Lai Oso, Renowned Professor Of Communication, Is Dead

Lai Oso, a Nigerian communication scholar and professor at the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies (FCMS), Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, is dead.

 

Dean, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies FCMS, Lagos State University, Professor Sunday Alawode, who confirmed this in a statement described Oso’s death as a rude shock, an unfortunate development.

 

This newspaper gathered that the don died in a ghastly auto accident Saturday evening on his way back to Lagos from Delta State University (DELSU), Abaraka, where he reportedly went to serve as an external examiner.

 

One of Mr Oso’s colleagues and a senior lecturer at the faculty, Omolade Atofojomi, confirmed that the unfortunate incident happened Saturday night and that “the dean just informed the faculty.”

 

“From God we came to him we will return but this is so painful,” Mrs Atofojomo said.

 

Another lecturer in the faculty, Tunde Akanni, said he just received the news from another lecturer in the faculty who he referred to simply as Dr Thanny.

 

Mr Akanni, an associate professor, was dumbfounded by the news, as he could not speak further on the matter.

 

Meanwhile, a statement in a student WhatsApp group also confirmed the news, as members who are students of the faculty, commiserated with the late don’s family.

 

“We commiserate with Mummy Oso, the children, and his entire family, the communication family worldwide, LASU community, and all others.

 

“Baba, your sudden exit is painful, but we rest in the comfort that you have gone to be with the Lord. Rest in Peace,” messages on the WhatsApp group read in part.

 

Also reacting to the sad news, Team Lead of Platforms Africa, Adeola Yusuf  who was a PhD supervisee of Professor Oso, declared that a “huge Library of communication has just been set ablaze.”

 

Professor Oso “is a good man, a father and lecturer to many communication scholars and journalists across the World. One of the pillars of communication at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), and a former Dean of School of Communication, Lagos State University (LASU) who has just three year to his retirement.

 

“HIs death is a terrible blow to the communication community. A huge communication library has just been set ablaze,” Adeola Yusuf write.

 

Professor Alawode, corroborating Yusuf’s view, commemorated with Oso’s wife , the children and the global communication family.

 

“It’s a rude shock to all of us even as we commiserate with Mummy Oso, the children and his entire family, the Communication family worldwide, LASU Community and all others,” he wrote.

 

Idris Mohammed, another student wrote on Facebook; “It s with great sadness and heavy heart that I bring to you the passing away of our very own Professor Lai Oso of the Mass Communication Department, Lagos State University in the evening today as a result of a ghastly accident on his way back to Lagos from Abaraka, Delta State.

Late Lai Oso was one of Professor Pate’s allies and a great communication scholar in Nigeria.

 

“He was a humble and generous man of exemplary good character.

Goodnight Prof.!!

 

 

About Oso

Mr Oso was a deputy rector at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, formerly Ogun State Polytechnic, Abeokuta, later before joining the services of the Lagos State University.

 

He was appointed the dean of the LASU School of Communication and now Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, between 2011 and 2015.

 

Mr Oso also served as the President of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN).

 

He attended the University of Lagos for his BSc in Mass Communication and obtained Master’s in International Relations at the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife.

 

 

He also bagged his PhD degree from Leicester University, United Kingdom, and was a former Dean of Students Affairs at Caleb University – a private university located in Imota area of Lagos State.

 

Mr Oso was a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, African Council of Communication Education, International Association for Communication Research, and Lagos Communication Forum.