The Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Wale Adeniyi, records another historic outing as the first alumnus of the Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ) receive a Fellowship of the institution award
By Innocent Chukwu
Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), has been conferred with the prestigious Fellowship of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), thus he has become the first alumnus of the NIJ to receive the award.
The award was announced at a ceremony attended by key stakeholders in the media and public service sectors.
Chairman of the institution’s Governing Council, Olusegun Osoba, described the recognition as a historic honour on multiple fronts.
Oshoba said the conferment received the approval of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu which underscores its national significance, noting that Adeniyi’s journey from a student of the institute in 1989 to the pinnacle of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), reflects a legacy of diligence, professionalism, and excellence.
Oshoba said, “Adeniyi is making history as the first past student of the NIJ to be conferred with this fellowship”.
He stated that Adeniyi’s career trajectory stands as a model for aspiring journalists and public servants alike.
Oshoba recalled that the last recipient of the NIJ Fellowship was Kessington Adebutu, who was honoured for his philanthropy.
The NIJ Provost, Gbenga Adefaye, commended the CGC for maintaining a strategic balance between enforcement and trade facilitation at the Customs Service, attributing this to the effective deployment of technology and sustained stakeholder engagement.
Speaking after receiving the award, Adeniyi expressed deep gratitude to the institution, describing the recognition as a “full circle moment” nearly four decades after his formative training at NIJ.
He reflected on how the values instilled during his time at the institute particularly professionalism and ethical conduct have shaped his career in public service.
“This institution planted in me a set of values that I did not fully understand at the time, but which have guided me through every stage of my career,” he said.
Addressing students, the Adeniyi urged them to remain consistent and focused, noting that “the distance between the platform and the podium is shorter than you think,” a metaphor he used to encourage perseverance and ambition.
In a major highlight of the event, Adeniyi announced a personal commitment to give back to the institute through the construction of a two-storey Multimedia Resource Centre. The facility, he said, will include modern training infrastructure to enhance capacity building for journalists, as well as a fully equipped studio for the NIJ Community Radio.
According to him, the project is informed by the institute’s needs assessment and is designed to strengthen practical training in multimedia journalism and communication.
The fellowship award and the accompanying pledge signal a significant boost for the NIJ, reinforcing its role in shaping media professionals and advancing journalism education in Nigeria.
