Ladi Sandra: Nigeria Loses First Female Professor Of Broadcast Journalism

By Frederick Peters, KADUNA.

NEWSDAILYNIGERIA: Nigeria has lost a renowned and first Professor of Broadcast Journalism, from the Ahmadu Bello University, Department of Mass Communication, Professor Sandra Ladi Adamu.

Professor Ladi died on Wednesday at the age of 67, at National hospital Abuja after a protracted illness.

Professor Ladi Adamu was born on 17 July 1958 at Yaba, Lagos.

Her father, Adamu Pankshin, died as a soldier in the line of duty while she was still very young. Her father – the late Adamu Pankshin was better known to many old-time soldiers as Sgt Major Adamu Pankshin, and he had made history as the first Nigerian to become a Regimental Sergeant Major of the Nigerian Army Corps of Engineers in Kaduna.

She attended Queen Amina College, Kakuri, Kaduna. She proceeded to obtain her B.A. Mass Communication (specializing in radio and television) at Columbia College, Los Angeles, California (USA) and B.A. Journalism and Mass Communication, at City University, London, Credits transferred to Columbia College, Los Angeles (USA). The quest for intellectual acquisition took Prof. Ladi to obtain her MA (Communication Arts – Film), at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California (USA).

To gain academic prowess, Professor Ladi Adamu went further to enrich herself with a PGD (Development Studies), from Mount Carmel Golda Meir Institute, Haifa (Israel), and finally settled down for Ph.D.

Distinguished Professor Ladi Adamu started her professional career as a PRO at Nigerian Consulate, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, between 1982 and 1984; News Editor, NYSC, NTA Jos, from 1984 to 1985. She was also at Nigerian Television Authority, NTA Jos, between 1985 and 1987.

In what seemed like a final destination for the seasoned scholar, Professor Ladi Adamu finally settled down as Lecturer in the department of Mass Communication, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1999, where she had remained and rose through the ranks to became the first professor of broadcasting in Northern Nigeria.

The iconic media Professor until her demise taught in several institutions of learning within and without.