A former vice-chancellor of the Federal University, Kashere in Gombe State, Professor Umaru Pate, says late renowned Mass Communication scholar and former commissioner for education in Lagos State, Professor Idowu Akanbi Sobowale, would be remembered for training generations of communication scholars in Nigeria and beyond.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP Weekend yesterday over the demise of Prof. Sobowale who died at the age 85 recently, Pate described his death as a very sad loss.

He said the scholar lived his period, and his passage represented the passage of generations of scholars who pioneered communication studies in Nigeria.

“In life, nothing is permanent, Professor Idowu Sobowale lived within his period, he left generations of scholars that he helped training. It is a very sad loss, he was among the early fellows who became professor in the field of communication.”

“In fact, he studied and led in the teaching of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos and served in many capacities in the academic ladder as external examiner, supervisor and provided intellectual and administrative leadership roles in different institutions. We thank God for his life,” Prof. Pate said.

Prof. Pate, the pioneer president of the Society of Nigerian Broadcasters who holds the traditional title of Kaigama Adamawa, further asserted that the late Professor Sobowale left legacy books which subsequent generations would read and his name would remain for a very long time in communication scholarship.