A luminous epoch in scholarship and academia has ended, somewhat abruptly, with the death of Professor of Communication, Lai Oso, in a fatal car crash.
Oso, a renowned academic, was a former Dean of School of Communication, at the Lagos State University (LASU).
He was also, before then, Head of Department, Mass Communication, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, MAPOLY, Abeokuta.
Oso, who hails from Sagamu, Ogun State, was an external examiner at the Department of Mass Communication, Delta State University.
He was, until his death, the President, Association of Communication Scholars & Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN).
He was educated at the University of Lagos (B.Sc. Mass Communication), Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (M.Sc. International Relations) and He obtained a Ph.D degree in Mass Communication as a Federal Government scholar at the University of Leicester, England in 1977.
He had worked as a Reporter both in Radio and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and had taught courses at both undergraduate and post graduate levels.
He had taught courses in Journalism, Media and Governance, Political Communication, Development Communication and theory.
Oso, according to two of his former students, Idris Mohammed and Wasiu Tejuoso, died in the car crash that happened in Ijebu, on Ore-Sagamu expressway, on Saturday evening.
The duo confirmed that the Prof of Communication was on his way to Delta State University (DELSU), where he was an external examiner at the department of Mass communication.
“His SUV had reached Ijebu axis on the expressway before the car plunged into a river,” another student who was called from Ijebu Police station last night confirmed.
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 wrote.
Professor Alawode shared Yusuf’s view. He commiserated 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 of today as a result of a fatal accident on his way back to Lagos from Abaraka, Delta State.
“The 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.!”
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