FEATURED NEWS
Scholars Brainstorm on COVID-19 Challenges
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- Published: 28 November 2021
By Otikor Samuel
Communication scholars and other critical stakeholders within and outside the University of Port Harcourt, have ended a four-day conference to chart pathways on how to use effective communication and language to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
The conference which was organised by the Journalism Educators Foundation in conjunction with the Department of Linguistics and Communication Studies and the new Faculty of Communication and Media Studies held between Tuesday, 2 and Friday, 5 November, 2021. It has “Communication, Language and Coping with COVID-19 in the 21st Century” as its theme.
In his speech at the opening ceremony of the biennial conference which held at the Ebitimi Banigo Auditorium on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Owunari Georgewill, commended the organisers for putting together what he described as an important conference aimed at surviving the threats posed by COVID-19 pandemic through effective use of language and communication strategies.
“We all have in the past one year had to struggle to cope with the ravages and threats of the COVID-19 pandemic and its gruesome impact on lives, destinies, learning, communication, business, international trade and relations and indeed every facet of human life on planet earth. That is why this conference on coping with the pandemic is a unique one for us. This is because we shall be addressing how we can through effective use of language and communication strategies survive the COVID-19 pandemic,” the Vice Chancellor said.
In his keynote address, Professor Peter Esuh of the University of Uyo, who spoke on the theme of the conference, stated that language is the vehicle for communication. He pointed out that the right language must be used to convey the right information on the spread of the pandemic.
Professor Esuh identified infodemic, misinformation and conspiracy theory as concepts that could interfere with the authenticity of news when there is an outbreak of a pandemic. “When the right information about a pandemic is hoarded, then we could fall into the trap of infodemic, misinformation or conspiracy theory,” the keynote speaker said.
Professor Alice Nte presented the Lead Paper on the topic: “Caring for Children with Communication Disorders in the COVID-19 Era.” She stressed the need for parents and guardians to care for children, especially children with communication disorder in the face of the rising cases of the pandemic.
In his welcome address, Chairman, Journalism Educators Foundation, Professor Aniefiok Udoudo promised that publications would be made from the conference, just as it was done in previous conferences. Professor Udoudo, who is also the Head, Department of Linguistics and Communication Studies, disclosed that the event would also be used to honour some academics in the Department who have retired from the University. Those honoured were: Professor Shirley Yul-Ifode, Dr Charles Jenewari and Dr Hyacinth Orlu-Orlu.
Chairman, Local Organising Committee, Dr Faustinus Nwachukwu also welcomed conferees on behalf of the Committee, wishing participants a fruitful conference. Acting Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Professor John Yeseibo and Interim Dean of the new Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Professor Walter Ihejirika were represented at the conference.
