Unizik ends international conference on new media and developing Economies

www.odogwublog.com reports that the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka , Faculty of Social Sciences has ended its 2015 3rd international conference on ‘’The New Media and capacity building in developing Economies, with a charge for the leadership of the country to address youth unemployment and restiveness.
Addressing newsmen at the end of the 3 day programme at the University Auditorium, NAU, Awka, the Conference Coordinator and former Head of Department, Mass Communication, Unizik, Dr Ifeoma Dunu described the conference as a huge success as participants across the globe attended and presented lead papers.
Dr Dunu described it as harvest of good academic scholarship as according to her capacities were built on the new media in developing Economies, describing it as timely sequel to the emerging trends in the world.
She said the participants were exposed to social and cultural imperatives of corruption in developing economies like Nigeria; human capital development issues and enhancing natural resources management and technological advancement in Nigeria and Higher education and national development challenges in Nigeria as well as multicultural issues in Gender and communication.
She thanked the Vice Chancellor of the University Prof Joseph Ahaneku , Governor Willie Obiano and the Dean of Social Sciences , Rev Fr. Prof J.O Ezeokana for making the event worthwhile. She thanked as well the keynote speaker , Dr Joseph Shevel, the President , Galilee International Management Institute, Israel, and the lead paper presenters Prof Chinyere Okafor, Chair department of Women’s Studies , Wichita state University Wichita USA; Prof Adeyinka Aderinto , Dean Postgraduate school University of Ibadan and Prof Ibrahim Shuaibu, President, Nigeria Political Science Association Nasarawa state University Keffi.

In his keynote address, the President , Galilee International Management Institute, Israel, Dr Joseph Shevel posited that Nigeria would experience more youth unrest if radical measures were not taken to address unemployment in the country.

He described the pro- Biafran protests and Boko Haram insurgence as unfortunate.

“ The crisis in Nigeria is an opportunity to get back to the basics.
What is happening in Nigeria today is an unfortunate situation.

Nigeria has the potentials to be great if the right things were done.
Nigerian politicians don’t like to invest in education because they don’t have the endurance to see the future; they see the next election.
He said four million young Nigerians struggle for jobs in the labour market, yearly.
He maintained that poverty level in the country had tripled in last 15 years, noting that the population of the country would hit 400 million by the year 2050.
The Galilee Institute President noted that the astronomical rise in the country’s population was a danger signal.
“This shows that most people are just busy making babies, while most developing countries are busy researching on how to improve on their economy”.
He maintained that Israel with only eight million population was on top of the world in terms of education, research and socio-economic development.
“ We were able to achieve this because we invested in education. Education is the future, but unfortunately Nigeria does not place much emphasis on education.
“ With the right education, Nigeria will be move. If properly planned, Nigeria will export fish and have enough for domestic consumption because the country has abundant rivers.
He noted that a cow in Israel produced 50 litres of milk daily , while a cow in Nigeria would only produce 5 litres per day.
“This calls for concern because cow is cow; the difference is the technology.


Shevel tasked Nigerian universities to be research-oriented to enable them to assist in fast- tracking the development of the country.

The Dean of the faculty, Professor Jude Ezeokana observed that “technology promised wondrous possibilities and profound dislocations”, adding that there is therefore the need to interact with other parts of the world to tap their knowledge.

He added: “At a time when knowledge is growing in importance in addressing the world’s pressing problems, it is imperative for us to concern ourselves with how we can tap into the opportunities provided by technology; how we can maximize the potentials afforded by the new media technologies for the development of our country’s human, technological, organizational, institutional and resource capabilities.”