School of Media and Communication (SMC) marked its 20th anniversary with a series of events under the theme “Two Decades of Shaping the Communication Landscape.” Held at the main campus in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. The celebrations brought together faculty, students, alumni, industry professionals and members of the wider community in a spirit of thanksgiving, intellectual engagement and creative expression.
The week began on 19 October with a Thanksgiving Mass followed by an Anniversary Walk across campus. The occasion was happy and colourful, setting a tone of shared gratitude. On 21 October, the focus shifted to the Professor Biakolo International Conference on Communication in Marriage and Family, held in honour of the pioneer Dean who devoted his later years to the study of spousal communication and family development. Vice-Chancellor Professor Enase Okonedo welcomed everyone and congratulated the School on two decades of existence. She described the anniversary as a moment to celebrate what is central to human life, how we communicate, and to reflect on the pioneering work of the late Professor Emevwo Biakolo, the School’s founding Dean. True communication, she noted, requires humility and the dignity of listening, virtues first learned in the family. Dean Dr. Ikechukwu Obiaya added that the day was a celebration of Professor Biakolo’s legacy, reminding the gathering that communication is far more than a practical tool couples use to exchange information; it is deeper, formative and essential to healthy relationships and society. The home, speakers emphasised, remains the first school, and the university carries the responsibility to offer knowledge with rigour while remaining attentive to these human dimensions.
The conference brought together scholars and practitioners to examine how effective communication can strengthen marriages and families. Keynote speaker Professor Obi Iwuagwu addressed Professor Biakolo’s legacy and the future of marriage in Africa. He placed marriage at the heart of society, describing its beauty as rooted in companionship and affirming its divine origin. In the African context, he observed, marriage involves extended family and community, and communication is its lifeblood. He called for deliberate investment in raising the boy child, recognising that today’s boys will become tomorrow’s husbands and fathers. The day featured paper presentations and discussions that underscored the School’s commitment to both academic enquiry and the lived realities of family life.
The celebrations reached a high point on 22 October with the Festival of Ideas, a vibrant and colourful gathering that filled the campus with energy. Students, faculty, alumni and guests appeared in cultural attire; Adire, Ankara and other traditional fabrics, while student performances of music, dance and drama ran throughout the day. The keynote address was delivered by Udeme Ufot, Group Managing Director of SO&U, on the topic “Daring the Future of Strategic Communication Education in a Networked World.” He challenged the School to move beyond incremental curriculum updates and summon the courage to fundamentally rethink how strategic communicators are trained, arguing that future professionals must be equipped with curiosity, courage, discipline, research capacity and human intelligence. Two panel discussions followed. The first, “Journalism, Storytelling and AI: Harnessing the Power of Technology for an Ethical Future,” featured Professor Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, Kingsley Uranta of Channels Television, Dr. Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji and Obinna Okerekeocha, and explored the ethical responsibilities that accompany artificial intelligence in media practice. The second panel, “Cultivating the Creative Industries for Human and Institutional Flourishing,” brought together Obi Asika, Aisha Augie, Joy Efe-Odiete and Ekene Mekwunye to examine how Nigeria’s creative sector can drive both personal fulfilment and institutional growth. The day closed with a student drama presentation, the cutting of the anniversary cake, and a vote of thanks by Dr. Añulika Agina.
Together, the week’s events reaffirmed the School of Media and Communication’s dual identity as a centre of rigorous academic and professional training and a community attentive to the deeper human purposes of communication, whether in the intimacy of family life or the public square of media and the creative industries. The anniversary programme continues with community outreach activities from 2 to 6 November in the university’s host community of Ibeju-Lekki. Twenty years on, SMC is looking back with gratitude and forward with clarity and courage.