The Progressive Transformation of BUK Mass Communication

The Progressive Transformation of BUK Mass Communication
Dr. Mainasara Yakubu Kurfi

Being the speech of the Head, Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano Dr. Mainasara Yakubu Kurfi during the 40th Anniversary of the Department held Friday 11th – Saturday 12th February, 2022 at Convocation Arena, Bayero University, Kano
Department’s Progressive Transformation.

The Department of Mass Communication of Bayero University, Kano, a leading centre of Journalism and Mass Communication training in West Africa, was established in October, 1978 when the first set of its students enrolled for the Bachelor of Arts (B. A.) Mass Communication degree programme under the Faculty of Arts and Islamic Studies (FAIS) at old campus of Bayero University, Kano with 31 students and four (4) academic staff namely: Mr. Eric Northy, Dr. Mike Egbon, Miss Kuhn and Malam Yusuf Abba.

This was sequel to the setting of a planning committee group in 1977 of carefully selected academics and media professionals drawn from various parts of the country. The planning group was charged with the responsibility of drawing-up a mass communication curriculum and department to address the manpower needs of the emerging media establishments and mass communication training institutions in the federation and the North in particular. The Department is the third in the line of set up in Nigeria after Nsukka (Jackson College of Journalism established in 1960 and that of the University of Lagos in 1963.

The Department relocated to the new campus in 1984 and since then, it has prospered having trained and produced high quality graduates and professionals in Nigeria and beyond. Several products of the Department are working in local, national and international media and other related institutions, organizations and agencies. Amongst its peers, the Department can boast of the best of products, facilities and teaching staff. Even though, at inception, the Department was broadcast and print oriented, the global revolution in the communication and media sector had necessitated the broadening of our curriculum which is tailored towards skills acquisition in new challenging areas such as marketing communication, health communication, political communication, and agricultural communication and the emerging new media among others.

In the 2005/2006 session, based on the recommendations of the National Universities Commission (NUC) accreditation team, the changing trend in global training in journalism and Mass Communication education, the Department was relocated to the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences (SMS) and later transformed into a full pledged Faculty of Communication in 2016. Based on this, the Department now awards the Bachelors of Science (B.Sc.) Mass Communication degree.

Besides the regular B.Sc. Mass Communication undergraduate degree programme, the Department offers professional and academic postgraduate programmes leading to higher degrees: the Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communication (PGDMC); Masters in Public Relations (MPR); Masters in Communication Studies (MCS); Master of Science (M.Sc.) Mass Communication and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). So far, the Department graduated over 500 M.Sc. students as well as 37 Ph.D. students which make the Department in the forefront in postgraduate training among its peers. All these achievements are attributed to the quality of teaching and technical staff and training facilities provided by the university management.

Also, the Department has a brand new FM radio station tagged “BUK-FM 98.9” which is serving as a platform for the training of our broadcast students and an avenue for the university to project itself positively to the outside world. Similarly, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has recently approved license for a brand new television station to the Department which will soon take-up courtesy of MacArthur Foundation through Prof. Umaru Alhaji Pate, the Vice Chanccllor, Federal University, Kashere.

With a view to encourage specialization as what is obtained in global trend, the B.Sc. Mass Communication will gradually be unbundled into eight different Departments: B.Sc. Journalism and Media Studies; B.Sc. Public Relations; B.Sc. Advertising; B.Sc. Broadcasting; B.Sc. Film and Multimedia Studies; B.Sc. Development Communication Studies; B.Sc. Information and Media Studies; and, B.Sc. Strategic Communication.

The Department is very proud to produce eminent personalities such as the current Emir of Kano, His Highness, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero; Prof. Mustapha Nasir Malam, the outgoing Dean, Faculty of Communication (2nd set); Dr. Abubakar Shehu Minjibir, Chairman, BUMCAA (1st set); Alhaji Garba Bello Kankarofi, former Managing Director, Kano State Radio and former Registrar, APCON (1st set); Malam Abdulsalam Mohammed former Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority; Mohammed Muktar Adam, the first Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria in London, United Kingdom (1st set); Malam Muktar Zubair Sirajo, the current National President, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations; Malam Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, former M. D. Kwara State Radio as well as former D. G. National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) (1993 set), Hon. Alhassan Ado Goguwa, Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Hon. Sha’aban Ibrahim Sharada, Chairman, House Committee of Security, House of Representatives to mention but a few. Presently, the Department has three Professors, six Associate Professors and Seven senior Lecturers. Ninety per cent (90%) of our staff members are Ph.D. holders.

From 1978 – 2022, the Department is blessed with the following personalities as Heads of Department: Dr. Eric Northy, Prof. Martin Maloney, Prof. Stanley Donnel, Prof. William Mackie, Dr. Mike Egbon, Dr. Chris Onunkwo, Dr. Gary I. Hunt, Dr. Glaston Yearwood, Malam Muhammad Bashir Ali, Dr. Abdurrahman Adam, Malam Gausu Ahmad, Dr. Umar Faruk Jibril, Dr. Balarabe Maikaba, Dr. Suleiman Mainasara Yar’Adua, Dr. Haruna Isma’il, and fiunally, Dr. Mainasara Yakubu Kurfi.

Finally, I am glad to say that the graduates of this Department are visible in almost all the local, national and international media organisations in and outside Nigeria including British Broadcasting Service, Voice of America, Radio Dutch Welle, Radio France International, Nigeria Television Authority, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Voice of Nigeria, AIT, Channels, Daily Trust newspaper, Leadership, Blue Print, Punch, The Sun, Guardian, NNPC, Central Bank, NBC, NUC etc. etc.

Dr. Mainasara Yakubu Kurfi
Head, Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano

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