Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has reiterated the commitment of his administration to policy communication to deepen governance.
He stated this during the training of Bingham University students at the weekend in Abuja, which was organized by the Institute for Leadership and Development Communication (ILDC).
Represented by his Special Adviser on Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Fidelis Unongo, the governor said he was open to more collaboration on how to strengthen communication link with the citizens.
“The Executive governor has done so much. We will get these people to come and train our communication department on projects and government policies.
“We will look for ways to step down the training,” he said.
The three day training was entitled: “Discovering and Embracing New Frontiers in Communication and Media Research: Engineering Social Transformation.”
ILDC Convener, Associate Prof Desmond Okocha underscored the relevance of the training, describing it as a vital platform for scholars to acquire the tools and skills required to navigate 21st-century communication research.
“We are reminded of the critical role that communication and media play in shaping our societies, influencing our perceptions, and driving social transformation.
“This training will equip us with the knowledge and tools to explore new opportunities in research and innovation created by technological advancement.”
Okocha, who doubles as the Head of Department of Mass Communication and Dean, School of Communication and Media Studies of Bingham University, added that the programme would expose participants to new research methods, theoretical frameworks, and collaborative practices that could enhance the impact of media scholarship on society.
Also speaking, Associate Professor of Journalism and Media Studies at Bingham University, Dr. Tivlumun Gabriel Nyitse, emphasized the significance of methodology in producing credible and applicable research outcomes.
“Research means discovering something new or improving what already exists. But no research can be meaningful without a sound method. If you solve a problem without following the right steps, your solution will be flawed.
“Methodology is what ensures that research findings are reliable and useful for societal progress,” the Don stated.
Prof Nyitse noted that communication scholars must harness technology to produce ideas that can be applied to solve societal challenges.
He added that technology now offers numerous platforms through which people access information that improves their lives.
On the role of artificial intelligence in media research, Nyitse advised researchers to learn to distinguish between human-generated and machine-generated information, stressing the need for critical evaluation in the digital research environment.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Nathan Oguche Emmanuel, said the training served as a reminder that research should go beyond academic pursuit to achieve real-world social impact.
Emmanuel, who is a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), said: “Research should not just be for promotion or visibility. It should be about social engineering and transformation.
“If the research process is flawed, the outcome will be flawed, and policies built on that will also be flawed. That’s why we are here, to refine the research process and ensure our findings can genuinely inform policy and development.”
He called for closer collaboration between researchers and policymakers to ensure that research findings translate into actionable policies.
Emmanuel noted that government, media, and civil society share a collective responsibility to promote the application of credible research outcomes for national development.
The three-day event featured plenary sessions, interactive discussions, and collaborative workshops designed to broaden perspectives, inspire innovation, and strengthen the link between communication research and social change.
It also included the induction of new members into ILDC.
