Abeokuta- Friday 2, April 2021: In line with the directive of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Chrisland University, one of the leading private universities in Nigeria has created seven new units under Mass Communication Department.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Chinedum Peace Babalola disclosed this in an exclusive interview with CEOAFRICA after a commendation service held in honour of late Olugbenga Ariba, an ace broadcaster and lecturer at the department of Mass Communication in the university.
Recall that NUC had unbundled the programme into seven other degree courses to provide more opportunities for students to study beyond Mass Communication.
The commission disclosed that “the demands of those who go for Mass Communication is high and NUC had to look into them.”
Mass Communication is unbundled into advertising, broadcasting, cinematography, Development Communication Studies, information and Media Studies, film and Multimedia Studies.
The VC of Chrisland Univeristy stated that delegates from the NUC visited the learning institution and relayed the directive.
She added that “When the NUC gave the directive of new seven specialties, late Ariba was the first person to bring it to my notice and ensured that we got lecturers to populate those sections.”
She expressed that Chrisland University is prepared to implement the approved structure.
The erudite Professor further disclosed that funding the seven specialties is a major challenge for most private universities.
She stated that “The government is right in creating those seven specialties, but they need to be funded. Mass Communication is one of the most expensive departments that we have if not the most expensive. You cannot imagine how much it costs to run what we already have.
“What we already have is over thirteen million, and if you see the bill, it is about another twelve million.”
The AU laureate therefore called on governments to also consider funding private universities for the development of tertiary education in Nigeria.
