In this interview, Professor of Mass Communication and Director, Institute of Continuing Education, University of Lagos,  Professor Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, speaks to Naomi Chima about her milestones and roles

Take us back to your childhood: what values did your parents instil in you that have continued to shape your life and career?

I grew up in Delta State, rooted in a family environment anchored by firm discipline, integrity, and hard work. As a young girl, I was naturally inquisitive and determined; always questioning the world around me, eager to learn and driven by a quiet resolve to excel. My parents taught us early that character is an individual’s most valuable asset. They instilled core values: respect, unbending integrity, perseverance, and empathy. They also raised us to believe that gender is never a boundary to excellence or service. Those foundational values rooted in hard work and strict moral accountability have served as my anchor throughout my academic pursuits and professional leadership roles.

Growing up, did you always see yourself becoming a professor and an academic leader, or did life take you in a direction you never anticipated?

I did not start with a fixed ambition to become a professor. My childhood dreams were driven by a desire to communicate, solve problems, and make an impact. As I progressed through high school at Abbi Grammar School, Abb in Ndokwa West LGA of Delta State, and entered higher education, my passion for understanding human interaction, messaging, and media matured. In fact, I was drawn early on to the structures that govern how we understand one another, and my eldest brother, Dr Victor Ogwezzy, identified that and counselled me to study Linguistics and Communication. Thus, his counsel and my foundational curiosity led me to the University of Port Harcourt, where I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics in 1991, graduating as the best student in my set. On becoming an academic, the pathway unfolded naturally through love for research, teaching, and mentorship. So, what began as a quest for knowledge evolved into a lifelong calling to build knowledge systems, mentor upcoming generations, and lead in thought leadership.

What informed your transition from Linguistics at the University of Port Harcourt to Mass Communication at the University of Lagos?

My initial degree in Linguistics at the University of Port Harcourt gave me a deep structural understanding of language as the primary vehicle of human thought. However, during my National Youth Service Corps year at Katsina State Television (1991–1992), where I worked as a news reporter, producer, and editor attaché, writing and voicing my news stories and producing documentaries on irrigation, politics, and public health issues, I saw firsthand how language translates into societal impact. It exposed me to the power of mass media in driving social and behavioural change because I was thrust into the heart of development broadcasting. In fact, it opened my eyes to a sobering reality that communication is not merely a tool for information sharing; it is the vital currency of human development that can balance the imbalance in development. So, my journey into the world of communication did not begin in an executive boardroom or a high-tech university laboratory; it began with a profound fascination with the power of language and human interaction. Essentially, it was during my NYSC primary assignment at Katsina State Television that the spark became a consuming fire.

Again, immediately after I completed NYSC, I transitioned to advertising by working with Advertising Techniques Limited in Ikeja, Lagos, navigating client expectations as an executive. Through these experiences in the profession of mass communication, in addition to realising that language needs media channels to transform communities, I transitioned to the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos to pursue my Postgraduate Diploma and Master’s degrees. Upon completion of my formal training in mass communication, I moved on to corporate communications at the Corporate Affairs Department of First Bank at the Head Office at Marina, Lagos, where I learnt how corporate messaging influences public perception and the applicability of corporate communication in brand building and crisis management. This corporate crucible taught me how institutional power structures operate, communicate, and preserve themselves. Yet, the pull of academia was irresistible. To ensure my scholarship was rooted in systemic equity, I travelled to the University of Sussex, United Kingdom, earning an MA in Gender and Development in 2000. I followed this by completing my PhD in Communication Arts at the University of Ibadan in 2005. That pivot bridged theory and practice, laying the foundation for my career in development communication. So, I am proud to say that my path was never linear; it was a deliberate bridging of theory and industry practice; hence, I am referred to as a scholar-practitioner.

Looking back, which phase of your academic journey challenged you the most, and what did it teach you about yourself?

Each institution shaped different facets of my intellectual outlook, but my time as a British Chevening scholar at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, United Kingdom, for my MA in Gender and Development was particularly transformative. It forced me to critically re-examine media, power dynamics, and social structures through a global lens. Again, navigating rigorous cross-cultural academic expectations while synthesising gender theory with African development realities pushed me to my intellectual limits. My PhD journey at the University of Ibadan further tested my stamina and methodological discipline. These phases taught me that resilience, clarity of purpose, and intellectual rigor are essential for driving meaningful academic work.

