Penpushing Media has confirmed four distinguished professionals as panelists for the eighth edition of its annual anniversary lecture scheduled for 23 July 2026, at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
According to the anniversary planning committee, the event will focus on the theme, “Restoring Electoral Integrity: The Path to Good Governance and Public Accountability”.
Leading the lecture as keynote speaker will be renowned human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Among the panelists is the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Babatunde Ekanola, a respected scholar in ethics, social philosophy and political philosophy, with research centred on peacebuilding and social development in Africa.
Ekanola has authored more than 60 academic publications, including books, book chapters and journal articles, and has delivered keynote addresses at conferences and workshops within and outside Nigeria. He has participated in projects supported by organisations such as the World Bank, UNESCO and USAID, and served on editorial and academic assessment boards.
He held visiting and research appointments in the United Kingdom, China and several Nigerian institutions. He is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, a Fellow of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice, and a Member of the National Institute.
Joining the panel is media and communications strategist, Wemimo Obiwale Adewuni, whose career spans more than 15 years in journalism, public relations and advocacy.
Adewuni previously worked with the Nigeria Info 99.3 FM and Radio One 103.5 FM in Lagos before serving in senior communications roles within civil society organisations, including the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre. She is a women’s rights advocate with a strong focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equality and strategic communications.
Adewuni is a fellow of several leadership and journalism programmes, including the Margaret Ekpo Youth Fellowship and the Female Reporters’ Leadership Programme of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism. She was also shortlisted for the BBC Komla Dumor Award in 2018.
She founded MEDRIVE, a media development hub that has trained more than 150 journalists in impact reporting, fact-checking, storytelling and grant writing. She also established Clove Red Media, an Afrocentric public relations agency, and convenes the Spark Conference: Africa Unfolds, a mentorship platform connecting students with leading media professionals.
Another panelist, Sulaimon Olawale Arigbabu, brings nearly three decades of experience in the development sector, covering human rights, environmental justice, food security, climate change, governance and electoral reform.
He co-founded the Human and Environmental Development Agenda Resource Centre in 2001 and currently heads its Environment and Sustainable Development Programme.
He has served on the governing council of the Lagos State College of Health Technology, was a national executive member of the Transition Monitoring Group and currently sits on the Steering Committee of the Lagos State Resilience Office.
He also represents non-governmental organisations at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Green Climate Fund.
His academic and professional training includes studies at Lagos State University, the University of Lagos, the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague, Wageningen University in the Netherlands and Makerere University in Uganda.
He is also a fellow of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme, the Forum of Federations in Canada and the United States International Visitor Leadership Programme.
Completing the panel is veteran journalist and public relations expert, Stella Sawyerr, whose media career spans more than 30 years.
Sawyerr was an Associate Editor at Tell Communications Limited and is currently Head of Public Relations at Apple and Pears Limited. She also serves as Treasurer of the Ogun State chapter of the League of Veteran Journalists.
Her career includes senior roles at International Breweries Plc and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, where she built extensive experience in corporate communications, sustainability, brand management and stakeholder engagement.
A graduate of Lagos State University, Ogun State Polytechnic and Auchi Polytechnic, Sawyerr has received numerous industry honours, including awards for investigative, agricultural, oil and gas, real estate and industry reporting.
Chairperson of the planning committee, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, said that the four panelists had accepted the organisation’s invitation and expressed confidence in the relevance of Penpushing Media’s annual lecture as a platform for national dialogue.
She noted that the panelists’ expertise would enrich discussions on strengthening electoral integrity, promoting good governance and enhancing public accountability during the anniversary event.
