HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT

The Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA) Port Harcourt started in 1981/82 with three departments, Biblical, Pastoral and Dogmatic, for the study of theology and related disciplines in the socio-cultural context of West Africa. Other departments were later added as the need arose. These include Moral Theology in 1986/87 and Canon Law in 1991/92.

In 2003/2004 academic session, the Centre for the Study of African Culture and Communication was established in the Faculty of Theology of CIWA to provide a communication education with a cultural, religious and social orientation not readily available in most Universities and Higher Institutes of Learning in Nigeria and other countries of West Africa. In 2005/2006 academic session, the University of Calabar approved its MA Programme in Pastoral Communication. In this light, the Centre was renamed the Department of Pastoral Communication. From further interaction with the University of Calabar, it is now known and called the Department of Communication Studies.

At its inception in 2003/2004 academic session, the Department started with nineteen students, three full time and three part-time lecturers. The full time lecturers included Prof. Robert White SJ, the Project Director, Rev. Fr. Prof. Joseph OladejoFaniran, the Director and Rev. Fr. Dr. Walter Ihejirika, the Assistant Director. Mr. BankoleLaotan and Mr. Titus Ogunwale were the two part time lecturers. The then Miss Esther Ogbozor, now Mrs. Esther Offor, served as the Administrative Secretary.

The Department admitted the first set of students for the BA Programme in Communication Studies in 2007/2008 academic year. In its meeting of January 8, 2009, the Senate of the University of Calabar approved the BA Programme, subject to NUC ratification.

Today, there are seventeen permanent lecturers and four part-time lecturers. These include: Rev. Fr. Dr. Gerard M. Musa, the Head of Department, Rev. Fr. Assoc. Prof. Inaku K. Egere, Prof. Robert White SJ, Rev. Fr. Prof. Jude A. Asanbe,  Rev. Fr. Assoc. Prof. Anozie Onyema, Rev. Fr. Dr. Emmanuel Olúsolá, Rev. Dr. Cosmas Ebebe, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hilary Odenore., Rev. Sr. Dr. Elizabeth Adoluju, SSMA, Rev. Fr. Dr. Evaristus Nnamene, Rev. Fr. Dr. Chijioke Azuawusiefe, SJ, Rev. Fr. Dr. Patrick Alumuku, Rev Fr. Dr. Chris Anynawu. D. Osueke, and W. Duru. Former members of the department include Rt. Rev. Msgr. Prof. Joseph Oládèjo Fáníran (late), Rev.  Fr. Prof. John Gangwuari (late), and Rev. Sr. Prof. Teresa Okure. 

At the beginning of 2014/2015 academic year, the Governing Council of CIWA relocated the Department to the Obehie Campus in Abia State after the departure of Veritas University to its permanent site in Abuja, the Federal Capital of Nigeria.