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From Femi Folaranmi,
Group Politics Editor of The Sun Newspapers, Fred Itua, has been awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Mass Communication, specialising in Development Communication, by Veritas University, Abuja, at its 15th convocation ceremony.
Itua was among the recipients of doctoral degrees at the ceremony held over the weekend at the university’s permanent campus in Bwari, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where former Imo State governor, Ikedi Ohakim, also bagged a doctorate in Management.
The award followed Itua’s successful defence of his doctoral thesis titled, “Newspapers’ Coverage of Irregular Migration in Nigeria, 2020 to May 2023,” which examined how Nigerian newspapers reported irregular migration and the implications of such coverage for public understanding and policy responses.
The research, supervised by Prof. Tsebee Asor Kenneth and Prof. Armstrong A. Idachaba, analysed 362 articles published by The Punch, The Guardian and The Sun over 41 months, providing an extensive assessment of the patterns, framing and emphasis of migration reporting in the Nigerian print media.
Itua, who has spent more than 15 years covering national politics, the National Assembly, migration, health, anti-corruption and environmental issues, said the research was informed by his conviction that Nigeria could not effectively address irregular migration without understanding how the media presented the phenomenon to the public.
He argued that portraying irregular migration predominantly through the lenses of security and criminality could encourage punitive responses rather than policies addressing the underlying economic, social and institutional factors driving the movement of people.
Also honoured at the convocation was Ohakim, who governed Imo State between May 29, 2007 and May 2011, having been elected on the platform of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) before returning to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ohakim, born on August 4, 1957, in Okohia, Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and a master’s degree in Management from the University of Lagos.
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Before venturing into politics, he spent more than 15 years in senior commercial and executive positions at First Aluminium and Tower Groups, subsequently becoming Executive Director of Alucon and Chairman of the Mekalog Group.
The convocation, which attracted more than 1,000 students, also saw Anigbogu Olivia Nneka emerge as the overall best graduating student with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.98.
Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines and professor of entrepreneurship, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, was equally conferred with an honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree in recognition of his contributions to business, education and national development.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Most Rev. Prof. Augustine Echema, criticised what he described as the Federal Government’s neglect of private universities, warning that inadequate support for such institutions amounted to a disservice to the country’s educational development.
He called for more inclusive educational policies and greater government support for private universities, noting that they played important roles in expanding access to tertiary education, developing human capital and contributing to national development.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Prof. Hyacinth Ichoku, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to academic excellence and the production of graduates equipped with the knowledge, competence and character required to contribute meaningfully to society.
Ichoku said the university, established by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, had continued to expand its academic programmes and research capacity, citing the recent commencement of doctoral programmes in Economics and Political Science as part of efforts to strengthen postgraduate education.
The ceremony brought together academics, members of the clergy, politicians, business leaders, families and other dignitaries, who joined the graduating students and honorary degree recipients in celebrating their academic and professional achievements.
