By Hope Nda
After heading the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, JMC, for five years, Associate Professor Kingsley Ngange, has been uplifted to Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Research and Cooperation with the Business world, DVC/RCB, in recent Presidential appointments at the University of Buea, UB.
The journalism and mass communication guru was appointed among 71 officials commissioned by President Paul Biya on June 17 into different positions at the 10 State Universities in Cameroon.
As a researcher, journalism trainer and experienced administrator, Prof Ngange, heading the University of Buea’s research and business arm, might just be the right man for the right job. He is credited for fast-tracking research at the JMC Department, which under his reign has produced at least six Doctors; about 70 Masters and thousands of Bachelor’s degree holders.
Last year, after he had headed the JMC Department for four years, Ngange, who describes himself as a deconstructionist, told Chariot Magazine he was upholding the three missions of the University of Buea – research, teaching and outreach.
“For research, within these four years, myself and colleagues who were closely with me have been able to publish and co-publish close to 30 publications, which include edited books, book chapters, and journal articles in renowned places. Today, the fruit is there for us to see. We’ve been carrying out research and fronting research in very topical areas like the use of social media, media technology in society,” he said.
Before becoming JMC Head of Department in 2017, Ngange had served as Faculty Officer at the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, UB’s largest faculty.
He also managed the Communication Research Centre, CRC, of the JMC Department for several years before handing it over to Dr Stephen Ndode, a JMC Instructor and Communication Researcher.
In the meantime, UB’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communication is yet to be reassigned a Head of Department or an interim to continue from where Prof. Ngange is stopping.
The Presidential Decrees of June 17 also appointed other officials at the University among them Prof. Lucy Ndip Ayamba as Director of Student Affairs and Professor Tabi Atemnkeng Johannes as Director of Financial Affairs.
Also, former UB Registrar, Prof Ernest Molua, was appointed Director of Infrastructure, Planning and Development at the University of Douala, while the current UB Faculty of Education Dean, Associate Prof. Agborbechem Peter, was appointed to head the University of Bamenda’s Faculty of Education.