Ogwezzy-Ndisika — a professor and shining star of UNILAG

BY KELECHI AMAKOH

Reaching the peak of a profession is the goal of every professional. This feat doesn’t come without its own challenges, obstacles and downtimes, however, what matters, in the end, is the achievement of the goal.

For a university lecturer, attaining a Doctoral degree is no mean’s feat coupled with novel research findings. In fact, higher institutions in Nigeria today regard this as an entry qualification into their departments to lecture. Attaining the Professorial cadre in a university in Nigeria is an icing on the cake any lecturer could wish for. At the University of Lagos, this can only be achieved through dint of hard work, dedication, passion for the job and a strong proof of continuing research with appreciable evidence.

On Monday, June 5, another erudite scholar joined the pack as she was confirmed as Professor of Mass Communication, University of Lagos by the University administration. This comes on the heels of her appreciable foray in the field of communication with research interests in communication for development, public relations and advertising.

Professor Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika’s confirmation as professor according to her is “like a dream. I’m yet to come to terms with this but its reality now to be at the peak of this profession. The University of Lagos management should be commended. If you do your work and meet the criteria for promotion, you will be promoted.”

For me, it’s not a dream. It’s a conglomeration of hard work, dedication, passion, determination, zeal, constant push, diligence and a host of helpers to achieve this feat of repute. Despite challenges placed before her goal, Ogwezzy-Ndisika has always found her way to wriggle out unscathed not giving room for self-pity or excuses.

Any student who passed through the department of Mass Communication between 2001 when she was appointed Lecturer II of the department till date will definitely not miss out speaking of her cerebral qualities, stickler to time, hatred for truancy and laziness and for me I dub her the Madam Due Process of Mass Communication Department.

Her intellectual prowess coupled with the equally fantastic and cerebral lecturers at the department has always been the secret behind the quality of communication graduates the department has produced thus far.

A graduate of the department having passed through these seasoned lecturers and worth his salt can rub shoulders with contemporaries across the globe as well as fit properly into the workplace with no hassles.

Her appointment makes the first female professor to be produced by the department and the third female professor of mass communication in Nigeria (The first was Prof. (Chief) Stella Okunna, former Commissioner for Information and Economic Planning, Anambra State and Prof.  Kate AzukaOmenugha, former Commissioner for Education, Anambra State was appointed the second female professor).

Before this feat attained by her, she was the first female to be appointed as the Acting Head of the Department in 2014. During her two-year stint as head of the department, the department experienced tremendous growth and development.

‘Can I shock you?’ Oh! This signature phrase of this scholar of repute while lecturing cannot be mistaken for anything. It’s always bound to be heard by her students and believe me whatever comes after that phrase is actually new and sticks to the memory. Her class is always laced with teachings on current trends and realities with case studies to accompany it.

Her numerous assignments require every dint of hard work, diligence and conscious research to scale through. How about sessions of her lecture dedicated to class presentations? There is no hiding place at all. Every student has a platform and is bound to perform or perform. There is no excuse for truancy.

In the parlance of students, they say ‘school sweet but na exam spoil am.’ This statement comes real for any student of this don who has failed to consciously follow through lectures and diligently burn the ‘midnight oil.’ Her examination questions according to one of her former students are always ‘out of this world.’

Questions administered to students by her will always require them to critically analyse and propose possible solutions to simulated cases. There is no room for examination malpractice as it’s never contained in the books rather in the ability to understand and administer right dosages to the problems posed as questions in her course.

The 46-year-old professor is no doubt a communication expert who is well published both locally and internationally (over 40 publications and 28 conference papers to her credit). There is no doubt that she is a verified authority in development communication and gender studies having made tremendous research incurs in those aspects of communication.

Her relentless pursuit has seen her achieve feats such as Laureate, Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) in 2008, African Scholar Laureate, African Association of Political Science, (AAPS)/Harry Frank Guggenheim (HFG) in2005, and British CheveningFellowship.

In 1991 as the Best Graduating Student of English Department, University of Port Harcourt. She went further to bag a Post Graduate Diploma and Master’s Degree in Mass Communication at the University of Lagos in 1995 and 1997 respectively, a Second Master’s Degree in Gender Development at the University of Sussex in 2001, UK and a Doctor of Philosophy in Communication Arts at University of Ibadan in 2005.

I have had so many teachers of repute (and will still have) and Professor AbigailOdoziOgwezzy-Ndisika is no doubt a part of the growing list.

Amakoh is an academic and a budding media career specialist based in Lagos. He can be reached through [email protected]