecture of good governance through a reportage which promotes and elevates the ideals of pluralist democracy.

While it is true that politicians and public officials have innate predilections for cover up of crimes and misconduct, it is good journalism to strive to expose them in the interest of the public good.

But public interest journalism is simply not for the media to transmute into an institutional opponent of government.

Where government performs well, our reportage must reflect this, but where government fails, journalism must also expose the failure of the state.

Only a free, fearless and professionally responsible press can sustainably act as staunch enabler of a virile democracy.

This then brings me to another important element of this discourse –communication as a critical tool of governance.

Communication is indeed a sine qua non to good governance.

It was the philosopher, John Dewey, who drew attention to communication being at the very heart of social existence.

According to Dewey, “Society exists through a process of transmission quite as much as biological life.”

He further argues that society is sustained through communication—the transmission of experience, knowledge, values and meaning from one generation to another.

This is in effect links communication with governance, because government itself is a process of transmitting public values, policies and information across society.

It could, therefore, be easy for government to enunciate excellent policies, launch amazing public infrastructure and introduce far-reaching reforms, but if citizens do not understand what government is doing, why it is doing it and how those policies affect their lives, a disconnect is already established, paving room for misinformation, rumours and of course the big elephant -fake news!

It stands to reason that if governance is the art of translating public authority into public good, communication is the bridge that connects the two.

It is through communication that government explains itself to the governed, through journalism that society interrogates the exercise of power, and through dialogue that citizens become participants rather than spectators in governance.

While government takes its policies and initiatives to the people through diverse communication channels, citizens also express their needs through the same routes, with the media standing in as participant observer.

As I conclude, we must realise as evident that journalism without responsibility can become only noise; communication without credibility can become propaganda while governance without accountability can become detached from the very people in whose name political authority is exercised.

The challenge before us, therefore, is to preserve the proper relationship among these three irretrievably interlinked forces of journalism, communication and governance that are forging and shaping society.

I thank you for your kind attention.

Oloriewe Raheem Adedoyin, FNIPR, FNGE,
Ilorin, Kwara State
10th October, 2026