Fact-Checking the Claims: Official Response to Polyibadan Press Council's Allegations by the Dramatis Personae

Nojeem Adunola, Head of Mass Communication Department

It could be recalled that the conglomerate body of campus journalists in The Polytechnic, Ibadan in a report published on her online platform on Saturday, 8th of October, 2022 has charged the department of Mass Communication of the same institution with a series of allegations bordering around negligence to result processing, extortion of funds and creation of invisible projects.

This report which has the staff adviser of the Department and lecturer as one of the major dramatis personae has however generated a series of media uproar, controversies and counter comments among students, associations and management of the institution.

Most of these reactions center on the fact that the Press Council in her report doesn't engage the principle of Objectivity, an essential core value in ethical journalistic practice in her report adding that some of her claims are unfounded and one sided. 

In an attempt to clear the air and fact-check the veracity of these claims. Major dramatis personae who sufficed in the course of filing the said report had been interviewed and have given their official position as far as the case is concerned. Even the Press Council is not left out of the show. 

The Head, Department of Mass Communication, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Alh. Najimdeen Adunola in an interview with our reporter had given his time to give concrete answers to matters arising from the report. 

Kindly quote the response as written (SIC). 

Claim: Negligence to swift result processing. 

Q: You've been alleged to be negligent when it comes to processing of results for students in your department. Why?

"To Say We Don't Process Results is FALLACIOUS."

Adunola: "Talking about Result, without being immodest. I think Mass Communication Department ranks first among all departments in result processing.

"To confirm, Mass Communication Department had the highest number of applicants in the last CBT exam. You can't apply if you did not have the result. Even for those who applied with awaiting results, we had processed all before the commencement of the Semester. To say we are not processing the result on time is Fallacious.

"We should note that the school is currently changing the computation system on Student's result and database. It is this change in process that dragged the result a little bit.

"Result now has to be recorded first by the department before it is sent to CIDM, we just held a training on this 2 weeks ago. We've infact scheduled an internal training scheduled for yesterday (Monday) public holiday. We have to shelve it till Wednesday because of this damning report.

"Moreso, the result has also been held (administratively) due to negligence to payment of school fees and registration by students. We realized that if we had to improvise and release the result. Students will not pay. They will believe they have the result, when it's handwritten. They won't realize that it's until you pay before your name can appear on the score sheet. They will take it for granted. We don't want them to erroneously assume. 

"Their report is not balanced, it's a public knowledge that sees doing good in terms of result processing. Myself and my coordinators are always up and running to ensure results get processed swiftly.

"Even if there's need to confirm information about how far we've gone in Result processing, the Deputy Registrar, Academic Affairs is in charge and can confirm. 

"We have no outstanding result. For the immediate set, we have everything ready and we've made all proper arrangements." 

Claim: Department Not Engaging in Practicals for Students. 

Q: We gathered from the report that this department doesn't engage in practicals for students, and students have no practical experience. What's your take on this? 

"All Students, Even Part Time Classes Engage in Practicals"

Adunola: "Well, as you can see yourself downstairs (pointing towards the department television studio), my students (We later gathered were in ND1) have been coming to undergo practical classes in the department.

"Last Year, The Registrar of the institution, Mrs. Modupe Theresa Fawale was a guest on the Live broadcast of the Department held by the then HND1 class. It is an epoch-making feat for us to host her. We had public issues discussed. This was done all by the students themselves.

"Even our part time classes engage in practicals, we take them on regular practical classes." 

Claim: Alleged Extortion of Students by Mr. Olatunji on invisible Projects.

"A big Lie! , Not Under my Watch will such happens"

"To say a lecturer is collecting or extorting money from students illegally is a big lie, no lecturer is collecting money from students.

"You will agree with me that ours is not a "chalk to board" thing. It is a practical - oriented course. There is no way students won't engage in practical classes. But the method of doing it is where this problem lies (collecting money themselves).

"It can never happen under my supervision. I've interviewed the lecturer in question, he had explained that students were not in any way compelled. It is a student - centered project. The students met, decided their committee and made the project done. Just that it's under the lecturer's supervision. They never made an attempt to fact check."

Claim: Student Association Extorting Students for Compulsory #6,000 payment.

Q: Under your watch as the Head of Department, the student association was alleged to have compelled students to pay a certain amount or risk being sent away from class. How true?

"No Student was sent Out of classroom, Dues payment is Voluntary"

Adunola: It is a voluntary thing. In Fact the school has issued an embargo. Immediately the embargo was issued, I've ordered there be a stoppage till further notice. It can never be forced on them.

"How can we restrict students from entering classes because of association dues or merchandise? 

"Moreso, on my approval, the total amount is #5,000. The merchandise is also introduced in a bid to curb indecent dressing in the institution. No student will even agree to such. Even the HND won't turn up except the ND1. It's not peculiar. We're not the only ones who do this. It's everywhere."

Q: Your comment on Professionalism in Journalism practice, a course you teach here. 

Adunola: "It's unfortunate to imbibe the global (un)culture of subjectivity while we are meant to be objective.

"It's a common thing even for those who claim to be professionals out there. It's however worrisome to start on this pedestal as well.

"What we teach is that reports be balanced before we rush to the press. If a report is written in haste. The writer would make costly errors that may land him/her in jail. Journalism needs to note this. 

"Because you want to make a name, you want to hit the front page? You shouldn't rush to the press with fake news and half truth.. You are killing your medium.

"There was no recall to the office of the Head of Department, there was no address to the staff adviser. It's wrong to write such a "Cock and Bull" story. It's so worrisome. Be sure of your facts before going to the press."

Olusoji Olatunji, Lecturer

In a similar development, one of the lecturers who doubles as the staff adviser of the Department who has his name mentioned in the report, Mr. Olusoji Olatunji in a cross interview noted that practical are based on requirement of the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) which is student oriented. 

Q: You were in the story, you were charged with an allegation of extorting and compelling students with some invisible projects. What's your take? 

"I can never, and will never compel or extort my students of any money"

"According to NBTE regulations, it is required for all students to engage in practical and create media products for evidence of learning.

"The current socio economic situation in the country has made it so difficult to have students do their projects Individually, hence, calling for a collective project which they can execute in group.

"At the end of the day. No lecturer exact a particular amount. I told them even if they had to pay as low as 100 or 200 naira. 

"They created a 8 - man team and came to me. It is not a new project. We do have it year in year out. They are advert copies and PR copies. The technologists are also always on ground to guide them.

"I don't want to know how much they collected, all we want is the project. These are things we present to the NBTE during periodic accreditation.

"We tried to acquaint our students with practical illustrations. "I can never compel my students to pay any money". 

Q: Your advice to budding journalists and the promotion of ethical journalistic practice. 

"Thank you very much. This is a situation we found ourselves in. The professional standard of journalism requests a writer to balance the report. He must try not to be one sided. That's what the traditional media does.

"The rise of online media citizen journalism has made people take to the online platform to write reports without confirming the veracity of reports most especially on people concerned.

In an attempt to meet the Chairman, The Polytechnic, Ibadan Press Council, Mr. Adetunji Joshua also known as Justicepen as regards his comments and the verifiability of the said claims by his Press hub. Mr. Adetunji pleaded he wouldn't like to address the press on the issue.