Professor Cecil Blake, of the Mass Communications Department at Fourah Bay College of the University of Sierra Leone has been honoured for his contributions to communications and media by the organizers of the Idowu Sobowale International conference.
The Idowu Sobowale conference recognizes African communicators who significantly contributed to promoting and showcasing African messages through the media.
The Idowu Sobowale International Conference theme was, “Media Integration, Peace-building and Intercultural Dialogue in Africa.” This is the 4th edition that has brought together scholars, researchers and seasoned communicators to present papers on emerging issues on the continent.
The keynote speaker, HRH Igwe Prof. Onuora Nwuneli, from Anambra State Nigeria, said four years ago when the conference started it was challenging but with resiliency from the organizers it has taken on a life of its own. He said this year’s conference in Sierra Leone was designed to recognize Prof. Cecil Blake for his outstanding performance and contributions to African media and for facilitating the award of scholarships to students through the Africa Council for Communication Education (ACCE).
The Igwe recalled his 30-years relationship with Prof. Blake in the academic and professional theatre. He said he had transformed the media landscape and achieved phenomenal success in the academic and social platform. He described Blake as young, confident and aggressive.
Prof. Onuora said past Africa leaders from Ghana to Tanzania and down South African had long foreseen what the continent is going through today in terms of it issues and manner at which it should be disseminated but those present at that time never took such words seriously.
The Igwe said since pre-colonial days the masters had never given Africa the chance to think outside the box because politicians have transformed from ‘something’ to ‘nothing’.
He said the ACCE was established and later collapsed as a result of funding gaps. Prof. Blake single-handedly raised the Nigeria chapter. The young Sierra Leonean used language to persuade negative to positive and enabled him to contribute immensely to the lives of many Africa communicators.
The Chair, Nana Pratt, said, “Intercultural dialogue is a factor in the equation for realizing positive intra- and inter-group relationships in sustaining the present peace in the country. She described Blake as lead singer in a boy band, ‘The Golden String.”
Presentations on the life of Prof. Blake from when he was a singer to being a freelance journalist to SLBC and Daily mail. He was a Minister of Information, program officer for UNESCO in Keya and later Nigeria. Memories were shared by many friends and close relatives including SLAJ President Kelvin Lewis.
MK/19/10/17
By Mohamed Kabba
@chikakabba
Friday October 20, 2017.
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