By Oluyinka Onigbinde
The Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) on Wednesday made history as it conferred its prestigious Fellowship on the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, in a special convocation ceremony marked by tributes, reflection, and a major institutional endowment.
The event, held at the Institute’s campus, drew an array of eminent personalities across journalism, public service, and academia, including veteran media icon Sam Amuka-Pemu and respected journalist Ray Ekpu, both of whom were acknowledged for their enduring contributions to journalism in Nigeria.
Chairman of the NIJ Governing Council, Olusegun Osoba, described the conferment as historic, noting that Adeniyi becomes the first alumnus of the Institute to receive the Fellowship. He подчеркed that the honour is reserved for individuals with “landmark achievements” in their professions and national life, stressing that the decision to honour the Customs boss was unanimous.
Osoba highlighted Adeniyi’s transformative leadership at Customs, particularly his role in significantly boosting revenue generation from billions to trillions of naira, as well as his global recognition as Chairman of the World Customs Organization Council—a first for Nigeria.
Provost of NIJ, Gbenga Adefaye, in his remarks, said the Fellowship goes beyond celebrating individual success, describing it as a validation of the Institute’s enduring values of discipline, professionalism, and ethical responsibility. He noted that Adeniyi’s career trajectory—from a public relations officer to Comptroller-General—demonstrates how communication can be a powerful tool for institutional reform.
Adefaye credited Adeniyi with redefining the image of the Customs Service through transparency and strategic communication, while also strengthening enforcement and trade facilitation. According to him, Adeniyi’s leadership has led to improved national security, increased economic productivity, and enhanced stakeholder engagement.
In his acceptance speech, Adeniyi expressed deep gratitude to the Institute, recalling his time as a young student who passed through its gates in 1989. He described the Fellowship as a “full-circle moment,” emphasising that the values instilled in him—professionalism, discipline, and continuous self-development—have guided his nearly four-decade career in public service.
“This institution planted in me values I did not fully understand at the time, but which I have lived by ever since,” he said, noting that the recognition affirmed that NIJ’s investment in him was not in vain.
In a major highlight of the ceremony, Adeniyi announced the donation of a two-storey multimedia resource centre to the Institute. The facility, he said, will include modern production and editing studios, classrooms, and staff offices, designed to equip students with practical skills for 21st-century journalism.
He also pledged to support the transition of the NIJ community radio from an online platform to a full terrestrial station, including the provision of a transmitter and necessary infrastructure.
The Customs boss explained that the initiative forms part of a broader corporate social responsibility framework under his leadership, aimed at supporting education, capacity building, and professional development in Nigeria.
Addressing students, Adeniyi urged them to remain committed to self-development, assuring them that recognition would come with consistency and dedication. “The distance between the platform and the podium is shorter than you think,” he said, encouraging them to keep building their skills and embracing opportunities.
The ceremony underscored NIJ’s legacy as Nigeria’s foremost media training institution and highlighted the growing intersection between journalism, public service, and national development. It also reinforced Adeniyi’s profile not only as a public servant but as a reformer and advocate for capacity development in the media and communication sector.
The event concluded with widespread commendation for Adeniyi’s contributions to national growth and his commitment to giving back to the institution that helped shape his career.
