A U.S.-based Nigerian media expert, Dr. Uchenna Ekwo, has established a Media and Digital Centre at the Mass Communication Department of the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu.
Ekwo, an alumnus of the institution and President of the Consortium for International Education and Development (CIED), New York, also presented certificates to staff members of the department who completed training in digital and media literacy during the event held in Enugu on Monday.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ekwo urged staff and students to embrace digital and media literacy as essential skills for adapting to a rapidly changing world. He said his decision to give back to IMT was driven by a desire to strengthen capacity within the Mass Communication Department and equip future media practitioners with relevant skills.
He stressed that digital and media literacy was no longer optional but a civic responsibility, professional requirement, and survival skill in today’s society, particularly in combating misinformation and disinformation.
“From social networks to news platforms, mobile phones to artificial intelligence, media now shapes how people perceive reality,” Ekwo said. “To be digitally and media literate is not just about using technology but understanding who created a message, why it was created, and whose voices are amplified or silenced.”
Ekwo noted that Africa’s democratic and developmental future depended on citizens who could interpret information responsibly, tell their own stories authentically, and use media as a tool for empowerment rather than manipulation.
He explained that the certificates awarded to participants represented resilience, responsibility, and readiness to engage ethically in the digital public sphere. He challenged beneficiaries to promote truth, build inclusive digital communities, and apply global tools to solve local problems.
Ekwo disclosed that out of 13 staff members who enrolled in the programme, only five completed the training due to its rigorous nature, describing them as the first graduating cohort of the basic course.
In his remarks, the Rector of IMT, Prof. Gozie Ogbodo, described the establishment of the Media and Digital Centre as a commendable initiative aligned with the institution’s policy of ensuring that every student acquires at least one practical skill before graduation.
He thanked Ekwo for giving back to his alma mater and pledged the institution’s continued support to sustain the centre.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Jonah Mamah, described the training as life-changing, noting that the digital skills acquired would be valuable for both professional and personal development.