Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Anchor University, Lagos, has made history with its first-ever professorial inaugural lecture, delivered by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Oyero, who used the occasion to advocate for the establishment of a specialised 'Children's Journalism' course aimed at protecting minors from media harm, digital exploitation, and sensational reporting.
The lecture, titled "God's Arrow and the Gongman: Reclaiming the Child in the Age of Media Spectacle," was held on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at the university auditorium. It marked a significant milestone for the institution, which was established in 2016 by the Deeper Christian Life Ministry.
Professor Oyero, a renowned scholar in Development Communication and Media Studies, interrogated how modern communication environments impact early childhood development. He argued that the greatest challenge facing childhood today is not merely what children consume through the media, but the fact that children themselves are increasingly consumed by media systems.
Speaking on the theme, he said: "An arrow is not an accident. No responsible archer releases an arrow prematurely. It must first be shaped, sharpened, guided, and directed. In the same way, childhood is a period of formation. The moral health of any society can be measured by the manner in which it nurtures, protects, and prepares its children."
He drew a powerful contrast between the ancient African civic communication system known as "The Gongman" and the modern media landscape. While the traditional gongman operated within strict moral boundaries and community accountability, the modern "gongmen" residing in digital feeds, television stations, and algorithms often treat children as commodities.
Professor Oyero identified major structural lapses in modern media, including the tendency to ignore children's real development needs by only reporting on them when bad incidents occur, while systematically shutting young people out by letting adults speak on their behalf. He also warned that media outlets are inflicting permanent digital trauma on vulnerable minors through sensational reporting and exposing their private identities online. Furthermore, he argued that children are being commercially exploited by aggressive, predatory advertisements they cannot see through, and the collapse of culturally and morally grounded educational Nigerian television shows in favour of commercial-focused programmes and foreign entertainment.
To revolutionise communication education, the DVC advocated for the formal establishment of Children Journalism and Media Studies as a specialised field within journalism departments. According to him, this new curriculum will equip media practitioners and researchers with specialised skills in child-rights reporting, media ethics, and educational broadcasting. He also called on the National Broadcasting Commission to strictly enforce quality local programming and urged families, schools, and faith communities to protect children from digital spaces that prioritise "visibility over protection."
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of Anchor University, Professor Samuel Bandele, expressed institutional pride, stating that the university would no longer gloss over traditions that form the bedrock of academic excellence. "I'm so glad that God has made it possible for us to open the door with this maiden inaugural lecture to so many of this kind that will be coming in successions," he remarked. "I'm proud to say that Anchor University is making history today. As a university, we are not going to gloss over this essential aspect of academic glory."
The historic gathering was well attended by academic heavyweights and civic leaders, including renowned mass communication scholar, Professor Ralph Akinfeleye; the Chairman of Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA; and several Deans and Heads of Departments from various institutions across Nigeria. Professor Oyero's calls mirror growing institutional anxieties regarding media ethics and youth literacy in Nigeria, and they come as the Federal Government, in collaboration with UNICEF, continues to seek media support to safeguard children's rights.
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