As the Governing Board of the Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ) gets set to appoint a new Provost for the institution, Oyinlola Awonuga writes on the tenure and profile of former heads of the school.
Call for applications to fill the position closed on September 29, 2020.
Mr. Keith Harris (1971-1972)
Mr. John Lahey (Australian) (1973-1977)
John Lahey was one of the best-known newspapermen in Melbourne. Most of his work was behind-the-scenes as a chief sub-editor, but he was widely known to the Melbourne public through his column Lahey at Large which ran in The Age during the 1980s and ’90s.
He also worked in Sydney for a time, and in Nigeria and other places. In his half-century of journalism, he filed from every state and territory in Australia, and from Indonesia, Italy, Greece, France, England, Ireland, the United States, Brazil and Israel. However, it was in his beloved hometown of Melbourne that most of his work was done.
He wrote four books: Great Australian Folk Songs, Celebration, Damn you, John Christie! (a biography of an early Victorian detective), and Faces of Federation (on the Federation of Australia).
Mr Gabriel Ogunsekan (1979-1984)
Dr Tony NNAEMENA (1985-1988)
Chief Dayo Duyile (1989-1998)
Dayo Duyile veteran journalist is currently a senior lecturer in Journalism and Mass Communication at Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State.
He joined the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) first as the assistant director in 1986 and later, the Director. He served two terms of three years each. He went on a sabbatical to the University of The West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica as a visiting scholar for two years.
He holds Master’s degree also at the University of Lagos in 1990 and is currently a PhD student in Mass Communication in the same institution.
Dr Jimi Kayode (1998-2000) (Acting Director)
Dr.Mrs Elizabeth Ikem (2000-2015)
Dr. Mrs Ikem is a prolific writer, author and publisher who has held several leadership positions in the media in Nigeria.
Among many first in the media industry, she is the first female to head NIJ, and to serve in that capacity for a record period of over 14 years, November 2000 to February 2015; the first female to chair the Editorial Board of the Daily Times of Nigeria; the first female Deputy Director of the Times Journalism Institute, Iganmu, Lagos, Nigeria.; the first female Editor of the Times Home Studies, a defunct publication in the stable of the Daily Times of Nigeria.
She is the first female Special Assistant/ Advisor to two former successive Managing Directors of the Daily Times of Nigeria; and the first female to head the Dunamis Publication Department of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), for 10 years.
A former lecturer in the Mass Communications Department, University of Lagos, Nigeria, she holds a PhD. in Language and Communication Arts (1988) from the University of Ibadan and M. A in Language Arts (1983) from the same University. She earned a B.A combined Honours in English/Philosophy (1981) from the University of Lagos. She is a member of several international and national academic and professional bodies.
Among others, she is a member of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN); a Fellow of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), a member of the International Press Institute (IPI), Zurich, and a member of the Lagos Court of Arbitration and the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators.
Gbemiga Ogunleye (2015-2020)
Ogunleye, journalist, lawyer and media scholar holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Linguistics from the University of Benin, a degree in Law from the University of Lagos and a Master’s in Media and Communication from Pan-Atlantic University. He also has a Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism.
He was the pioneer Head of Corporate Communications at Arik Air, a Nigerian airline operating a domestic, regional and international flight network. He also served as the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of The Punch Newspaper, a Nigerian daily newspaper.
Prior to his appointment as provost, he was the director of News and Current Affairs at Television Continental, Nigeria.
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