By Onyekachi Agu, Agbani

In a bid to sustain the quality of graduates churned out yearly, the Department Mass Communication, ESUT, is set to partner with Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Programme (CADFP) in order to improve the learning and workability of the students. 

When cemented, the partnership will consider three critical areas of curriculum development, graduate mentoring and collaborative research

This was the key discussion a representative of CADFP and alumnus of the department, Professor Uchenna Ekwo had with the Head of Department, Mass Communication, Chidiebere Ezinwa when he visited the department board on Wednesday.

Prof Ekwo expressed delight over the improvement he saw in the department particularly concerning ESUT Monitor Newspaper which he said he was the Editor-in-chief over 34 years ago.

Professor Ekwo who came in company of another alumnus of the department, Dr Oluchukwu Anyianuka also an alumnus of the department, expressed readiness to leverage on his partnership with CADFP through the International Education based in Washington, USA to support the department.

 “I’m visiting Nigeria under the Carnegie African Diaspora Programme (CADFP). Every year, the International Education based in Washington looks for African scholars in the US and Canada to send them to Africa to help them intellectually balance the universities in three key broad areas: Curriculum development, graduate mentoring, and collaborative research. So that’s why I’m here to conduct research on the potentials of local news to empower Nigerian students.

“I thought it was necessary for me to be here to see how things are, and I’m happy that the university is still moving ahead. I was also emotional looking at the ESUT Monitor Newspaper, of which I was the Editor-in-chief when I was here decades ago. The fact that the newspaper is still afloat and in colour also gives me a lot of satisfaction. I’m also hopeful that I would try to help as much as I can,” he said.

Earlier in his speech, the HOD, Mass Communication, Dr Chidiebere Ezinwa expressed the need for alumni to look inward and give back to the university that made them.

He thanked Porf Ekwo for his vested interest in the development of the department adding that his collaboration will go a long way in changing the face of the department.

“There is no doubt that this department has produced graduates who are captains of industries, top politicians and business men and women all over the world. It is important that they begin to think home, think of how to come back and give back to the institution that made them. All of us are stakeholders in this department and we need to join hands and rebuild it.

“We are making our efforts to reposition the department and that is where this collaboration is key. We are ever ready to partner with your organisation and see how we can work together to sustain the department that trained all of us,” he said. 

Also at the meeting is the Chairman of Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ASCPN) Enugu State, Professor Linus Ogbuoshi who noted that collaboration is very paramount as the department needs to progress. He lauded Prof Ekwo for his commitment in seeking to help the department. 

The Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program (CADFP) is a scholar fellowship programme for educational projects at African higher education institutions.