CNN/Multichoice African Journalist Award Winner, Ololade Olatunji, Bags PhD

 

 

‘Celebrity Culture and Journalism Practice in Nigeria (2021 – 2023),’ details of the thesis by the Ex-TELL, Ex-The SUN, Presently The Nation newspaper’s Associate Editor + tributes friends penned for the serial award winner whose OND to PhD Communication studies’ journey spanned MAPOLY, LASU, Pan-Atlantic University and Caleb University (PHOTOS)

 

The 2014 CNN/Multichoice African Journalist Award Winner, Ololade Olatunji, has bagged a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) degree in media and communication studies.

Platforms Africa reports that Olatunji, who is presently an Associate Editor at The Nation newspaper, bagged the highest honour in communication at the Caleb University with a thesis titled; “Celebrity Culture and Journalism Practice in Nigeria (2021 – 2023) – A Case Study of The Nation, Daily Trust, and The Punch newspapers.”

Ololade Olatunji bring decorated at the Convocation ceremony of Caleb University

He was decorated and awarded the PhD at the Convocation ceremony of the University on January 13, 2025, having satisfied all academic requirements with the thesis, which “provides a groundbreaking exploration of celebrity journalism’s evolution in Nigeria and its implications for news quality and ethics.”

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Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods approach, his study examines how celebrity-driven content influences editorial decision-making, the trivialization of news, and the tension between market-driven content and journalistic integrity.

A key contribution of his research is a Framework for Editorial Accountability in Celebrity Journalism, offering policy-driven solutions to uphold ethical media practices. His work also serves as a critical resource for journalism educators, helping shape curricula and train young journalists for the evolving industry landscape.

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With an academic journey in mass communication that started from Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in 1998 through a Higher National Diploma (HND) in 2002 – at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic Abeokuta (MAPOLY), Olatunji had a Postgraduate Diploma in Education, 2008, from the Lagos State University (LASU), and a Masters of Science (MSc) degree in Media and Communication (2015) at the Pan-Atlantic University.

His relentless pursuit of truth has earned him 36 prestigious journalism awards, including the Fetisov Journalism Award (2021), the Wole Soyinka Prize for Investigative Journalism, multiple DAME awards, the CNN/Multichoice African Journalist Award, and the Nigerian Media Merit Award (NMMA), where he was named Newspaper Reporter of the Year for three consecutive years (2010, 2011, and 2012).

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His work not only uncovers injustice but also drives policy conversations, reinforcing journalism’s role as a pillar of democracy and accountability.

Tributes Colleagues Penned For New Scholar

Muyiwa Lucas, a distinguished journalist and close associate of newly inducted Doctor of. Philosophy (Ph.D) in Media and Communications Studies, pens a detailed biography of Ololade Olatunji, his journey in the journalism world and his recent award of a PhD from Caleb University, Lagos, Nigeria.

Olatunji Ololade being decorated with the PhD gown at the Caleb University

“I have to do this for my dear friend, who, most times, is grossly misunderstood,” began Lucas, who is himself a multiple award winning journalist of over 27 years standing. Excerpts:

Dr. Olatunji Ololade is a distinguished journalist, media scholar, and Associate Editor at The Nation, whose career spans over 21 years of impactful storytelling and media leadership. A multiple award-winning journalist, he has reported from the frontlines of conflict and humanitarian crises across Nigeria, Cameroon, Liberia, and Côte d’Ivoire, exposing post-war hardships, policy failures, human trafficking, environmental pollution, and violence against vulnerable groups, including children, women, men, and the elderly.

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His relentless pursuit of truth has earned him 36 prestigious journalism awards, including the Fetisov Journalism Award (2021), the Wole Soyinka Prize for Investigative Journalism, multiple DAME awards, the CNN/Multichoice African Journalist Award, and the Nigerian Media Merit Award (NMMA), where he was named Newspaper Reporter of the Year for three consecutive years (2010, 2011, and 2012). His work not only uncovers injustice but also drives policy conversations, reinforcing journalism’s role as a pillar of democracy and accountability.

Olatunji Ololade being decorated with the PhD gown at the Caleb University

Recently earning a Ph.D. in Media and Communication Studies from Caleb University, Dr. Ololade’s research, Celebrity Culture and Journalism Practice in Nigeria (2021 – 2023) – A Case Study of The Nation, Daily Trust, and The Punch newspapers, provides a groundbreaking exploration of celebrity journalism’s evolution in Nigeria and its implications for news quality and ethics. Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods approach, his study examines how celebrity-driven content influences editorial decision-making, the trivialization of news, and the tension between market-driven content and journalistic integrity. A key contribution of his research is a Framework for Editorial Accountability in Celebrity Journalism, offering policy-driven solutions to uphold ethical media practices. His work also serves as a critical resource for journalism educators, helping shape curricula and train young journalists for the evolving industry landscape.

Beyond the newsroom, Dr. Ololade has mentored and trained journalists as an Adjunct Faculty member at Pan-Atlantic University and Caleb University, teaching investigative and solutions journalism. He has also trained professional journalists at PAU’s Solutions and Data Journalism Academy. A firm believer in lifelong learning, he is an alumnus of the Thomson Foundation’s Summer Convergence Multimedia Programme (UK) and the U.S. International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).

A fearless storyteller, media strategist, and scholar, Dr. Ololade remains at the forefront of journalism, bridging rigorous scholarship with real-world reporting to champion truth, accountability, and ethical media practice in Nigeria and beyond.

Platforms Africa

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