The Correspondents’ Chapel Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, Yinka Adeniran, and broadcaster Adeola Bankole of Fresh FM are among 25 individuals to be honoured at the fifth edition of the Journalist Olawale Ogunbusola School Competition, Public Lecture and Awards in Ibadan.
The event, scheduled for Thursday, October 29, 2026, will be held at the National Museum of Unity, Aleshinloye, Ibadan, beginning at 9:30 a.m.
Other award recipients include Soji Ajibola, a former Senior Special Assistant on Print Media to the Bayelsa State Governor; Olawale Olaleye, a professional accountant and politician; Monsurat Abiola Olajire, a retired principal of CHS Airport; Segun Showunmi of The Nation newspaper; and Olusina Olabode, popularly known as Omoyashina, Head of Programmes at Adamimogo 105.1 FM.
The annual event combines a school competition, public lecture and awards ceremony, bringing together students, academics, professionals, politicians and other stakeholders to discuss national issues and recognise contributions to different sectors.
In a statement, the chairman of the organising committee, Pastor Tayo Olatunji, said this year’s edition would examine Nigeria’s security and economic challenges, including the debate on state police and the effects of global conflicts on the country’s economy.
The public lecture will feature three speakers: Oluwatoyese Oyetade, Acting Head of Department and Senior Lecturer at KolaDaisi University, Ibadan; Dr Yusuf Oladele, an international security and forensic expert; and Ayodeji Alimi, Chief Executive Officer of Max-African Publishers.
Their topics are “State Police,” “Global War on Nigeria’s Economy” and “Effect of Piracy on Creative Economy,” respectively.
Several public officials and leaders of professional and civil society organisations are expected at the event. They include Akin Alabi, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Works and member representing Egbeda/Ona-Ara Federal Constituency; Samson Babalola, Deputy Majority Leader of the Oyo State House of Assembly; and Kunle Olatunji, the governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in Oyo State.
Others are Temitope Olawoyin, Auditor of the Yari 774 Initiative for Asiwaju in Oyo State; Babatunde Balogun, Secretary of the Oyo State Trade Union Congress; Omowumi Adewole, Chairperson of the Customs Wives Association of Nigeria, Oyo/Osun Area Command; Oriyomi Pamela Otuka, South-West Director of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments; and Ayodeni Aluko, Chief Coordinator of the Catch Them Young Initiative.
Former President of the National Association of Polytechnic Students and President of the National Coalition of Oduduwa Students, Benedict Olalere, is also expected.
Olatunji said the initiative, which has held annually for the past four years, was designed to encourage public discussion and promote solutions to Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges.
He expressed the hope that this year’s discussions would contribute to a deeper understanding of the issues and help identify practical approaches to national development.
The organisers also appealed for support to sustain the initiative’s educational assistance for out-of-school children and young people from indigent backgrounds.
“This is a divine mandate. However, we seek your support,” the statement said, inviting individuals and organisations to contribute financial or material assistance to the programme.
Ogunbusola, a reporter with Silverbird Television News, convenes the annual initiative, which also features musical interludes by Ogun State-based Afrobeat musician David Awatt, popularly known as K Dray.
