Muhammad-Bande to Chair UDUS International Media Conference on AI and National Development
Former President of the United Nations General Assembly, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, is set to chair the maiden International Conference of the Department of Mass Communication at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, as scholars and media professionals gather to examine the growing impact of artificial intelligence on communication and national development.
The four-day conference, themed "Media and National Development in the Era of Artificial Intelligence," will commence with a pre-conference lecture on June 7, to be delivered by Fatma El-Sayed of Cairo University.
The official opening ceremony is scheduled for June 8 at the university auditorium, where Muhammad-Bande, a former Vice-Chancellor of the institution, will preside over proceedings. Organisers said the conference will provide a platform for academics, media practitioners, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to discuss the evolving relationship between media, technology, and national development.
Vice-Chancellor of the university, who will serve as Chief Host, expressed confidence in the institution's readiness to welcome participants from across Nigeria and beyond.
The Organising Committee also disclosed that the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Attahiru Jega, alongside members of the council, will attend the opening ceremony.
A major highlight of the conference will be the keynote address by Kehbuma Langmia, a two-time Fulbright Scholar from Howard University, United States. His presentation is expected to set the tone for discussions on the opportunities and challenges artificial intelligence presents to media practice and national development.
According to organisers, lead papers and panel discussions will feature scholars from various universities as well as stakeholders from different sectors of Nigerian society, fostering robust intellectual engagement on contemporary media issues.
The Department of Mass Communication is also expected to unveil the maiden edition of its academic publication, ALKALAMI Journal of Communication and Media Studies, during the conference.
Chairman of the Organising Committee, Danladi Bako, said the event promises to be both memorable and rewarding for participants, while strengthening academic discourse on media, technology, and development in Africa.
Benita Ibrahim
