University of Nigeria - Alumnus calls for review of Mass Communication Curriculum

[UNNigeria]

 Day:    11            Month:    Apr           Alumnus calls for review of Mass Communication Curriculum

An alumnus of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Nigeria, Nsukka,(UNN) and General Manager, Public and Government Affairs, Mobil Producing Nigeria, Mr. Paul  Arinze, has called for the restructuring of curriculum for  Mass Communication in the UNN to incorporate fundamental areas in entrepreneurship and management, to enable graduates of the Department find their feet in the globally competitive labour market.

Arinze made the call while delivering the 3rd Jackson Annual lecture at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, (UNN). Jackson Annual Lecture was instituted by the Department of Mass Communication in 2007, in memory of Thomas Horatio Jackson, the Editor of Lagos Weekly Record who used his colonial newspaper to fight against colonialism and advocated for better leadership in the Nigerian society.

Speaking during the lecture, Mr Arinze said that although there was high rate of youth unemployment in Nigeria, there were thousands of lucrative job openings in the country.

According to him, "these openings are extremely competitive and are filled up by persons with a combination of the right skills set, right experience and right attitude; persons who can hit the ground running and add multiple value to organisations.

"Sadly, graduates of our Universities are increasingly unable to match these expectations, and a great number of the openings are filled by 'returnee graduates' Nigerians who study in foreign universities".

Mr. Arinze, who spoke on the topic: "Developing Communicators and Entrepreneurs for Knowledge based economy", debunked the belief that one must have godfather before securing a job in Nigeria.  He however emphasised that globalisation had widened the scope of competition in the labour market and reduced the chances of Nigerian-trained graduates to secure employment in the country.

He said that Nigerian-trained graduates no longer compete among themselves but had to face a pool of globally trained talents who apply for job openings in Nigeria even though they were not resident in the country.

Mr Arinze urged the students to take advantage offered by the ubiquitous internet access in the University of Nigeria, to tap into lectures and academic resources from universities across the world using online services such as Apple iTunes U.

 Further, he implored the undergraduates to develop long term projections and plan of what they would do after graduation, and encouraged students to get a mentor that would help them understand the difference between life in the university and life in the outside world.

While urging university administrators to generate alternative funding through partnership with corporate organisations, Arinze commended the effort of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, in attracting corporate and private individuals to sponsor projects in the University.

In his remarks, the Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof. Uchenna Anyanwu thanked the current University administration led by Prof. Bartho Okolo, for providing a congenial environment for academic activities to thrive, and lauded the Department of Mass Communication for holding forte with academic tradition.

In a welcome address, the Head, Department of Mass Communication, Dr. Nnanyelugo Okoro thanked the guest lecturer for coming, and said that the lecture was part of the strategies adopted by the Department to enhance its linkages with industries.

"I need not remind us that this occasion is only one of our many traditions that strengthen the linkages we have with the industry, and with our illustrious alumni. We are aligning ourselves with the lofty academic goals of our dear University where nothing short of academic excellence remains the sole drive," he said.

Dr. Okoro explained that the Jackson Annual Lecture series serve as a forum to welcome home distinguished alumni of the Department and also to promote topical issues and emerging trends in the field of Mass Communication.

While commending the private sector and University administration for helping the Department reclaim its leadership position in communication studies in Africa, Dr. Okoro called on corporate organisations, private individuals and government agencies to help the Department build a proposed state-of –the –art Jackson Institute of Communication (JIC).

Inya, Agha E.    



Via: University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN)