The Head of the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Oluruntola Sunday, has congratulated four esteemed alumni who were recently conferred with the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The honours were announced during the president’s Democracy Day speech delivered at a joint session of the National Assembly.
The honourees include Professor Olatunji Dare, Bayo Onanuga, Dare Babarinsa, and the late Dr. Yinma Sen. They were recognised for their significant contributions to national development and the advancement of humanity.
Professor Sunday praised the awardees as exemplary ambassadors of the department and the university. He encouraged them to continue contributing to journalism, journalism education, and Nigeria’s democratic growth.
Professor Dare, a distinguished journalism scholar, was the first graduate of the UNILAG Mass Communication Department to earn a first-class degree. He previously served as the editorial page editor and chair of the editorial board at The Guardian. In 1994, he came into conflict with Nigeria’s military regime, leading to the newspaper’s closure due to its critical editorial stance. In recognition of his integrity, he received the Louis M. Lyons Prize for Conscience and Integrity in Journalism from Harvard University’s Nieman Foundation in 1995.
After resigning from The Guardian following the newspaper’s apology to the government, he moved to the United States in 1996 to join the faculty at Bradley University, Illinois. That same year, he was also awarded the Hammett/Hellman Grant by Human Rights Watch for courage in the face of political persecution. He remained a columnist at The Nation for several decades until his retirement at 80.
Bayo Onanuga, another recipient, earned his degree from the department in 1980. He co-founded TheNews and P.M. News in the 1990s, later becoming Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in 2018. He played a critical role in the Tinubu/Shettima presidential campaign media strategy and now serves as Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Tinubu.
Dare Babarinsa, the third honouree, is a veteran journalist and former Executive Director of TELL magazine. He also served as Editor-in-Chief of The Westerner and currently chairs Gaskiya Media Limited.
The fourth recipient, Dr. Yinma Sen, was honoured posthumously. A pro-democracy advocate and intellectual, Dr. Sen graduated from the department in 1974. His multifaceted career spanned media, public relations, politics, civil society, and academia.
Prof. Sunday’s message reiterated the department’s pride in its alumni, who continue to make profound impacts in journalism and national service.
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