Studying Geography at the University of Nigeria broadened my knowledge and made it easy for me to practice as a journalist — Clifford Ndujihe, Politics Editor, Vanguard Newspapers
Clifford Ndujihe is the Politics Editor at Vanguard Newspapers. Clifford was the Best Graduating Student of the Department in 1995, the class of Dr Romanus Ayadiuno. In a chat with Cletus Nwankwo, Clifford recounted his experience of studying at the den. The great lion and spatio noted, “The experience of studying at Geography at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) was very engaging, pleasant, and memorable. We toured all parts of Nsukka and surrounding towns and local government areas as part of the study. I left UNN over 25 years ago but the memories remain evergreen.”
Although Clifford now works as a politics editor, he has been in love with geography from his high school days. The Department of Geography at the University of Nigeria was his first choice to study Geography. He stated that as a kid he loved social studies, adventure and travelling. In his words, “Geography was one of my best subjects in secondary school. I decided to study geography after Diploma courses in Air Ticketing and Reservation as well as Ground School Pilot Training. I lived and did primary and secondary schools in Lagos. I wanted a new experience in the East. The Department of Geography at UNN was the best choice.”
Clifford would leverage his broad knowledge gained through studying Geography at the University of Nigeria in his journalism career. He argued, “I see geography as the study of humans, their environment and the inter-relationships between them. Basically, communication is making issues of human, the environment and the attendant relationships known. If you do this through a mass media like magazine, newspaper, TV and radio, it is mass communication; with my geography background, it was not difficult for me to adjust in journalism.”
Clifford indicated that “Our training as geographers at the Department of Geography at UNN was all-encompassing. Geography at the University of Nigeria is very wide, covering virtually all parts of the physical, human environment and inter-relationships. He indicated that his geographical knowledge mapped unto journalism easily. He argued, “Essentially, we deal with four Ws and H in journalism, that Who, What, Where, When and How.” These are questions of people or population (who), things, events, transport networks, rivers, plateaus etc., or say materials and non-humans (what), location, place and space (where), time, temporalities (when), processes, and interactions (how), which are the core issues in geography. He continues, “ My training in Geography equipped me with the answers. I only needed to read up a few things to be on top of my journalism career.”
Studying Geography at the University of Nigeria also helped Clifford as Politics Editor. The collaborative exchanges between Geography at the University of Nigeria and other Social Sciences Departments helped. Clifford noted that “There is Political Geography, which also interested me. I did Political Science modules POL 101 and POL 102 as electives at UNN. In our time, there was no lecturer, but now, I learned you have lecturers teaching Political Geography in the Department. My love for social studies, current affairs served as advantages. When I went for a recruitment test at The Guardian Newspapers in 1998, I was tested on Environment and Property Desk. However, I was posted to Politics Desk after the test, and I had to grow on the job.”
He advised Geography graduates who want to practice as journalists “must know how to write and love writing if they want to work in a newspaper or magazine. They must also love reading and knowing current affairs. Writing interesting stories on environmental and social issues for willing newspapers and magazines is the way to go. Nowadays, they can top it with pictures, short videos, etc.”
After studying Geography at the University of Nigeria, Clifford would study for a Diploma in Journalism at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, IIMC, New Delhi, India and a master’s in Environmental Resources Management at Lagos State University Lagos, Nigeria.
© Department of Geography, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 2021
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