Renowned activist Aisha Yesufu and veteran journalist Laolu Akande, former Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Office of the Vice President, have been named as panelists at the 5th Frontier Discourse Annual Public Lecture Series and Awards scheduled to hold in Abuja.

The 2025 edition, themed “Politics of Convergence and Collisions: Navigating Power Struggles in Shaping Democracy,” promises an engaging and star-studded gathering of thought leaders, policymakers, and development advocates.

Organised annually by Pacesetter Frontier Magazine, Frontier Discourse provides a platform for dialogue between leaders and citizens, bridging the communication gap between the public and private sectors while celebrating individuals advancing Africa’s development.

Other speakers include Prof. Udenta O. Udenta, Founding National Secretary of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), and Dr. Ahmad Sajoh, former Adamawa State Commissioner for Information and Executive Director of the FutureNow Initiative.

The event will feature a red carpet at 10:30 AM, the main session from 11:30 AM to 4 PM, and live streaming across social media platforms. Partners include Human Development Center, Horizontal City Property Developers, LEAD Network Africa, One Stewart Ventures, AnchorNews Media, and Otu Oka Iwu.

Seat reservations can be made via https://forms.gle/C6Rtpjv5gQUBm31T9.

*About Laolu Akande*

Laolu Akande, OON, is a journalist and communications strategist with over three decades of experience in media and public affairs. A former Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity to the President (Office of the Vice President), he is currently Editor-in-Chief of Empowered Newswire, New York.

He is recognised as one of the longest-serving African correspondents at the United Nations and remains the only Nigerian journalist to have interviewed a sitting U.S. President in the White House — George W. Bush in 2003. Akande began his career with The Guardian and The News Magazine, later editing Tribune on Saturday before relocating to the U.S. in 1998.

*About Aisha Yesufu*

Aisha Yesufu is a celebrated activist and entrepreneur known for her fearless advocacy for justice, accountability, and good governance. She co-convened the #BringBackOurGirls movement and was a leading voice in the #EndSARS protests.

Her courage earned her global recognition, including inclusion in BBC’s 100 Women 2020 and fellowships from the Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program and Draper Hills Fellowship. Yesufu continues to inspire civic action and positive change across Africa.