UNILAG Establishes New Faculty of Communication & Media Studies, Elects Pioneer Dean

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The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has elevated its renowned Department of Mass Communication into a full-fledged Faculty of Communication and Media Studies (FCMS) —58 years after its establishment in 1966.

Professor Oloruntola Sunday, former Head of the Mass Communication Department, was unanimously elected as the pioneer Dean, while Dr. Ebony Oketunmbi emerged as Sub-Dean. The election, conducted on June 20, 2025, marks a historic milestone for media education in Nigeria.

The department, initially created as an Institute of Mass Communication under a UNESCO-UNDP partnership, has trained generations of media icons, including Pulitzer winner Dele Olojede, John Momoh (Channels TV), and Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

Professor Adelaja Odukoya, outgoing Dean of Social Sciences (where Mass Communication previously resided), called the unbundling a “regretful exit” but prayed for the new faculty to become “Africa’s best.”

The new faculty will expand on the department’s legacy, which includes Radio Unilag 103.1 FM, UnilagTV, and award-winning publications. It recently graduated 12 PhDs and 18 first-class students —all female—at the 2025 convocation.

Dr. Ibitayo Popoola, a faculty representative, hailed the move as a fulfilment of the Vice-Chancellor’s promise, calling Professor Sunday “a man of history.”

The Dean’s term is two years (renewable), while the Sub-Dean serves one year. The faculty aims to strengthen Africa’s media education and industry leadership.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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