Our Leadership and Board
The Team Leaders from our Mixed Methods Research Group
Prof. Rotimi Williams Olatunji
Rotimi Williams Olatunji is a Professor of Public Relations and advertising and the immediate past Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies at Lagos State University, Ojo, Nigeria. He is a Fellow, of the American Academy of Marketing Science (FAMS), a Senior Member, of the Africa Public Relations Association (APRA); Registered Practitioners in Advertising (RPA); a Member, of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations; and a Member Nigerian Academy of Letters (MNAL).
He is the author of Advertising, Economy, and Societies in Africa (2010) and the Co-Author of Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development (2022), along with nearly 100 academic publications in global journals and chapters in books. He is Chairman of the Advertising Industry Colloquium and Journal Committee of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) and Editor-in-Chief of the ARCON Journal of Advertising and Marketing Communication. Prof Olatunji is the current President of the Association of Communication Scholars & Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN)
Prof. Chinedu Ihuoma Mba
Chinedu Ihuoma Mba is a full-time communications professor at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada where she has also excelled as both a program coordinator and a student academic advisor. With extensive experience in higher education administration, Chinedu has over the years successfully overseen various cross-cultural and global initiatives aimed at development and empowerment. One recent notable initiative is the Jacksonites Professional Development Seminars jacksonites PDS.
She is also a founding member of the NewNigeria Project, an organization committed to positive change in Nigeria.
In addition to these roles, Chinedu currently collaborates with a global team of scholars and researchers to empower individuals from diverse backgrounds to become proficient researchers, contributing positively to their fields and society.
Chinedu’s academic journey began with a BA in Mass Communication from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in 1987.
She later earned a Post Graduate Diploma in Education from the University of Calabar, Nigeria in 2000, a Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language from Humber College, Toronto in 2002, an MA in Applied Linguistics from York University, Ontario, Canada in 2005, and an MA in Educational Studies with a specialization in Leadership in post-secondary institutions from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada in 2014. Chinedu is also a certified tutor and academic coach trainer.
Her extensive experience in managing funded educational projects has fueled her passionate advocacy for educational and societal issues. Beyond her academic and administrative roles, Chinedu also owns and operates a Tutor Doctor franchise, furthering her commitment to social development.
Prof. Emmanuel Samu Dandaura
Emmanuel Samu Dandaura, PhD, fnipr, fsonta, fana, fta, fitin, FNAL. Professor Emmanuel Samu Dandaura is a renowned expert in communication and cultural studies. He was a founding faculty member at the University of Abuja (1990) and Nasarawa State University (2009). His academic contributions include 105 publications in national and international journals, books, and monographs. Notably, he developed the Development Entertainment Theory in 2010, advancing theatre for development communication. He is the Vice president and Vice Chairman of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.
Dandaura’s influence as a researcher extends globally through public lectures and visiting professorships at 18 universities across five continents, including the Chinese University, Hong Kong, York University in Canada, and Makerere University in Uganda. In policy and cultural development, Dandaura chaired the study that mapped Nigeria’s Cultural and Creative Industries in 2013, aiding their economic integration and contributing to Nigeria’s status as Africa’s largest economy.
He has consulted for international organisations like UNICEF, the World Bank, and UNESCO, where he has chaired expert committees and contributed to key cultural initiatives. As a Communication and Cultural expert for the African Union, he helped develop over nine continental standard-setting instruments in the past 13 years, including the African Union Model Law for the Protection of Cultural Property and Heritage and the AU
Revised Plan of Action on Cultural and Creative Industries. He is co-chair of the expert committee currently working on the African Union Arts Education Policy. Professor Dandaura is the founding Executive Director of the Institute of Strategic and Development Communication, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, and chairs the implementation committee of the world’s first University of Public Relations and Leadership. He is a foundation member of the National Association of Artificial Intelligence where he serves as the foundation Vice President (North Central). He holds fellowships with several prestigious organisations, including the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, the Nigerian Academy of Letters, and the Nigeria Association of Authors.
Chinelo E. Ude-Akpeh
Chinelo E. Ude-Akpeh is a Senior Lecturer at the NTA Television College, Jos (a degree awarding institution affiliated to the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria) in North- central Nigeria. She is the Head, Department of Research and General Studies; Managing Editor, NTA TVC Journal of Communication; Senior lecturer (Pro bono) UNIZIK Business School, Anambra State.
She had worked as a News producer and presenter on radio and television for almost 20 years. Her areas of interest include, but not limited to, Development Communication, Gender, Conflict & Peace, Health & Drugs and Social Inequalities.
She has a number of creative works to her credit and over 50 publications in local and International Journals. She has attended a number of local and international academic conferences and collaborated with some Canadian researchers.
A member of African Council on Communication Education (ACCE); Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR); Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ); Radio, Television and Theatre Workers Union (RATTWU); member and Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary International.
Prof. Sandra Ladi Adamu
Ladi Sandra Adamu is a Professor of Broadcasting, in the Department of Mass Communication, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Nigeria. She started the ABU FM 101.1 Campus Station and was the Coordinator of the studio project for ten years. Prof Ladi belongs to several professional bodies including ACCE Nigeria and Nigeria Community Radio Coalition.
Awarded Fellow, African Council for Communication Education, FACCE, in recognition of outstanding contributions to the growth of communication, academia, and the ACCE in Nigeria. Awarded Fellow by The Institute of Management Consultants IMC-Nigeria, in recognition of outstanding and demonstrated commitment to creating, maintaining, extending and promoting the highest world standards of management consulting practice, ethics, competence and client service.
She has over sixty academic publications in journals, book chapters and conference proceedings. Prof Ladi has published six books including a manual on community radio. She won two national university challenges organized by Amaka Igwe’s Best of the Best Television (BOBTV) documentary film production in 2006 and 2011.
Dr. Laurat Umar Abdulsalam
Lauratu Umar Abdulsalam, Ph.D., is a specialist in communication and media development, boasting over 15 years of expertise in both corporate and development communication. Her research interests primarily revolve around journalism, with a particular emphasis on reporting in contexts of violent conflict, as well as exploring the intersections of media, gender, and social inclusion. Currently, Dr. Abdulsalam serves as a lecturer at the University of Abuja, where she engages in teaching and research focused on Strategic and development communication.