After 58 Years, UNILAG Elevates Mass Communication Department to Full Faculty Status
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has officially transformed its long-standing Department of Mass Communication into a full-fledged Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, marking a historic academic milestone 58 years after its inception.
The announcement was made on June 20, 2025, during a brief but symbolic ceremony held at Board Room 2 of the Faculty of Social Sciences. Conducted by Mr. Abayomi Osinowo, Principal Assistant Registrar (Senate and Ceremonies), alongside three other committee members, the occasion included the election of key pioneer officers for the new faculty.
Professor Oloruntola Sunday, a former head of the Department, was unanimously elected as the first Dean of the new faculty, while Dr. Ebony Oketunmbi emerged as the Sub-Dean.
The journey of the department began in 1966, when it was founded as the Institute of Mass Communication under a partnership between the Federal Government of Nigeria, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and UNESCO. Its mandate was clear: to serve as a continental hub for the training of journalists across the African subregion. The institute’s first dean was Professor S. Scotten, whose leadership laid the foundation for what would become a cornerstone of media education in West Africa.
Over the years, the department relocated across faculties — from the University Library Complex to the Faculty of Arts and then to the Faculty of Social Sciences in 1974. It has also witnessed an evolution in academic scope, moving from a diploma-awarding institution to a full degree program as early as 1968.
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Speaking ahead of the election, Professor Adelaja Odukoya, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, expressed mixed feelings. “This is a moment of both pride and nostalgia,” he said. “As parents, we hope our children surpass us — and today, Mass Communication is doing just that.” He hailed the faculty’s emergence as the first of its kind in Nigeria, West Africa, and perhaps even the continent.
The department’s alumni speak volumes about its impact on the media landscape. Among its graduates are prominent names like the late Prince Tony Momoh, media entrepreneur John Momoh, Pulitzer Prize winner Dele Olojede, veteran broadcaster Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, news anchor Ruth Benamaisia-Opia, former Ogun governor Chief Olusegun Osoba, and journalist Bayo Onanuga, among many others.
Dr. Ibitayo Popoola, speaking on behalf of the department, described Prof. Sunday as “a man of destiny” and praised the Vice-Chancellor for keeping her promise to elevate the department. He also commended her broader vision for academic transformation at the university.
The new faculty is expected to sustain and expand on the department’s track record of excellence. It will continue to operate practical learning platforms such as Radio UNILAG 103.1 FM, UNILAGTV, the Unilag Sun newspaper, and MassCope magazine — all serving as real-time training tools for students in broadcasting, journalism, and multimedia.
At the 2025 convocation ceremony, the department made headlines by graduating 12 PhD holders and producing 18 first-class B.Sc. graduates — all female.
The dean’s position carries a renewable two-year tenure, while the sub-dean’s term is set for one year.
The creation of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies marks a new era in UNILAG’s history — one that honors the past while embracing the future of digital media, journalism, and public communication in Africa.