By Our Correspondent

National News – The Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) on Wednesday conferred a Fellowship on the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, in Lagos, recognising his contributions to public communication, institutional reforms, and border management.

The honour was awarded during a special convocation held at the Sir Kensington Adebutu Media Resource Centre, gathering media professionals, government officials, and academics.

Adeniyi became the first NIJ alumnus to attain the Fellowship status while serving as head of a federal agency.

Speaking at the ceremony, NIJ Provost Gbenga Adefaye praised Adeniyi’s ability to balance enforcement with trade facilitation, noting his progressive leadership style.

Adeniyi, who studied Public Relations at NIJ in 1989, described the recognition as a “full-circle moment,” crediting the institution for instilling values of discipline, professionalism, and continuous self-development that shaped his nearly 40-year career.

The Customs boss also announced a major intervention—plans to build a two-storey multimedia resource centre for NIJ.

The facility will include production studios, editing suites, lecture rooms, and administrative offices aimed at strengthening practical journalism training.

He further pledged to upgrade the NIJ Community Radio from an online platform to a terrestrial broadcast station with a transmitter.

Adeniyi linked these initiatives to the agency’s corporate social responsibility drive under Bola Tinubu’s administration, emphasising education and capacity building as priority areas.

He encouraged students to remain consistent and resilient, noting that dedication often leads to recognition and leadership opportunities.