COOU VICE-CHANCELLOR, PROF. KATE AZUKA OMENUGHA, JOINS GLOBAL LEADERS AT 2026 WORLD PUBLIC RELATIONS FORUM IN ABUJA

In November, Abuja will become the centre of a global conversation about the power of communication to shape leadership, build public trust and influence the future of societies. And among the voices joining that conversation will be the Vice-Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha, FNIPR.

From Sunday, November 15, to Saturday, November 21, 2026, Nigeria’s capital will host the World Public Relations Forum (WPRF 2026), bringing together presidents, policymakers, business leaders, academics and communication professionals from across the world under the theme, “Responsible Communication: The Voice of the World.”

For COOU, the participation of its Vice-Chancellor represents an opportunity to bring the voice of the University into an international conversation at the intersection of communication, institutional leadership, public accountability and societal transformation. It also places the University’s leadership within a distinguished gathering examining one of the defining questions of our time: how can communication be used responsibly to build trust, strengthen institutions and create a better-informed world?

The scale of the forum is reflected in the personalities listed for the event. Nigeria’s President, H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is listed as President of the Host Country, while Zambia’s President, H.E. Hakainde Hichilema, is named as the keynote speaker. Also featured are Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, and Rt. Hon. Abba Tajudeen, Ph.D., Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives.

The international participation extends across Africa, Europe, Asia and North America, with speakers and participants listed from countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Ghana, Indonesia, France, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Malaysia and Zambia, among others. The organisers have indicated that additional speakers will be announced.

Yet, the significance of WPRF 2026 goes beyond the impressive gathering of global personalities. At its heart is a critical conversation about the responsibility that accompanies influence in an increasingly connected world.

Today, a public statement can travel across continents in seconds. A carefully communicated message can inspire confidence, unite communities and strengthen an institution’s reputation. Conversely, misinformation, careless communication and a lack of transparency can undermine public trust and deepen societal divisions. Against this backdrop, the forum’s theme challenges communication professionals and institutional leaders to look beyond the mechanics of messaging and consider the wider consequences of their words, decisions and public engagement.

For Prof. Omenugha, whose professional standing is reflected in her Fellowship of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), the gathering provides a platform for the university leadership perspective to contribute to this wider discourse. Universities are not only centres of teaching and research; they are also institutions that communicate values, shape public understanding, engage communities and prepare future leaders. How they communicate their missions, decisions and contributions matters to the trust they earn and the impact they make.

Her participation therefore brings COOU into a conversation that extends beyond the conventional boundaries of academia, connecting higher education with the evolving demands of public relations, responsible leadership and institutional credibility.

The 2026 forum also coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, providing an opportunity to reflect on the evolution of the profession and its responsibilities in a world where public trust has become increasingly consequential. As communication technologies transform how people receive information, engage institutions and interpret events, the need for ethical, credible and socially responsible communication continues to grow.

For COOU, the international gathering offers another opportunity to engage with ideas, perspectives and professional conversations shaping the future of communication and leadership. From its campuses in Igbariam and Uli to a global platform in Abuja, the University will be represented in discussions that speak to the relationship between knowledge, public engagement and institutional impact.

As the countdown to November 15 begins, attention will turn to the conversations, insights and partnerships that WPRF 2026 will generate. With global leaders and communication professionals expected to converge on Abuja, the forum promises an important examination of what it means to have a voice in today’s world—and, more importantly, the responsibility to use that voice well.

When the world gathers in Abuja to discuss responsible communication, COOU will have a voice at the table through its Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha, FNIPR.

© COOUNews, 2026.