Graduates of Mass Communication under the aegis of the University of Lagos Mass Communication Alumni Association, are hosting an International Communications Festival to harness ways to improve the communication profession in the country.

The three-day festival, being organised in conjunction with the management of the institution, will be held from April 16-18, 2024.

This was disclosed in a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Thursday.

The event will also celebrate the take-off of the department as a faculty after the unbundling of Mass Communication by the Federal Government.

In September 2023, the National Universities Commission unveiled a newly restructured curriculum for Nigerian universities.

The acting Executive Secretary of the commission, Dr. Chris Maiyaki, during a meeting with stakeholders, reiterated that the implementation of the new curriculum will commence in September 2023.

Maiyaki stated that the new curriculum CCMAS would make up 70 per cent of the curriculum while the university decides what to include in the remaining 30 per cent

The President, UMCAA, Mr. Wale Williams, stated that members of the association aim to use the festival “to mingle, share thoughts, celebrate, bring our experience to bear and most importantly, see how best we can continue to support our department which is about to be upgraded.

“We are determined to join the university in helping our new faculty take off with the highest number of resources that they can get.”

As contained in the statement, the festival will witness the second edition of the UMCAA Entrepreneurship Competition where three winning teams and their companies will be assisted with funds for business startups, along with three-day exhibitions for products at the department.

The statement read, “Furthermore, days one and two will feature two Town meets Gown colloquia per day with the very successful producer Remi Ogunpitan of IBST and Hollywood filmmaker Ose Oyamendan taking the first day.

“Day two will have a veteran and former Managing Director of Independent Newspapers, Mr Ted Iwere, talk about business on the second day and Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency will speak on New Media and National Orientation.”

The third day will host the 6th edition of the association’s Distinguished Lecture Series by the Publisher, The Cable Online, Mr. Simon Kolawole, who will speak on the topic, ‘The Dilemma between Journalism & Activism.’

“Invitations are being sent to all communication institutions in Nigeria to join virtually to participate in the lectures.

“Students at the department will be offered speed mentoring whereby experienced members of the association will mentor them in different booths on the first two days. The event hopes to reawaken the need to develop the right communication channels for the growth of the nation,” the UMCAA President noted.