Damilola Oduolowu is a second-year doctoral student and graduate assistant at the Missouri School of Journalism, where he’s studying media sociology with a particular emphasis on digital journalism. He is studying the dynamics of citizen journalism practices and their implications for journalism and society. He also explores research in environmental journalism and journalism ethics.

Dami is the current Director of Public Relations for the Graduate Professional Council (GPC), the democratic government for all graduate, professional, postdoctoral, and postbaccalaureate students at Mizzou. He also serves as a co-communication chair for the Participatory Journalism Interest Group (PJIG) of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). He is passionate about leadership and has mentored many young journalists and journalism students in Nigeria, his home country. Dami’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of storytellers at Mizzou has been nothing short of inspiring. He currently serves as the President of the University of Missouri chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ).

Damilola is a multitalented international journalist with great experience in multimedia journalism. Before starting the Ph.D. program, he worked with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) World Service as a Senior Journalist Reporter based in Nigeria. He has many stories to his credit, spanning TV, radio, and digital (podcasts, video, and web). Prior to spending 5 years at the BBC, he worked at a leading television news channel in Nigeria, TVC News, for 4 years as a reporter and program producer. Dami co-produced Nigeria’s top breakfast television show, Wake Up Nigeria, and created and produced other programs. He has over nine years of experience as a professional journalist and has delivered various talks and trainings to media and journalism students in tertiary institutions across Nigeria.

He earned his Master’s degree in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos and a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication (specialization in broadcasting) from the Lagos State University School of Communication, both in Lagos, Nigeria.

Dami is passionate about helping young people learn about multimedia journalism. Many of his trainees are now thriving in professional capacities internationally.

Presentations 

Oduolowu, D. (2023, April 7)“We are journalists too”: The role of citizen journalism in the coverage of #EndSARS police brutality protests and its implications for journalism in Nigeria. Research & Creative Activities Forum (RCAF) Conference, University of Missouri-Columbia, Social Sciences Division, Columbia, Missouri, United States. (Third Place Research Presentation Award Winner)

Oduolowu, D. (2023, August)“Journalism demystified”: The role of citizen journalism in covering #EndSARS police brutality protest in Nigeria. Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) Conference, Participatory Journalism Interest Group, Washington, DC, United States.

Capizzo L., Oduolowu, D., Nzau T., Brengarth L., & Duffy M. (2023, August)Advertising agency leadership through COVID: Exploring evolving leadership communication in challenging times. Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) Conference, Advertising Division, Washington, DC, United States.

Oduolowu, D., Luong V., & Lawrie Larissa. (2023, September) “TikTok News Non-Logic”: An Analysis of Audience Responses to the Washington Post’s Delivery of News on TikTok. Future of Journalism Conference, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom.