DAME, Ford foundation present book on performance of media in 4th Republic

The Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) Trust Fund and Ford Foundation will present on May 22 present the book, Watchdogs or Captured Media: A study of the role of the media in Nigeria’s emergent Democracy 1999-2016 at the University of Lagos, Akoka.

The book examines how well the Nigerian media have performed their watchdog role since 1999. Published through a grant by Ford Foundation to DAME, the book is edited by Professor Ayo Olukotun, who currently occupies the Oba Sikiru Adetona professorial chair in governance at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye.

The book parades 14 contributors, 12 from Nigeria and one each from Ghana and Kenya. Drawn from the academia and the media, the Nigerians are Professor Christian Ogbondah of University of Northern Iowa, Professor Lai Oso of Lagos State University (LASU), Professor Abiodun Salawu of Northwest University, South Africa, Professor Ayo Olukotun, Dr. Oluyinka Esan of the University of Winchester, Dr. Tunde Akanni of LASU, Mr. Lanre Idowu of DAME, Mr. Edetaen Ojo of Media Rights Agenda, Dr. Nathaniel Danjibo of University of Ibadan, Mrs. Funke Treasure-Durodola of Radio Nigeria, Dr. Kayode Eesuola of University of Lagos and Margaret Jesuminure of Adeleke University, Ede.

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Two other Africans, Professor Kwame Karikari of Wisconsin International University College, Accra and Dr. Peter Kimani of Aga Khan University, Nairobi, offer comparative perspectives on media performance in their countries around the same period.

The Ford Foundation grant was utilised on three levels: an international conference in Lagos last September to discuss the preliminary findings of the chapter contributors, followed by revision and now the book presentation.

The book is expected to bridge gap in media literature, extend understanding of ways the media promote or impede democracy, and offer insights into different aspects of the Nigerian media.