You made history as the first female professor produced by UNILAG’s Department of Mass Communication and the first woman to head the department in both acting and substantive capacities. When you reflect on these milestones, what do they mean to you personally?

Reflecting on these milestones brings a feeling of deep humility and responsibility. Being the first female professor produced by UNILAG’s Mass Communication Department and its first female Head of Department is more than a personal victory; it is a breakthrough for every female scholar who comes after. It validates years of hard work, continuous publishing, administrative service, and perseverance. Personally, it serves as a reminder that barriers can be broken through consistency, competence, and faith, opening doors for women in academic leadership across Nigeria.

Tell us what it took to establish your own place in a male-dominated academic environment?

Leadership in academia requires proving one’s competence repeatedly, but as a woman, the expectations can be even higher. Navigating subtle biases, institutional inertia, and the balancing act between administrative duties, research output, and family life requires intentional strategy. For me, establishing my place required three things: uncompromised competence, thorough preparation, and firmness coupled with empathy. I let my academic output, administrative results, and professional integrity speak for me. I built trust and authority among colleagues and peers by focusing on delivered value rather than gender dynamics.

Did you ever feel the pressure of knowing that your performance could influence how other women would be perceived or treated in similar leadership positions?

Yes, that weight is real. When you are the first, your performance is rarely judged in isolation; it often becomes a benchmark for women who follow. I was acutely aware that any misstep could be weaponised by skeptics to generalise about female leadership capabilities. However, rather than letting that pressure paralyse me, I channeled it into diligence, transparency, and high performance. I ensured my tenure set high standards in academic administration, infrastructure upgrades, curriculum reform, and student welfare.

What initially drew you to the gender dimension of development and what do you think Nigerian society still misunderstands about gender equality?

My master’s degree in Gender Studies stemmed from observing how communication channels either reinforce marginalisation or serve as instruments for empowerment. During my postgraduate studies at Sussex, I saw how gender dynamics affect political participation, health outcomes, and economic opportunities. However, Nigerian society still largely misunderstands gender equality as a zero-sum struggle between men and women. In reality, gender equality is about social inclusion, justice, and human rights, ensuring that every individual, regardless of gender, has equal access to resources, opportunities, and decision-making spaces to contribute to national development.

What were the most difficult decisions you had to make during your tenure as acting Head and the substantive head of Department?

Leading a premier department like Mass Communication at UNILAG demands tough decision-making, particularly regarding resource allocation, maintaining academic discipline, driving accreditation processes, and managing faculty dynamics.  During intense periods such as driving major NUC accreditation exercises, navigating programme unbundling, or upgrading departmental infrastructure with limited funds, the pressure was immense. There were moments of exhaustion, but never doubt about the core mission. We turned administrative challenges into structural achievements by establishing transparent systems like the Departmental Finance and Procurement Committee and delegating effectively. Also, the university operates through committees. For NUC accreditation, by God’s grace, I supervised two NUC accreditations. For each accreditation,  we had a committee, and all my colleagues worked hard to ensure that we got accreditation back-to-back.  Again, my former teacher and Head of Department, Professor Ralph Akinfeleye, gave me “multiple entry visa 24/7” and told me that I could reach him on multiple platforms (face-to-face, through email, or telephone). He told me that I could seek advice with him 24/7, and that helped! In addition, I have other leaders and mentors in other disciplines who gave me their shoulders to lean on, and I consulted them when the need arose.

As a professor, administrator, researcher, and mentor, which of these roles has tested you the most?

The administrative role tests one’s endurance the most because it requires balancing institutional regulations, human relations, and student interests while maintaining personal research and teaching commitments.

How have you managed situations in which institutional expectations conflicted with your personal convictions?

Whenever institutional expectations seemed to conflict with my personal convictions, I anchored my decisions on ethics, fairness, and the long-term good of the institution. Communication and dialogue are powerful tools. I ensured that administrative actions remained aligned with my moral principles by bringing transparency to decision-making processes and relying on established policies, such as championing gender policies and ethical standards.

You are now the Director of UNILAG’s Institute of Continuing Education. What is your vision for the institute?

