Biography

Professional Profile

Dr. Ken Ike Okere is a media executive, journalist, editor, educator, strategic communications professional and media development practitioner with more than 25 years of experience across Nigeria and the United States.

He is Rector/CEO of the West Africa Broadcast & Media Academy, WABMA, where he provides executive and academic leadership for the Academy's professional education, corporate training, media development, research, fact checking and growing regional programmes.

His career spans print journalism, radio and television broadcasting, digital media, corporate communication, media management, professional education, research and civil society. He has worked across the private and public sectors and has undertaken training and consultancy assignments involving national and international organisations.

At WABMA, Dr. Okere has helped lead the Academy's growth into a multicampus professional media academy operating from Abuja, Enugu and Lagos, with online learning and customised corporate programmes serving participants beyond Nigeria. WABMA plans phased roll out in Ghana, Liberia, and The Gambia.

Career and Media Leadership

Dr. Okere began his professional career in broadcasting with Plateau Radio Television Corporation, Jos, where he worked as a producer and presenter. He subsequently built experience across journalism, publishing and communication in Nigeria and the United States, rising to become Managing Editor of Nigeria Yellow Pages and West Africa Bureau Chief of the Houston based African News Digest.

In Houston, he edited African News Digest, supervising 15 correspondents located around the world, while managing editorial production and training new reporters.

In 2007, he joined the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Radio Nigeria, as head of its newly created Corporate Development and Communications Directorate. He established the directorate and coordinated corporate communication across more than 30 stations. He subsequently served as Director, Radio Nigeria Lagos Operations, and Zonal Director, Radio Nigeria South East.

Across the latter two assignments, he supervised 10 public radio stations and more than 1,200 employees. His South East responsibilities included seven stations, approximately 750 employees and more than 35 community health and development programmes.

In 2018, a station under his supervision received the Nigeria Media Awards recognition for Best Radio Station in South East Nigeria and third nationwide.

From 2021 to 2023, Dr. Okere served as Director of the National Broadcast Academy, Lagos, where he led academic planning and management and taught Journalism, Media Management and General Studies.

Digital Media and Organisational Development

Dr. Okere played a leading role in Radio Nigeria's early move into digital communication.

As head of Corporate Development and Communications, he led the creation of the broadcaster's first website, social media platforms, online content and live online audio streaming service. His tenure also introduced modern audience research, organisational excellence awards and electronic newsletters.

He coordinated FRCN's relationships with bodies including the African Union of Broadcasting and managed corporate communication products including Radio House, Radio Connect, the Frequency Guide and FRCN Today.

This interest in emerging media now extends to artificial intelligence. AI Communications forms part of his teaching portfolio at WABMA, alongside Journalism, Fact Checking, Media Law and Ethics, Media Management and Strategic Planning, and Media Production.

Building WABMA

Under Dr. Okere’s leadership, WABMA has expanded its professional education model through three Nigerian campuses in Abuja, Enugu and Lagos, online learning, long professional certificate programmes, executive masterclasses and customised corporate training. Its programmes serve journalists, broadcasters, communication professionals, government agencies, private organisations and development sector partners.

WABMA's activities have reached more than 6,000 journalists and media professionals through training and media development activities across 25 Nigerian states, The Gambia, and Liberia, while the Academy has built relationships with media organisations that provide professional and internship opportunities for trainees.

Dr. Okere has also led WABMA's increasing engagement beyond Nigeria. In 2026, the Academy hosted professional trainees from Liberia at its Abuja campus and opened discussions around establishing WABMA in Ghana, Liberia, and The Gambia.

His longer term leadership objective is to develop WABMA as a West African professional media education platform with partnerships and a physical presence in other countries in the region.

Fact Checking and Information Integrity

Dr. Okere is Team Lead of Project Fact Check Nigeria and Editor of the WABMA Debunker, WABMA's multimedia fact checking series addressing misinformation circulating through traditional and digital media.

Project Fact Check Nigeria has trained 2,200 journalists and young people across 17 Nigerian states in detecting misinformation and practical verification techniques.

The initiative has also mobilised radio stations, produced public education programming and developed multimedia approaches to information integrity.

In May 2025, the WABMA Debunker reached its 100th edition, having published fact checks consistently in text, audio and video formats.

Dr. Okere also served as Consultant and Team Lead for a United States Consulate Lagos political reporting programme that trained journalists across 17 states and established multimedia support systems for election reporting.

Development Communication and International Work

Dr. Okere has undertaken media training, communication and development assignments involving organisations including the Ford Foundation, BBC Media Action, Christian Aid and the United States Consulate General Lagos.

Through WABMA, this work has expanded into development communication programmes addressing misinformation, democratic participation, journalism development and sexual and gender-based violence.

WABMA's Media Development Foundation currently runs the Ford Foundation supported Amplifying Voices Against SGBV programme, which uses media and engagement with religious and cultural leaders to address sexual and gender based violence in South East Nigeria, and Normative Change Documentation Project.

Earlier in his international career, Dr. Okere worked in Houston as a community and media consultant for Western Union, undertaking community relations, research and marketing communication targeted at African communities.

Education and Scholarship

Dr. Okere holds a Ph.D. in Mass Communication from Enugu State University of Science and Technology, awarded in 2024.

He earned an M.A. in Communications, summa cum laude, from Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas, in 2005, and a B.A. in Theatre and Media Arts, Upper Division, magna cum laude, from the University of Calabar in Nigeria.

His research interests include health communication, public broadcasting, social media, misinformation and communication for social development. His doctoral research examined South East residents' knowledge, attitudes and compliance with Radio Nigeria's COVID 19 risk communication messages.

Civil Society and Literary Leadership

Dr. Okere has maintained a parallel engagement with civil society, literature and community development.

He co-founded the Abuja Literary Society, serving as Slammaster from 2004 to 2013, and later founded and led the EKO Literary Society and Enugu Literary Society. His literary programmes have connected creative expression with literacy, civic participation, community development and media literacy.

His earlier community development work included leadership within Junior Chamber International in Abuja. Working with UNICEF, he helped design and lead a grassroots Oral Rehydration Therapy health promotion programme that reached 150 rural communities.

In 2008, he received the Ashoka Fellowship for Social Entrepreneurship, a lifetime fellowship recognising his work as a social entrepreneur.

Author and Researcher

Dr. Okere is a published researcher, author and poet.

His works include Animation in Television Production; African Media in Houston; the poetry collection The River Died; and academic research addressing health communication, public radio, COVID 19 communication and social media rumours and social crises.

Awards and Professional Recognition

His honours include the Ashoka Fellowship for Social Entrepreneurship, 2008; Nigeria Media Awards recognition, 2018; Most Outstanding Director of the Year, Junior Chamber International Abuja, 1997; Investment Merit Award, JCI/NICON Insurance; Best Project Director, Junior Chamber International; Governor/NYSC Merit Award for Journalism; and Best Overall Department Graduate, University of Calabar. He also qualified as a Certified Member Trainer with JCI in Atlanta, United States.

Professional Affiliations

Dr. Okere's professional affiliations include the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Nigeria Union of Journalists, and the Houston Association of Black Journalists.

Areas of Expertise

Media Management | Strategic Communication | Broadcasting | Journalism | Media Education | Corporate Communication | Fact Checking and Information Integrity | AI Communications | Digital Media | Media Research | Development Communication | Organisational Strategy | Professional Training

Courses