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SACRED HEART SEMINARY AKURE OLD BOYS HOLD 2025 ALUMNI DAY, AWARDS CEREMONY
…As member, Prof. Lawrence Gbore speaks on “Confronting the Menace of Fake News in Social Media Era”
The location was the premises of the Sacred Heart Seminary in Akure the Ondo State capital where members of the alumni association gathered for the 2025 Alumni Day/Lecture and Awards Ceremony.
This had been the third time they will gather to reflect on their days in school while projecting into the future of both members and their Alma Mater.
This year’s lecture was titled “The Viral Illusion: Confronting the menace of fake news in the social media era delivered by a Professor of Tests, Measurements and Evaluation who is also an alumnus, Lawrence Gbore, Ph D.
Prof Gbore described the effort at tackling dissemination of fake news in the society as a collective responsibility.
The Don called for critical assessment of any form of post seen from other person or group platform to attest or affirm to the truism or authenticity of such posts.
Professor Gbore emphasized that the source of any post must be verified to ascertain its credibility the reliability while the recency must be considered so that an issue occurred few years before is not presented as new to the society.
While recommending the use of reputable fact-checking websites, the Don urged individuals to look for the motive behind the content of the shared post and what could be the gain of the author or account sharing the post.
“Let me give give kudos to our president here. The regulation guiding the operation of our social media platform are not yet 100% implemented but pls, implement them”.
He expressed concerns that dissemination of fake news has had various implications, including high level of unemployment, reputational damage, exposure of students to incorrect or biased information which can lead to confusion and improper understanding of certain topics or concepts.
Prof. Gbore raises the alarm that fake news has undermined trust in institutions and societal norms
by promoting social division, threatened democratic processes as well as religious violence.
He therefore called on all stakeholders to see the task of tackling fake news as a collective responsibility.
In his remarks, Rector of the School, Revd. Father Valentine Akindiose who spoke on behalf of the Proprietor, the Most Revd Jude Arogundade said various structures and processes have been put in place to make teaching and learning conducive in the school.
While noting the contributions of both the management and alumni, Akindiose said the school boasts of improved laboratory as well as ICT unit that has added more values to the existence of the school.
This, he said assisted the students in the last UTME, noting that measures have also been put in place for adequate security of lives and properties.
The National President of Sacred Heart Seminary Akure Old Boys Association, Mr. Dominic Alade (ALADOM) said the event was put in place as a rallying point for both old and current students to interrract and reflect on the existence of the school.
Alade stated that the forum has played significant roles in ensuring that they come together to uplift the image of the school while old friends can also cone together to support one another.
In his words, “as misconstrued by some individuals, Alumni Get-together is not the time to come and flex and show off one’s achievements but rather a time to make contacts and connections and also find a way of lifting fellow alumni up*.
Several programmes carried out included Walking into the School Compound in Uniform by Old Boys, Gathering at the Assembly Ground and others.
The event also witnessed conferment of awards on some old students who include Very Revd. Monsignor Edward Ogidan, Very Revd. Fr. (Dr) Valentine Omolakin, Revd. Fr. Sunday Ayemowa, Very Revd. Fr. Dr. Ayelari Aduralebo and Mr. John Adesugba.
Others are Rotarian Micheal Kudoyo, Mr. Ayodele Bernard, Mr Mayomi Adebayo, Mr. Charles Oluwatuyi, Dr. Paul Folorunso, Mr. Julius Akadiri, Revd. Fr. Desmond Smith while Late Pa Jacob Ogunmodede was also honoured with Post-humours award.
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