The Department of Mass Communication, University of Ilorin, has commended the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) for donating five copies of its book, titled, ‘Truth, Trust, and the Future of Journalism in Nigeria’, describing the gesture as timely and beneficial to the department.

The Head of the Department, Prof. Rasaq Adisa, made the commendation during the presentation of the books by the NGE Vice President (West), Dr. Kabir Alabi Garba.

He explained that the donation came at the right time because the department was preparing for its accreditation scheduled for middle of November.

“Part of what we need for our accreditation is the number of books we have, how relevant the books are, and how recent the books we have are. So for the Guild of Editors to have given us five copies of the book, published in 2026, it is a great asset for our department, for the library, and for the university in general,” he said.

The HOD also underscored the importance of books as reliable sources of knowledge in an increasingly artificial intelligence-driven world, cautioning students against relying solely on AI-generated information.

According to him, books provide access to authentic, factual and well-documented information, including the practical experiences of professionals that may not be adequately captured in theoretical studies.

“Today, we always advise our students not to depend solely on AI to get their information because not all information on AI is reasonable, realistic, authentic and factual. The best place to get it is the experience documented in books,” he said.

He added that the donated publication would be particularly valuable to students because its chapters were contributed by professionals with firsthand experience in journalism.

“The book is great because it contains different chapters contributed by those who have lived it, those who have experienced the profession. It contains the experiences of these people, which we cannot find in theories. So, it will be advantageous to the student,” Adisa stated.

He consequently encouraged students to cultivate the habit of seeking knowledge through books.

And making effective use of the university library to strengthen their understanding of journalism and prepare for professional practice.

Adisa further disclosed that copies of the book would be made available in the university library, while others would be kept on the department’s shelves to ensure that Mass Communication students could access the publication directly.