My vision for the Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) is to position it as a modern hub for flexible, quality, and industry-relevant lifelong learning. This is against the backdrop that the world of work and learning is rapidly changing due to digital transformation, AI, and shifting economic realities. So, at the moment, we are focusing on flexible learning models by leveraging blended learning frameworks to allow working professionals to upskill without leaving their jobs.

How do you intend to make continuing education more accessible and relevant to Nigerians navigating a rapidly changing world of work?

At this juncture, it’s also important to bring to the fore that ICE students run the same semester with the full-time students, and the same lecturers who teach the full-time students teach ICE students. Similarly, they sit for the same semester examination. The fidelity of ICE programmes in Unilag is the same as that of the UTME programme, and our quality assurance mechanism is top-notch! Furthermore, the ICE students and the students who got admission through the University Tertiary Matriculation Examination enjoy the same modernised curriculum with practical, digital, and market-driven skills, and collaborative training with industry bodies to make them industry-ready and future-ready.

Nigerian universities face several persistent challenges. From your experience, what are we getting wrong and what practical reforms would you prioritise?

For excellence, I would prioritise attracting and retaining world-class academic and administrative staff through national, regional, global, and industry partnerships and collaborations, and establish competitive recruitment and retention strategies to attract leading/diverse educators and researchers/students. Furthermore, I would focus on facilitating leadership and continuous professional development programmes for faculty and students through exchanges to enrich learning experiences in leadership; promote cultural understanding; and attract and retain world-class academic staff.

Another priority would be the upgrade of infrastructural facilities; improvement of municipal transport services and deployment of sustainable energy solutions through the integration of green technologies across campus to promote environmental stewardship and reduce our carbon footprint, such as the use of solar energy/electric vehicles. UNILAG is a role model in the adoption of solar energy/electric vehicles and turning plastic waste into wealth! In addition, I would upgrade teaching facilities and integrate digital learning platforms by investing in teaching facilities and technology upgrades to create state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories, and research facilities that foster a virtual/engaging learning environment that would use learning management systems, the Zoom platform, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet.

Furthermore, curriculum modernisation through the re-design of existing programmes and introduction of innovative cutting-edge courses that integrate emerging fields and leadership studies to align with global trends and industry needs would be given priority. Course delivery will engender more robust Industry-academia linkage and also prepare students for a digital world through immersive experiential learning that deploys virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to make learning more accessible, easy, and pleasurable. Also, course evaluation will integrate outcome-based education, which focuses on measurable outcomes that reflect student learning and competencies, ensuring that programmes meet both national and international accreditation standards. Essentially, academic programmes will reflect global and local market demands.

What about funding?

Now, on funding, in my opinion, overly centralised funding structures do not match modern realities. Hence, the need to advance and reimagine funding, resource mobilisation and management beyond government engagement for subvention and TETFund interventions. A modern university should diversify its revenue streams through joint research initiatives, private sector collaboration (Public-Private-Academic Partnerships by engaging corporate bodies for endowments, research grants and infrastructure development), grant applications, scholarships, fellowships, alumni support, trust funds and endowments, and fees from professional development programmes, industry-tailored executive education and capacity building workshops. We could also diversify university revenue streams through enterprise, consultancy, and research commercialisation by transforming academic research into actionable policy frameworks and commercialised solutions. Another important aspect of university finance is ensuring budget performance monitoring and compliance through adherence to university financial regulation and policy guidelines; budget performance review to assess both financial outcomes and operational efficiency; and strengthening controls to plug leakages by ensuring compliance with budget and fund releases, compliance with approvals, completeness of documentation, and audit approval before payment.

As a communication scholar and education administrator, how can universities bridge the gap between classroom learning and workplace demands?

Bridging the gap requires adopting an immersive “Teaching Hospital Model” for non-medical disciplines where theoretical instruction occurs alongside live, practical execution. This is one of my key deliverables and takeaways during the SUSI Fellowship at Arizona State University in the United States. In mass communication and media studies, this means integrating campus radio, television, digital labs, newsrooms, and agency simulations directly into the learning process, and strategic partnerships by collaborating with industry to ensure our certificates translate directly into workplace competence. Furthermore, mandatory industry sabbaticals for academics, regular curriculum reviews with industry practitioners, and structured internship pipelines will ensure that students graduate with both academic knowledge and workplace readiness.

