History as Customs CG Adeniyi bags First NIJ alumnus fellowship

By Temitope Adebiyi

History has been made by the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi as first alumnus of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), to be conferred with the prestigious Fellowship of the institution.

The landmark recognition was announced at a ceremony attended by key stakeholders in the media and public service sectors, where the Chairman of the NIJ Governing Council, Olusegun Osoba, described the moment as historic on multiple fronts.

Osoba disclosed that the conferment received the approval of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, underscoring its national significance. He noted that Adeniyi’s journey from a student of the institute in 1989 to the pinnacle of the Nigeria Customs Service reflects a legacy of diligence, professionalism, and excellence.

“Adeniyi is making history as the first past student of the NIJ to be conferred with this fellowship,” Osoba said, adding that his career trajectory stands as a model for aspiring journalists and public servants alike.

He further recalled that the last recipient of the NIJ Fellowship was Kessington Adebutu, who was honoured for his philanthropy.

In his remarks, the NIJ Provost, Gbenga Adefaye, commended Adeniyi for maintaining a strategic balance between enforcement and trade facilitation at the Customs Service, attributing this to the effective deployment of technology and sustained stakeholder engagement.

Speaking after receiving the award, Adeniyi expressed deep gratitude to the institution, describing the recognition as a “full circle moment” nearly four decades after his formative training at NIJ.

He reflected on how the values instilled during his time at the institute particularly professionalism and ethical conduct have shaped his career in public service.

“This institution planted in me a set of values that I did not fully understand at the time, but which have guided me through every stage of my career,” he said.

Addressing students, the Customs boss urged them to remain consistent and focused, noting that “the distance between the platform and the podium is shorter than you think,” a metaphor he used to encourage perseverance and ambition.

In a major highlight of the event, Adeniyi announced a personal commitment to give back to the institute through the construction of a two-storey Multimedia Resource Centre. The facility, he said, will include modern training infrastructure to enhance capacity building for journalists, as well as a fully equipped studio for the NIJ Community Radio.

According to him, the project is informed by the institute’s needs assessment and is designed to strengthen practical training in multimedia journalism and communication.

The fellowship award and the accompanying pledge signal a significant boost for the NIJ, reinforcing its role in shaping media professionals and advancing journalism education in Nigeria.