Arthur-Martins AGINAM is a Nigerian (Abuja-based) Communications, Public Policy and Democratic Governance specialist.
Dr. Aginam earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree from University of Nigeria, Nsukka; a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Communication Studies from University of Leeds, England (on British Chevening Scholarship) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Global Communications and Development from Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where he also taught before returning to Nigeria in 2014.
His doctoral dissertation titled- Communication and Democratization in Nigeria: State, Capital and Civil Society explored the critical interface between key stakeholders in Nigeria’s political transition program following decades of military rule and the inherent tensions that shaped the process resulting, thus far, in non-substantive outcomes.
Between September 2014 and January 2018, he was the Executive Director of The Kukah Centre, an Abuja-based policy and governance research institute. During roughly the same period (January 2015-January 2018), he doubled as Head of Secretariat of the Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee which played a pivotal role in the largely peaceful outcome of the 2015 general elections that many respected pundits predicted would lead to the implosion of Nigeria.
Prior to graduate studies in Britain and Canada, he worked (between 1991- 1997) as a Public Affairs journalist rising to the position of Deputy Features Editor in the now rested National Concord Newspaper which, at the time, was among Nigeria’s top two national dailies.
A well-rounded professional with extensive academic and practical knowledge of the critical interface between communication and governance and development, his primary areas of expertise include:
- Strategic, Public Affairs and Political Communication
- Media and Democratic Governance
- Media, Peace-building, Conflict Management and Transformation
- Social and Behavioural Change Communication
- Journalism Studies
- Civil Society and Social Movements
- Critical Political Economy of Communication
- Media and National Security (particularly Public Diplomacy and Soft Power)
- Environment and Climate Change Communication, among others.
Over the past few years Dr. Aginam has served as a Consultant and expert resource person for such organizations as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWAS), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, the British Council, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), among many others.
He is also a lead Trainer/Workshop Facilitator for the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, (NIPR), Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja chapter and sits on the Governing Board of the Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace (COFP).
Dr. Aginam who lectures in the Department of Mass Communication, Baze University, Abuja belongs to several international professional organizations.