Prof. Des Wilson gives 44th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Uyo

BY GODWIN SAM

Professor Desmond Ephraim Wilson on  Thursday the 30th of June, 2015 gave the 44th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Uyo at the Onyema Okechukwu Hall in the Town Campus of the university.

Professor Wilson who is a renowned Professor in the Department of Communication Arts of the university, gave the lecture entitled, “Ethnocommunicology, Trado-Modern Communication, and Mediamorphosis in Nigeria: An Iconoclast’s Demystification of some Communication Traditions”. According to the Professor, though inaugural lectures are always given in the early stage of a person being appointed as a professor, his own came almost as a swan song for the very obvious reason that he took his time to research on the topic as the topic is very dear to his heart. 

“I have put in thirty three years of my life into the lecturing profession, I have contributed my quota, and I’ve paid my dues, hence my pouring myself out today so the generations after I have gone would have something to learn from about our traditional system of communication before the proliferation of modern systems of communication as we witness today in our society”.

The erudite Professor of Communicology asserted that as the Bible in John Gospel states that “In the beginning was the Word …..and the Word became flesh and lived awhile among us”, it would also be safe to say that  “In the beginning was communication ….. and communication became fresh (connoting flora, which is a medium of traditional communication) and flourish among us.” He Stressed that there is no aspect of human life that can really succeed without communication. Adding that “communication is a many-sided thing which makes the world go round in measured rhythm and pace”.

After giving a stage-by-stage history of the evolution of communication media to be following for the traditional system from speech (cry of nature, Aerophones, music, the word, and speech imitation), to sign (sign language, road signs), to signals (membranophones, meaning the use of drums to communicate), to symbols (use of objects and plants for communication), to writing (the use of symbols, and nsibidi), to printing (books, newspapers,), to postal services, to telegraph. On the other hand, he gave telephone, Cinema, Modern Press, Radio, Television, satellite systems, Data links, the Internet, the new ICTs.

He then called on communication policy implementators to formulate and implement policies that would marry the traditional and modern systems of communication in the society as none of them succeed without the other, “in spite of the complexities of the new information and communication technologies and their pervasive nature in the lives of people in all societies, indigenous systems of communication still continue to play important roles in the lives of the people as well” he said.

The 44th Inaugural Lecturer also recommended that the National Universities Commission, in addition to the mandatory ‘African Communication Systems’ course which every university student is supposed to offer, consider the following courses as his proposal in the hope of helping to bridge the widening chasm between traditional and modern systems of communication. The proposed courses are; COM 111: Introduction to African Communication Systems, COM 121: Traditional Media Practices, COM 211: Traditional Media Theories, Com 221: Trado-Modern Communication, and COM311: Traditional Communication Research.

The very highly esteemed professor concluded the lecture by calling for a synthesis between the old and the new systems of communication. “We must study and know the means and kinds of communication of the past which are still with us and which have not been seriously dislocated by the rampaging and ravaging influence of an emerging cannibalistic culture. My proposal therefore has been to devise ways in which the seemingly widely separated channels can be harnessed to bring about a communication engage which can make our efforts less burdensome.”

Meanwhile, earlier in a citation read by Professor Okon Ansa, showed that Prof. Des Wilson hails from Idung Uso in Eket Local Government Area. He attended St. Gregory’s Catholic School in Ikot Ebok, in Eket Local Government Area, and secondary education in Lagos. University of Ibadan in 1972 - 1975 to study and obtain Bachelor of Arts in English Language as his first degree. Obtained Master of Arts (M.A.) in Language Arts in 1981. Obtained a PhD degree in 1987, all from the University of Ibadan.

Present at the lecture were the Vice Chancellor of the university, who also served as the Chairperson on the occasion, Prof. Comfort M. Ekpo. With her were the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration of the university, Prof Trenchard Ibia; Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic Prof. Enomfon Akpan; Registrar and Secretary of Council of the university, Mrs. Edak Umondak; and the university Librarian who sent a representative. Others were Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof. (Mrs.) Inyang Udofot; Prof. Okon Ansa, former DVC Administration of the university, Prof. Akpan Hogan Ekpo, former Vice Chancellor of the university.

Also present were Senator Eme Ekaete, Hon. Eseme Eyibo, former member of the National Assembly; Prof. Sunday Ette; Dr. Oladipo Rashina who represented the National Executive Council of ASUU. Prof. Nkereuwem Udoakah, Head, Department of Communication Arts, also graced the occasion.
Some participants at the occasion bared their minds about the event. Dr. Nevelyn Udousoro of the Department of Communication Arts saw the lecture as a product of many years of intense research and documentation, and describe the Professor as a very diligent and dynamic scholar who takes whatever he does very seriously. Dr. Herbert Batta also described Professor Wilson as a very principled scholar who is very good at what he does, describing the lecture as a skillfully delivered masterpiece. Other participants paid glowing tributes to the professor for a thoroughly researched work and a well articulated lecture. “He truly demystified the traditional media in the lecture” one of the participants told this reporter.