My Greatest Legacy Would be Seeing Students Succeed — Prof Amobi

By Luke Matthias and Akemini Udoh

Professor Ifeoma Amobi has been promoted to the post of a full Professor at the University of Lagos. Her promotion marks not just a personal milestone, but the culmination of years of work at the intersection of media, technology, and public health; fields that have become increasingly critical in an era defined by misinformation and rapid digital change. “I felt truly elated when the promotion was announced; it is something every academic looks forward to, the peak of one’s career,” Amobi told UNILAG Sun.

She viewed this achievement as a great privilege for which she is grateful to God Almighty. “You work hard and hope that nothing interrupts your journey, reaching this level is not something to take lightly; it is a privilege,” she added.

Her journey began in Minna, northern Nigeria, before the disruptions of the civil war forced her family to relocate to the eastern part of Nigeria. From there, she excelled at Catholic Girls Secondary School, graduating with a Division One result in the West African School Certificate, and went on to study Mass Communication at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. After completing her National Youth Service Corps with the Bendel State Local Government Commission in Warri, she was retained in the civil service at an elevated level; but academia remained her long-term goal.

At the University of Lagos, she pursued a Master’s degree in Public Administration, graduating top of her class and earning admission into an MPhil/PhD programme. However, a relocation to Jos interrupted that path, forcing her to step away from academia into business, which she successfully ran for about 10 years while maintaining her unwavering passion for teaching. “Academia has always been my home, even while I was doing business, I missed it deeply,” she recalled.

When she returned to school, she pursued another Master’s degree in Mass Communication, and excelled again, and moved straight into a PhD, which she completed in just over three years, a record-breaking feat in her department.

By 2010, she secured a full-time academic position and steadily rose through the ranks through her research and hard work. That same year, her career took another leap when she was selected for a UNESCO-supported training in partnership with the University of Texas at Austin, where she specialised in Online Journalism, which was then a new and emerging field.

“We were among the first scholars to specialise in that field,” she said.
Further training in multimedia journalism in Germany and at the University of Westminster, as well as film studies in India, expanded her expertise and global relevance.

Her research has since addressed misinformation, disinformation, and conspiracy theories, particularly in health contexts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she served on a global panel convened by Google to evaluate grant proposals for counter-misinformation campaigns. She also conducted multi-year research with Africa Check on health misinformation.

“One of my recent projects examined how misinformation affects acceptance of the HPV vaccine in Lagos State,” she explained.

Drawing from her experience on international panels, she described how entire evaluation processes from proposal reviews to final decisions are conducted virtually. This, she said, mitigated the time and cost implications for everyone.
For students and aspiring professionals, her message is clear: Mass Communication is far more expansive than many assume.

“It is not just about journalism; if you make yourself relevant, develop expertise, and carve a niche, opportunities will come to you,” she noted.

She challenged the perception that academia is financially limiting, saying that many scholars attract research grants worth millions of dollars. “It’s not just about salary, it’s about value creation. The secret is simple: be good at what you do. Be different. Give your best consistently. Organisations are looking for people who add value.”

For all her accomplishments, she measures success not in titles or accolades, but in the achievements of her students. “What gives me the most joy is seeing my students succeed; that is the kind of impact I want to be remembered for, mentoring students who go on to excel, innovate, and make meaningful contributions.”

In the end, her journey is defined not just by reaching the peak of academia, but by a philosophy she has consistently lived out: relevance must be earned, excellence must be sustained, and true success lies in the ability to shape others long after you have reached the top.