Adeniyi commends Mass Communication Ph.D candidate, describes work as globally competitive
By Mustafa Abubakar
A renowned scholar and Professor of Communication at the Baze University, Abuja, Abiodun Adeniyi, has commended Mrs Akerele Oluwakemi Elizabeth, a Ph.D candidate at the Department of Mass Communication, University of Ilorin, for an exceptional academic performance and globally competitive research output.
Prof. Adeniyi expressed his satisfaction penultimate Friday (June 27, 2025), after the candidate successfully defended her Ph.D thesis at the Faculty Board room.
Mrs Akerele, who is the 6th Ph.D to produced by the Department, began her academic journey at the University in 2010 as an undergraduate and steadily rose to the doctoral level in 2025.
“I think she is a hardworking student, and her work is of global standard”, Prof. Adeniyi said, adding that “to the best of my knowledge and ability, she ticked all the boxes, and I was satisfied with all the sessions. She also benefited significantly from her supervisor, who is a reputable Mass Communication scholar.”
Prof. Adeniyi added that he was not surprised by the quality of the candidate’s work, given the reputation of the University of Ilorin.
The external examiner also praised the Department of Mass Communication, describing it as competent and experienced. According to him, “the Department is not doing badly in terms of experience and staff quality.”
Also speaking, the Dean of the Postgraduate School, Prof. B. V. Owoyele, commended the quality of the research and the conduct of the defence.
“It is gratifying to see that our quality assurance systems are yielding strong academic products. This is what we want to replicate across all Departments”, he said.
The Dean, Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences, who is also the chief host and supervisor of the student, Prof. Lukman A. Azeez, applauded the Department for maintaining its tradition of excellence. He also congratulated the student on the feat.
He said, “This is a reflection of the quality of staff and commitment to academic integrity that our faculty is known for, and I am happy that Mass Communication department is leading.”
The Faculty representative at the Postgraduate School, Prof. Saudah S. Abdulbaqi, said that the candidate’s performance aligns with the Faculty’s vision of producing not just researchers, but thought leaders. “We are proud of this moment”, she said.
The Postgraduate Coordinator of the Department, Dr Abdulrazaq Adisa, described the candidate as “resilient, passionate and disciplined”, commending her consistency from undergraduate level to doctoral research.
In his remarks, the Ag. Head of the Department of Mass Communication, Dr Patrick Udende, said that the candidate’s successful defence is “another testament to the commitment of the Department to excellence, mentorship and research driven learning”.
He expressed gratitude to the external examiner and the entire defence panel for their objective and constructive engagement.
In her reaction, the candidate, Mrs Akerele, expressed appreciation to the University, her supervisors, and the entire staff of the Department for their unwavering support throughout her academic journey.
Among those that witnessed the presentation were the Sub Dean of the Faculty, Dr Amos Bajeh; Ph.D and Master students, mother and other family members of the Mrs Akerele, among others.
