Public speaking is a critical skill for turning ideas into economic opportunities and strengthening social cohesion, experts at the inaugural Eloquence Unfiltered 2026, a public speaking and communication masterclass, have said.
Akin Akingbogun, a communication expert and co-convener of the programme, said the inability to communicate knowledge and ideas effectively could limit the extent to which individuals are recognised and taken seriously, regardless of their technical competence.
Speaking at the event on Saturday, Akingbogun said the masterclass was designed to help participants overcome the fear of public speaking and develop practical communication skills that could improve their professional and personal prospects.
Akingbogun delivered a lecture on the psychology of fear, particularly how the brain responds to unfamiliar situations, with participants taught how to condition their minds and bodies to manage anxiety and take control of presentations and conversations.
“Typically, a lot of people fear speaking in public and prefer to rather die than speak in public. And what we’re trying to do here is to debunk that fear, to show them that the fear is a natural response from the brain,” he said.
