Meet Sunday Akin Dare: President Tinubu’s New Special Adviser on Public Communication and Orientation
Sunday Akin Dare, appointed as the Special Adviser on Public Communication and Orientation by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on October 23, 2024, served as the Nigerian Minister of Youth & Sports from 2019 to 2023.
He previously held the position of Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) between 2016 and 2019, where he managed the NCC’s interactions with public and private sector stakeholders.
He was the Chief of Staff/Special Adviser on media to President Tinubu when he was the leader of the APC.
In 2009, Dare was appointed Senior Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Information and Communications. In this role, he managed media-related decisions, public information dissemination, and media policies under the Ministry’s jurisdiction.
Between 2001 and 2009, Dare served as Chief of the Hausa Service, African Division at Voice of America (VOA) in Washington, DC, where he managed various portfolios, including the daily production of radio and online broadcast programs.
He also led a team of international journalists based in Washington, DC, and correspondents in West Africa for Voice of America.
He was a correspondent for The Nation magazine in New York and as a production editor for the European-backed Fourth Estate magazine during Nigeria’s military interregnum. He was also part of the founding team of Nigerian weekly magazines, The News and Tempo.
Academic records
· London School of Economics, LSE Strategic Communications.
· Oxford University, UK Academic Research Fellow.
· Harvard University Cambridge, Boston Massachusetts, USA Journalism and New Media Studies Nieman Journalism Fellowship
· New York University Freedom Forum Fellow Visiting Scholar, School of Journalism
· University of Jos Masters in International Law and Diplomacy
· Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) Degree in International Studies
· Member, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations. NIPR. (BEEC)
· Oyo States College of Arts and Science, (OSCARS) Ile-Ife. Nigeria. Advanced Level Studies in Fields of Government, Economics and Geography
· Baptist High School, Jos, Nigeria West African Examination Council (WAEC)
Books and Publications
· Making a Killing-The Business of War
Public Integrity Books, Washington DC (March 2003) In 2003 Won the Sigma Delta Chi Online Research Award of the Society For Professional Journalists, SPJ)
· Guerrilla Journalism: Dispatches from the Underground. Xilibris Corporation, USA. (March 2007)
· We Are All Journalists- Africa in the Age Of Social Media. (Oxford University approved academic research) 2011
· Datelines – A Journalist’s Narrative May, 2016
Awards
· 2010, Selected As One of The 50 Leading Nigerians in North America -in Commemoration of Nigeria’s 50th Anniversary
· 2000, Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ, New York-Special Citation for Courage
· 2009-Awarded Voice of America Meritorious Honor Award in recognition of skilful leadership, outstanding performance, and contribution in accomplishing the VOA mission by making the Hausa program one of the most impactful broadcasts in the target area.
· In 2004, awarded VOA Silver Medal in “recognition of extraordinary contributions towards the accomplishment of the mission and goal of the agency.”
· In 2003, awarded VOA Quality Step Increase in “recognition of sustained high quality performance of official duties.”
· In 1996, awarded the “Best Correspondent Award” for coverage of Political developments under Nigeria’s brutal military dictatorships.
· Member of the International Committee to Protect Journalists Citation in 2000 in New York City.
