Professor Ogwezzy-Ndisika Abigail Odozi
Faculty
2nd Floor, Biodun Shobanjo Multimedia Centre of Excellence Building

Professor Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika is a Communication for Development specialist, with emphasis on the use of strategic communication for behavioural and social change. She holds a B.A. in Linguistics and Communication, University of Port-Harcourt; PGD, M.Sc. in Mass Communication, University of Lagos, M.A. in Gender and Development, University of Sussex, England; and  PhD, in Communication Arts, University of Ibadan. Professor Ogwezzy-Ndisika started her career as an academic at the Department of Mass communication, University of Lagos in 2001; and has over 25 years work experience in Development, Communication and Management. She consults for various Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), multilateral and bilateral agencies, local NGOs and management consulting firms on gender, communication and leadership. Some of the agencies and organisations she consults for are UNDP, UNICEF, UNODC, WHO, ILO, USAID, DFID Partnership for Transforming Health Systems Phase II (PATHS2), The Electronic Development and Environment Information System (ELDIS). She  has been involved in researches, design of training manuals, training workshops, conceptualisation and development of technical papers, review of technical documents, message design, monitoring and evaluation of development activities, documentation, and the design and implementation of communication strategy & action plans.  

 

She is an experienced top-rated facilitator and was a member of UNICEF national team of master trainers on advocacy, social mobilization and community dialogue tool (CDT) for the prevention-of-Mother-to-Child-Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV; ENABLE2, a DFID-funded business advocacy programme to build the capacity of media houses, to develop and sustain the content of  pages; UNDP national team of trainers for “Professional Reporting of Electoral Processes For Nigeria’s 2011 and 2015 Elections”; and was a trainer for the Federal Project Management Unit Office (Rural Access And Mobility Project – RAMP). She also championed ENABLE2 knowledge management; and currently the lead facilitator for the design of gender guidelines for 2019 election coverage and programming.

 

Her researches are on the gender and communication dimensions to development, particularly the activities of women in achieving environmental sustainability and better health for all; and media representation of women in politics and advertisements. She has published articles and books locally and internationally, totalling 56 (41 academic publications; and 15 technical papers). The findings of her researches find expression in her community service activities, which focus on inclusivity and reducing gender imbalance in development. Also, she has mentored 429 students (supervised 286 masters dissertations, 143 Postgraduate Diploma Projects; and co-supervised six [6] doctoral theses).

 

She was a visiting scholar under the Erasmus+ staff mobility teaching programme at Birmingham City University (BCU), United Kingdom in April 2018. Furthermore, she is a recipient of ELF Petroleum Coy Ltd and British Chevening scholarships; laureate of the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA); laureate of the African Association of Political Science, (AAPS)/Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation (HFGF); laureate of Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, Washington, DC; and 1991 best graduating student in Department of Linguistics and Communication, University of Port Harcourt.

 

She is also a member of the Editorial Board of a leading national newspaper; member, Editorial Boards of Journals of Media and Communication Studies; reviewer of several technical documents; discussant and panelists at various fora; and produced several development documentaries.

 

In addition, she is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (MNIPR); Associate Registered Practitioner of Advertising (arpa); member, Network on Behavioural Research for Child Survival in Nigeria (NETBRECSIN); member, Association of Communication Scholars & Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN); African Council for Communication Education (ACCE); Association of Women in Development (AWID); Association for Promoting Nigerian Languages and Culture (APNILAC); and International Association for Mass Communication Research (IAMCR).

Research Area