By Hussein Olanrewaju
On the 18th of December 2024, Professor Ismail Adegboyega Ibraheem a Professor of Journalism and Communication Studies presented his inaugural lecture at the J.F Ade Ajayi Auditorium of the University of Lagos which was the last for the year 2024, and the fifth in the 2024/2025 academic session, in the 58 years of the department his inaugural lecture was the third and the 1st from an alumnus of the prestigious department.
Professor Ismail’s lecture was Titled Casino Journalism and the End of History; he pointed out that many lauded the topic, believing it would finally confront the surge of unethical practices like brown envelope journalism, he said the lecture is a product of spaghetti reasoning, which he explained as a non-lethal way of achieving decisions.
He explained further that the concept of Casino Journalism is his critique of the evolving media landscape, one where randomness, sensationalism and profit-driven motives dominate the journalistic enterprise.
Professor Ismail Adegboyega Ibraheem was admitted into the University of Lagos in September 1986, where he completed his first degree in Mass Communication; he also holds two master’s Degrees in Political Science and Mass Communication from 1996.
He was awarded the British Chevening Scholarship to study a Master of Arts in Mass Communication at the University of Leicester, UK. He later went on to earn a PhD in Media and Politics at the same university in 2004.
After completing his first degree in 1990, he embarked on his NYSC where he was posted to the civil liberties organization (CLO) on being posted to the civil liberties organization he was assigned to the role of researcher and staff writer however by January 1992 he was appointed as the editor of the magazine where he shouldered the responsibility of transforming Liberty into the organization’s primary advocacy mouthpiece.
Professor Ismail Adegboyega Ibraheem who is currently the Director office of the International Relations Partnership and Prospects, has worked with two Vice Chancellors of the University and the present Vice Chancellor of the University, and has contributed immensely to the Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Social Science and the University of Lagos at large, he has acted as the supervisor (the first supervisor of seven completed PhD holders), (second supervisor of 6 completed PhD holders), over 150 master and postgraduate diploma holders and more than 200 undergraduates.
He concluded his topic Casino Journalism and the End of History which he explained has profound implications for how the public understands history and current events he stated that on the other hand contributes to a shallow understanding of history by focusing on sensational stories that capture the attention but fails to provide context or depth which he noted that is especially dangerous in the country like Nigeria where historical events such as Biafra war or the military dictatorship era continue to shape national identity and political dynamics.
Several Dignitaries were present at the inaugural lecture, some of who are the immediate past VC of the University, Professor Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe, The VC of Lagos State University of Education (LASUED) Professor Bidemi Bilikis Lafiaji-Okuneye, who represented the Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, Professor Ishaq Oloyede.
The inaugural lecture was concluded with the VC or the University of Lagos Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS, who acknowledged and appreciated the presence of several protocol of the University.
