By Williams Covenant & Olatide Faith

The Vice Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun, has called on the teachers of mass communication of the University to make efforts to expose students of the Department to new media and best journalism practice.

Speaking at the 10th anniversary of the Department held at Nelson Mandela Hall last Wednesday, the Vice Chancellor, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, (Academic), Prof. (Mrs.) Oluyemisi Adebowale urged the staff of the Department to keep tab on alumni and also open doors for them so that the name of the University and the nation can be positively showcased to the world.

He said, “I will like to celebrate with the Department of Mass Communication for the attainment of age 10 in this 16-year-old University. This is significant. “Apart from achieving milestones in and beyond this University, the students are annually and actively involved in burnishing the image of the University as reflected in their numerous publications in the media.

Permit me to urge the staff to keep a tab on alumni of the Department and also open doors for them so that the name of the University and the nation can be positively showcased to the world”. In his Opening Address, the Head, Department of Mass Communication, Dr. Babatunde Oyinade, emphasised the need to turn the Department into a School or a Faculty.

He said when transformed into a School, “The number of programmes students will specialise in will include the print media, broadcast media, radio production, television production, film and cinematography, public relations and advertising, health communication, public communication, media management, organisation communication and new media as well as full-time and part-time Postgraduate courses in mass communication”.

Dr. Oyinade disclosed that mass communication is the most-subscribed course in the University, saying that changing the Department to a Faculty or School will help increase the capacity of the Department in terms of admission and funding.

He said, “This will go a long way in making the department a training centre of excellence in the country and beyond.” Dr. Oyinade solicited for more funding from the University, saying the Department is currently struggling to cope with the demands of new journalism standards.

In his Goodwill Message, the Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Wole Adamolekun, felicitated with the Department on the 10th anniversary, which he described as short in the life of an institution, but huge enough to look back and access the achievements of the Department in order to plan for the future. 3 | P a g e Adamolekun advanced the need for synergy between the academia and practitioners to enhance a robust journalism and mass communication practice.

According to him, “Most times, there are arguments from the angle of practitioners that what they (academics) are saying is old. On the other hand, the academics say the professionals don’t know the basis of this profession. But if you look at medicine, engineering and architecture, there is mutual respect between the academia and the practice. Therefore, they are doing well.” He advised the lecturers in the Department to upgrade their teaching techniques to suit the current trends in the 21st century.