The Lagos State University School of Communication (LASUSOC) started its Communication Students’ Association week on 12th of November, 2019 with a parliamentary summit organized by Communication Students’ Representative Council led by Rt. Hon. Victor Okonma.
The parliamentary summit which was held at the New Faculty Building of School of Communication had in attendance the Dean LASUSOC, Prof. Olatunji Rotimi Williams; Sub-Dean LASUSOC, Dr. Omolade Atofojomo; H.O.D Broadcast Department, Dr. Sunday Alawode; The Director, Media and research Centre, Dr. Tunde Akanni; Staff Adviser to CSRC, Mr. Stephen Fatonji; Lecturer LASUSOC, Mr. Sulaimon Hassan; Deputy Leader, Ojo Local Government Hon. Kayode Ogunyale and The Clerk of Ojo Local Government, Hon. Idowu Aina.
Giving his opening remark on the theme of the summit “Grassroot Legislation: The Role of Media in Politicking in the 21st Century”, the Dean LASUSOC, Prof. Olatunji Rotimi Williams said that the world has gone through revolutionaries, adding that students should be knowledgeable so as to be at the top in their profession.
“The world has gone through revolutions such as Agriculture, industrial, technological, informational and the information age has brought about knowledgeable ones ruling the society”.
He added that Communication Students are the concise of the society because they belong to creative industry.
Prof. Williams further said that communication students should go beyond soft to hard part of communication so as to excel in their career because people of different discipline are competing with them in the industry.
Also speaking at the summit, the Sub-Dean LASUSOC, Dr. Omolade Atofojomo advised communication students to come up with ideas in order to monitor the parliamentarians.
“Do a documentary on what he said when he was canvassing for vote and if he does not do what he promised, in the documentary state categorically that the people of his ward should not vote him in”.
She urged that communication students should stand on integrity because they are the watchdog of the society.
The Head of Broadcasting Department, Dr. Sunday Alawode, stressed that grassroot is about communicating in the indigenous language of each tribe so as to ease understanding of what is pass across.
“Its because of the English we are speaking , which makes the older ones in the grassroot not knowing what we are talking about, not knowing what we are doing, not knowing the progress infact we have left them in the development of the society”.
Contributing his own quota, Council Leader, Ojo Local Government, Hon. Solomon Wusu represented by Hon. Idowu Aina said: “The media is important because they help the populace to bring request to the grassrrot government and as well showcasing the activities of grassroot government”.
In a related development, The Deputy Leader, Ojo Local Government, Hon. Kayode Ogunyale emphasized that the grassroot government will continue to represent the community adding that local government is easier to connect to the grassroot.
He however advised the media to promote the grassroot level of government in order for the grassroot people to know about their activities.
The summit which witnessed a quiz competition across the three departments in the faculty: Journalism, Broadcast and public relations and advertising had journalism department emerging as the winner of the competition.