CI-NEWS

University of Buea: Head of JMC hints on “quitting the stage” after producing two PhDs.

2020-08-24

No: 525

University of Buea: Head of JMC hints on “quitting the stage” after producing two PhDs

By Christopher Ambe.

The Head of Department of Journalism & Mass Communication (JMC), of University of Buea, has hinted that it may now be time for him to embrace new challenges after the department, which he has headed only for three years, has produced two PhDs and the third one is underway.

Dr. Kingsley L. Ngange, who was appointed head of Department of JMC on August 17, 2017, said his two students, last week, brilliantly defended their PhDs.

In a telephone chat with this reporter last Saturday, Dr.Kingsley L.Ngange who was the first student to obtain his PhD from same department 10 years ago, said since JMC started in 1993, a total of four students have defended successfully their doctorates. The second to obtain a PhD from JMC/UB was Henry Muluh, who had also headed the department for several years.

Of the four PhD holders from the JMC/UB, two defended theirs on August 14, 2020 on UB campus before two examination panels separately chaired by Professor Noel Alembong of University of Buea and Professor Boyomo Assala of University of Yaounde II.

The two students are Nseme Stephen Ndode, whose thesis was titled “Professionalization of Training Towards a Model of Excellence for Journalism and Mass Communication in Cameroon”, and Moki Stephen Mokondo, whose thesis was “The Content and Nature of Cameroon Newspapers Coverage of the Anglophone Crisis (2016 -2019”.

Dr. Ngange, who co-supervised the two candidates, said the jury was very satisfied with the high quality of their research works. “The theses were judged as well-conceived, well-researched and well-presented and both candidates were awarded A-grades,” he said.

He said Ndode ‘s work had to do with journalism training and Mokondo’s own with journalism practice, adding that both works are interrelated not only because both candidates share the name Stephen, but that they are young persons who were destined to be together.“They started their undergraduate programme together in same department and they are finishing with the PhD. Both were also instructors in the department,” he pointed out.

“In the weeks or months ahead the department will be producing more PhDs,” he disclosed.

“As Head of Department, I am very satisfied that in just three years we have produced two PhDs and one will be before September ends”, Dr. Ngange noted , adding that his leadership of the department faced biting challenges, which emboldened him.

He said, “I think that I have got to the pinnacle of my career as HOD. It is always good to quit the stage when the applause is loudest. I am now ready to carry on with other challenges.”

Dr. Ngange, has done all the facets of journalism - training, practice (with state-owned broadcaster, CRTV); journalism education for over twelve years and journalism management as head of department for three years.

“Once more, I think it is good to quit the stage when the applause is loudest…

What I mean is that when we prepare young people we should be humble enough to let them take over from us rather than stay there and start fighting against them.

“When you produce PhDs, you don’t produce them to keep in cupboards; so, the new PhDs should be given the opportunity to shine!”

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University of Buea: Head of JMC hints on “quitting the stage” after producing two PhDs.