Resource Persons and Mentors

Ms Nneka Okekearu is the Deputy Director of the Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University. She is a strategy and gender specialist with over twenty years experience. Nneka Okekearu  has mentored more than 500 women entrepreneurs, thereby, increasing their revenues, confidence and political participation. She is an enthusiastic, effective, result-oriented professional with core expertise in coaching and leadership training.

Lekan Otufodunrin is the Managing Editor, the Nation Newspaper. He is keen on the entrenchment of media as a profession and career path.  Lekan Otunfodunrin is a career development specialist with a passion in gender issues. With over thirty years experience in the media, he has worked for various media organisations such as the Punch Newspaper and the Nigerian Institute of Journalism.

A lawyer and the Executive Director of Women Advocate Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi is a dedicated human rights defender specialised in gender, peace, security and international human rights law. She has led many policy changes and leads activities including discussions on women’s political participation.

Rotimi Sankore is a seasoned journalist and Editorial Board Chair of Nigeria Info Radio group.  He has worked across Africa and beyond having previously served with the International Federation of Journalist for African journalists. As an Executive Committee member of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) of the United Kingdom and Ireland, Rotimi Sankore has worked to represent journalists from minority communities and as an anti-racism advocate and women's rights campaigner, a journalism and advocacy trainer and coordinator of Center for Research & Development of Rights in Africa (CREDO) for Freedom of Expression and Associated Rights.

A public speaking and communications trainer/founder at Strictly Speaking Limited, Bimbo Oloyede has over forty years’ experience in the broadcast media. She also serves as the president of the Women’s Optimum Development Foundation (WODEF), an organisation that rewards the role of deserving women in the making of a better community. She is a seasoned broadcaster, trainer, master of ceremonies, news anchor, woman rights activist and public speaking coach.

Dapo Olorunyomi is the founder of the WSCIJ and Publisher and Executive Director of Premium Times Nigeria. He has over thirty year’s experience working as an investigative reporter, editor, trainer, and manager. He specialises in media management, investigative reporting, anti- corruption and human rights.

Writer and journalist, Omolara Wood is a culture critic and activist. As a media practitioner, she has worked for organisations like Next Newspapers as an editor. She authored the book, Indigo. She is currently the Group Head, Corporate Communications, Bi-Courtney Aviation Services.

Rose Moses is a Gender Advocate and Editor. She started her journalism career in 1990 as Staff Writer with the defunct Satellite Newspapers Limited. She joined Champion Newspapers in 1993 till 2011, having also served as Managing Editor and member, Editorial Board. She was the South West Editor of the Authority Newspapers up until March 2016. She is also an active member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors and a visiting member of the Editorial Board of the Independent Newspapers, where she also serves as Contributing Editor.

Ruona Meyer is a journalist with the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC Pidgin Service. She has worked with various media organisations such as Daily Trust, Premium Times, Financial Times, Thomson Reuters and the defunct Next newspapers both as a trainer and reporter. She currently has over fourteen years experience in media print, wire service and online news
publications.

Motunrayo Alaka is the pioneer Centre Coordinator of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism. Working with her team, she has in the last decade significantly contributed to the development of the media in Nigeria generally and reporters in particular. One of her work areas includes supporting the increase of the reportage of women and girls in Nigeria and enabling the leadership of female reporters in the industry. Motunrayo Alaka is a communication strategist and gender advocate who strongly believes journalism is one of the most prestigious and impactful professions in the world.

Bethel Tsegaye is Programme Coordinator at Free Press Unlimited. An advocate of human rights, she has over ten years experience developing and managing projects on press freedom, access to information, journalism and internet freedom. She is currently conducting a research on forced migration, refugee protection law and the involvement of the media in migration as well as developing a whistleblowing platform in Nigeria. She has a great interest in the use of technology to achieve her goals.