Panel III – Akademieraum 1 – 23 June 2025, 13:30

Moderation

Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw, Chairman and Information Commissioner, Right to Access Information Commission, Sierra Leone

Short Biography

Dr Ibrahim Seaga Shaw is the Chairman and Information Commissioner of the Right to Access Information Commission in Sierra Leone and Chair, Graduate Programme, Faculty of Communications, Media, and Information Studies, Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. He was a Senior Lecturer in Media and Politics at Northumbria University, UK, and served as the Secretary General of the International Peace Research Association (IPRA) between 2012 and 2016.

He is the author of five books, including  “Business Journalism: A Critical Political Economy Approach “(2016) published by Routledge and “Human Rights Journalism” (2012) published by Palgrave, and over 45 academic articles and book chapters. He holds a PhD from the Sorbonne in Paris. He is also a journalist of over 20 years in Sierra Leone, France and the UK. and publisher/CEO of the Expo Media Limited that publishes Expo Magazine (monthly) and the Expo Times newspaper in Sierra Leone.

Panelists

Chinonye Austin Ekwujuru, Chief Executive Officer, Basic Rights Watch (BRW), Nigeria

Short Biography

Chinonye Austin Ekwujuru is a human rights activist and development professional dedicated to promoting access to information, civic participation, and human rights in Nigeria. Austin’s work centers on public policy transparency, access to information, accountability, gender equality, and climate action. He is a passionate advocate for the SDGs. His efforts have earned him international recognitions, including the 2020 Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Media Africa Award for advancing access to information. He is a member of Nigeria’s Open Government Partnership (OGP), civil society coalition on access to information, and co-hosts the AgoraThursday policy dialogue series.

He serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Basic Rights Watch (BRW), a knowledge-driven civil society organization that leverages data, technology, and creative communication to empower marginalized communities and advance social justice. He is also the Co-Founder of Young Professionals in Policy and Development (YouPaD), a growing network of youth leaders committed to democratic governance and sustainable development across Africa. He has previously served with international organizations, championing citizen engagement as a critical pathway to inclusive governance and equitable development. With roots in political leadership from his university days, Austin holds professional training in Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), project management and Monitoring & Evaluation.

Abdul Fatoma, Executive Director of Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI), Sierra Leone

Short Biography

Abdul M. Fatoma is a seasoned human rights and governance advocate with nearly two decades of experience advancing democratic values, anti-corruption initiatives, and social justice in Sierra Leone. He currentiy serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI), a prominent civil society organization promoting rights-based development and accountable governance.

Mr. Fatoma began his public service career with the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Sierra Leone and later worked as a court monitor for the Special Court for Sierra Leone, contributing to post-conflict justice and reconciliation. His leadership has earned national and international recognition, including a Certificate of Appreciation from the U.S. Department of State in 2021 for his instrumental role in facilitating the resolution of Sierra Leone's largest international commercial dispute.

He supports the U.S. Mission in Freetown in areas including congressional reporting, human rights monitoring, democracy promotion, and economic diplomacy. Mr. Fatoma also leads the Election Conflict Prevention and Mediation Working Group (ECPMWG), a coalition of civil society organizations that collaborates with the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone to foster peaceful and credible elections.

In addition to his leadership at CHRDI, Mr. Fatoma is a board member of the Haitian Policy House and founder of the A.M. Fatoma Mentorship Program, which nurtures young leaders in Sierra Leone. His previous consultancy work includes assignments with the UN Development Program (UNDP), ECOWAS, and COMESA. He has also served as the Sierra Leone Contact Person for the United Nations Global Compact and a Stakeholders Council Member of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

Mr. Fatoma is an alumnus of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, the University of Salford (UK), and the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).

Teresa Temweka Chirwa-Ndanga, Information Commissioner Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC)

Short Biography

Teresa Temweka Chirwa-Ndanga is an accomplished communication specialist, journalist, and leader with over 17 years of experience in media, public relations, and human rights. She currently serves as an Information Commissioner at the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC).

At MHRC, Teresa chairs the Civil and Political Rights Committee of Commissioners, with a specific mandate to oversee the implementation of the Access to Information (ATI) Act. Under her leadership, MHRC has conducted national assessments on ATI implementation, provided training for public institutions on the ATI law and its regulations, and supported these institutions in developing internal guidelines and appointing information officers to handle ATI requests. The Commission has also reviewed several ATI appeals where public institutions refused to release information and has introduced awards recognising institutions demonstrating excellence in ATI compliance.

Teresa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Malawi and a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard University in the United States.

Dr. Nwamaka Okeke-Ogbuafor, Lecturer, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Short Biography

Nwamaka Okeke-Ogbuafor is a marine social scientist with experience in conducting interdisciplinary research on development challenges, impacting coastal fishing communities in the Global South, including climate change. Her work has secured funding from national and local governments, the United Nations, AXA, Participatory Research England, the Adaptation Research Alliance (ARA), and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). Her research has directly influenced the adoption of empirically grounded climate adaptation policies that are helping to improve livelihoods in coastal communities. Her AXA/UNESCO-funded project, which aims to integrate marine fishing and aquaculture to address hunger and enhance biodiversity, has been endorsed by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) as part of the UN Ocean Decade.

Nwamaka has received numerous local and international accolades for her contributions to coastal well-being in Africa, including a 2018 endorsement by the British Academy as an Exceptional Promise in Development Studies. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and a lecturer in Global Sustainable Development at the University of Glasgow.