Chairman of Lagos Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Dr. Qasim Akinreti writes on the academic and professional legacies of Late Professor Dayo Alao who died recently.
On December 17th 2020, the remains of our father, mentor, journalist, Media and Academic Administrator, Professor Dayo Alao will be committed to mother earth at Ilorin, Kwara State according to the funeral notice from the “Exit of a Giant” Whatsapp page.
And all roads lead to Ilorin on the glorious day, for beneficiaries of Professor Dayo Alao’s legacies in Journalism and academics.
I am a proud beneficiary of his wealth of knowledge. I am a product of Babcock University, Mass Communication department, 2014 -2017 set.
I obtained my Master of Philosophy, MPhil Mass Communication and Doctor of Philosophy, PhD Mass Communication there.
I recall my first encounter with a rare father and mentor in March 2014 at the Babcock University Development Center to present a co-authored book on Multimedia and Online Journalism for the Mass Communication department. After scanning through the book, he asked this question: ‘What is stopping you acquiring a Ph.D in Mass Communication?’
My answer: “It will be quite expensive to run the academic programme’.
Then his fatherly counsel: ‘Babcock will provide you with the unique opportunity in a more flexible way, where there is no pain, there is no gain. I hope to see you next semester in September.’
And so my journey to Babcock University began.
By June 2017, mission accomplished.
I remain grateful to the late Professor Dayo Alao.
The Journalism Legacies
Late Professor Dayo Alao began his Journalism career at the defunct Daily Times Group, rose from a Reporter to the Editor Times International Magazine and later General Manager/CEO Times Publications Division, TPD.
As a Reporter, he had a knack for exclusive and investigative Journalism piece through the support of late Tunji Oseni, who according to him, always ready to give frontpage to his incisive and informative stories from Akure, Ondo State.
He was the first black Journalist to interview and write a book on the former Romanian President, Nicolae Ceausescu. He also covered the famous Warsaw Pact.
An Editor per excellence, in his days as Editor, Times International Magazine.
Dayo Alao as fondly called in the Daily Times newsroom in Kakawa, always encouraged young Journalists to get exclusive stories on the front page of the Times International magazine. Late Odafe Othihiwa, foreign correspondent, who covered the Liberian civil war, was one of his favourites. I was privileged to meet late Odafe at Babcock University Mass Communication department postgraduate class.
As a manager of men and human resources in the defunct Daily Times Group, he pulled together all he has, to turn around the fortunes of the Daily Times Group with a presentation of the realistic budget to the federal government. Unfortunately, he could not execute the budget for the realisation of laudable goals of foremost newspaper organisation, he was asked to handover to late Onukaba Ojo. He later resigned upon redeployment to the Federal Ministry of Information, Radio House complex in Abuja.
A media trainer of trainers
Professor Dayo Alao for 14 years taught Journalism part-time at the University of Lagos and later Times Journalism Institute, TJI. He contributed to several local and international journals and wrote several books. Two books are quite striking to me: ‘News Reporting’, which I used as a post-graduate Diploma student at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, NIJ, in 1993. And another book is on ‘International Journalism and Communication’, written and published at Babcock University.
Numerous journalists and academics today benefitted from his media training.
He was always concerned about media training at every opportunity he had to address Journalists within and outside the University. He had trained thousands of journalists from the University of Lagos, to Babcock University,Ilishan – Remo, and Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State. Some of us are professors of Mass Communication, senior lecturers, lecturers, adjunct lecturers, and graduate assistants in various departments of Mass Communication, and Journalism schools within and outside the country.
His foray into Academic
Late Professor Dayo Alao contributions to the citadel of learning is legendary. He will be remembered as part of the first generations of journalists who acquired Master degree in Mass Communication as a reporter and later in academics, mixing education with the newsroom professionalism as referred to by my brother, Lawal Ogeinagbon of The Nation newspaper.
He became the Associate Professor of Mass Communication at the Head of Department of Mass Communication, Babcock University Ilishan Remo, Ogun State. He pioneered the first set of Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D of the University. Today Professor Ajilore of Babcock University and Dr Bisi Olawunmi of Adeleke University, Ede are the first beneficiaries of our late Professor’s hard work and tenacity.
He was made the Dean of Faculty of Education and Humanities, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration, Provost Management, Business Administration and Social Sciences Babcock University. Thereafter, he proceeded to the Adeleke University, Ede, as the President/ Vice-Chancellor. Where he retired before his demise.
Late Professor Dayo Alao was one of the founders of the Association of Communication Scholars and Practitioners of Nigeria, ACSPN.
What is unique to him as a Journalist and teacher is that: “everyone is very special”.
When alive, he was fond of inviting one for job openings and very good at giving referrals, celebrating our achievements, monitoring our progress and always offering advice. Once, I entered his office, after graduation, he referred to me as Director-General in the making. Others like Dr Rauf Adegoke, Dr Titi Ojo, Dr Nwaliokpe, got job referrals.
Indeed we have lost a father, mentor, patriot, and a humble personality. May the gentle soul of late Professor Dayo Alao rest in peace.
Qasim Akinreti is the Chairman NUJ Lagos State council and Deputy Director, Digital Media, Voice of Nigeria (VON).