How has working across academia, media and institutional administration changed your understanding of leadership, public accountability and the role of the media in society?

Working across these three spheres has reinforced my belief that scholarship must not exist in an ivory tower: it must inform public life. Serving on newspaper editorial boards, such as The Guardian’s, and participating in media governance projects showed me that media is a key pillar of public accountability. While academia provides the analytical depth, industry experience provides execution context, and governance provides the framework for implementation. For me, true leadership lies in integrating all three to solve real societal problems and hold duty-bearers accountable.

What has international exposure taught you about Nigeria’s education and media sectors?

My international exposure spanning Chevening studies in the United Kingdom, SUSI Fellowship at Arizona State University in the United States, and engagements across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa taught me that Nigerian intellect and talent are globally competitive. However, we lag in infrastructure, institutional funding systems, and structured policy implementation.

What lessons from other countries do you believe we can realistically adapt at home?

Realistically, we can adapt industry-academia integration by building co-funded research hubs between universities and private industries; tech-driven pedagogy by embracing digital infrastructure and open science platforms for knowledge sharing; and institutional support systems by establishing transparent frameworks for research grants, research security, and faculty development.

As Technical Adviser to the C-MEDIA Project, funded by MacArthur and administered by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, what key gaps in Nigerian media practice are you hoping the project addresses, particularly in investigative journalism and public-interest reporting?

The Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability project focuses on three primary gaps in Nigerian journalism: sub-national accountability by shifting investigative focus from central federal institutions to state and local levels where governance directly impacts citizens; inclusivity in newsrooms and content by pushing for the amplification of the voices of women, marginalised groups and rural communities in public-interest reporting; and media sustainability and independence by equipping media organisations with strategic tools to build financial independence, ensuring uncompromised investigative reporting.

At a time when social media influencers can command enormous audiences while professional journalism faces questions about trust and credibility, how can journalists and media organisations remain relevant without sacrificing accuracy, ethics and public responsibility?

Relevance should not be pursued by chasing viral trends at the expense of truth. Professional media organisations must double down on what distinguishes them: verification, contextual depth, investigative rigour and ethical responsibility. While influencers focus on speed and engagement, mainstream news outlets must build their business models on trust. In addition, newsrooms should adopt multimedia formats, leverage digital distribution channels and engage audiences interactively, while remaining anchored in newsroom ethics, fact-checking and accountability.

With the demands of teaching, research, administration, consultancy, and professional engagements, what does a typical day in your life look like?

A typical day starts early with planning, reviewing priorities, and spiritual reflection before diving into academic duties at the Department of Mass Communication and administrative duties at the Institute of Continuing Education. A typical day involves many activities – research, writing, teaching, and supervision of undergraduate and graduate students, and providing leadership at the Institute of Continuing Education. Some days may involve meetings in the university and industry, not to mention consulting for international development partners.

How do you organise your time and what do you deliberately make room for outside work?

On time management, I organise my time through strict prioritisation, delegation, and structured schedules. Outside work, I deliberately make room for family, community engagement, and mentoring young women and students.

Beyond your professional achievements, what are your favourite ways to unwind?

I am an avid traveller and a continuous learner. Traveling allows me to experience new cultures, reflect, and gain fresh perspectives. I also enjoy reading across diverse fields and engaging in language learning. After a particularly demanding day, simple pleasures like listening to good music, Nollywood films, sharing a warm meal with family, or stepping back into a quiet space with a book instantly refresh my mind. In fact, I am a good cook; I like cooking and still cook for my family to this day! Even in high school, I was the best student in WAEC food and nutrition in my cohort.

When you look beyond your titles and achievements, what would you like people to remember most about you?

Beyond the academic titles, professorial chairs and directorates, I want to be remembered as someone who lived with integrity, lifted others as she climbed, used her voice and intellect to drive social change, and opened doors for women and young scholars.

And what advice would you give a young Nigerian woman who is ambitious, talented but uncertain whether she can rise to the highest levels of her chosen profession?

To every young, ambitious Nigerian woman, my advice is simple: “Do not shrink yourself to fit into spaces built without you in mind. Invest relentlessly in your competence, guard your character with unyielding integrity, find good mentors, and remain consistent. Your talent will open doors, but your character and competence will keep you in the room.”