January 30, 2002: ADEA has decided to rename the Africa Education Journalism Award in homage to its founder, Akintola Fatoyinbo, deceased December 1, 2002. The Award recognizes the best articles on education in Africa written by African journalists and published in the African press. ADEA established the Award in October 2001, within the framework of the Communication for Education and Development (COMED) program for which Mr. Fatoyinbo was the coordinator.

Mr. Fatoyinbo died suddenly December 1st, 2002, in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. He was on mission to train African journalists who were in Tanzania to cover the Eighth Conference of African Ministers of Education (MINEDAF) when he was struck by a heart attack.

Mr. Fatoyinbo was trained as a journalist and communication specialist. He had worked with ADEA since 1997. Initially in charge of press relations during ADEA’s Biennial Meetings, he later became coordinator of the Working Group on Communication for Education and Development (COMED). Since its creation in 1998, COMED has trained over 200 journalists and communication officers from Ministries of Education in Africa.

While he was working for ADEA, Mr. Fatoyinbo was also Senior Communication Specialist for the World Bank, for which he had worked for over 20 years. Among his numerous professional activities, Mr. Fatoyinbo coordinated distance learning courses in investigative journalism and economic and financial journalism.

Mr. Fatoyinbo was also an active member of the Commonwealth Press Union, and through it organized several courses for editors and media owners in Nigeria and other countries, on issues such as new information and communication technologies and freedom of the press. From 1990 to 1995, Mr. Fatoyinbo also worked for UNESCO as Chief Technical Advisor and project coordinator for the West African News Agencies Development project. The project eventually gave birth to the West African News Media and Development Center (WANAD) for which Mr. Fatoyinbo was Secretary General since 1995. Before joining UN organizations Mr. Fatoyinbo was Senior Editor for Radio Deutsche Welle in Germany. He also served as Director for Africa for the Interpress Third World News Agency (IPS). A citizen of Nigeria, Akintola Fatoyinbo was born on February 12, 1943 in Ilesa, where he now rests.

A firm believer that communication had an important role to play for education and development in Africa, Akintola Fatoyinbo was totally dedicated to his work. ADEA pays homage to his dedication and to his exceptional human and professional qualities by renaming the Africa Education Journalism Award after him. The Award will from now on be called:

Akintola Fatoyinbo
Africa Education Journalism Award

About COMED

A major premise underlying the Working Group on Communication for Education and Development (COMED) is that information exchange and communication among partners are essential to well-managed and efficient educational systems and to the achievement of quality education for all.

Based in Cotonou, COMED gets financial support from ADEA, the World Bank and the Norwegian Education Trust Fund. COMED assists African governments in establishing structures able to conceive and implement information and communication programs.

Given the key role of the mass media in disseminating information, COMED also gives special emphasis to training African journalists in reporting education and development issues. The Award recognizes the essential role journalists can play as providers of information, educators and analysts. It seeks to encourage African journalists to write well-informed articles on education with a view to fostering informed public debate on education in African countries. Over 200 journalists and communication officers from 30 countries have participated in COMED workshops since 1999.

About ADEA

ADEA was created in 1988 to foster greater collaboration and coordination between development agencies. Since 1992, ADEA has become a partnership between African Ministers of Education and international funding agencies. It has evolved into a structure designed to:

(i) reinforce African ministries’ leadership capacities as they work with funding agencies;

(ii) develop these agencies’ awareness that their own practices should be adapted to the needs of nationally-driven education policies, programs and projects;

(iii) develop a consensus between ministries and agencies on approaches to the major issues facing education in Africa.

Central to ADEA’s philosophy is the belief that the responsibility for educational development rests with national governments. Towards this end, ADEA is concerned with fostering a process that empowers African ministries of education and makes funding agencies more responsive to countries’ concerns and priorities. ADEA’s activities focus on strengthening policy dialogue between governments and agencies, between governments, and between agencies. Activities also focus on the development of institutional capacities within Africa through technical skill development and the sharing of successful strategies, innovations and experiences.

Paris, January 30, 2002