By Waziri Isa Adam
The former Head of the 58-year-old Mass Communication Department of the University of Lagos, Professor Sunday Oloruntola, has been unanimously elected as the Pioneer Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, following the unbundling of the department.
Dr. Ebony Oketunmbi was elected as the Sub-Dean. Their election was announced on June 20, 2025, by Mr. Abayomi Osinowo, Principal Assistant Registrar, Senate and Ceremonies, who led a committee to conduct the election.
The elevation comes 58 years after the Department was established in 1966 as an Institute of Mass Communication, following a bilateral agreement between the Federal Government, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and UNESCO. The department was created with the vision of serving as a centre for training journalists in the African subregion.
Professor Adelaja Odukoya, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, expressed mixed emotions about the development, describing it as “a regretful exit.” He wished the new faculty success and prayed that it would become a global leader in communication and media studies, emphasizing that it is already “the first in Nigeria, West Africa, and Africa”.
The Mass Communication Department has a rich history, having undergone several transformations since its inception. It has been led by distinguished academics, including the late Professor Alfred Opubor, Professor Onuora Nwuneli, and Professor Ralph A. Akinfeleye. The Department has trained generations of media professionals across Nigeria and West Africa, including notable alumni such as the late Prince Tony Momoh, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, and Dele Olojede, the first African to win the Pulitzer Prize in international journalism.
The new Faculty of Communication and Media Studies represents the culmination of decades of growth and academic excellence. It operates Radio Unilag 103.1 FM, UnilagTV, Unilag Sun Newspaper, and MassCope Magazine, providing practical training for students. The Faculty is expected to build on the department’s legacy of media excellence in Africa.
Professor Sunday’s election as Dean marks a new chapter for the faculty, which is expected to drive academic excellence and innovation in communication and media studies. The Dean’s office holds a renewable two-year term, while the Sub-Dean position is for a one-year term. Dr. Ibitayo Popoola praised Professor Sunday as “a man of history” and thanked the Vice-Chancellor for fulfilling her promise to unbundle the Department.