Campus journalists urged to embrace technology

Kowiyat Adepoju ― Veteran journalist and Executive Director, Media Career Development Network, Lekan Otufodunrin, has advised young media professionals to learn the fundamentals of journalism and to be technologically-oriented in order to thrive in today’s media industry.

He said this during the Ogun State Campus Journalism Summit organised by The Press Club, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic.

The summit which had in attendance over 50 students from various tertiary institutions in the state was organized to encourage students to make giant strides in the profession, enlighten the students about the rudiments of journalism while opening them to diverse opportunities in the media industry.

Otufodunrin who was the guest lecturer spoke on the theme “Modern Journalism: Moving Away from the Norm.”

He encouraged students to master the norms before moving beyond to explore other forms of journalism such as fact-checking, solutions, investigative, data and digital journalism.

He said: “Going beyond the norms means you must not be satisfied with being a local journalist but one that keeps abreast of new developments globally in the profession, belong to the right network and can collaborate to cross-border reporting.”

He added: “Moving beyond the norm means not waiting till you graduate before utilising skills you are learning to make necessary impact in the industry. Your ambition should not be only seeking jobs in the media but coming up with media start-up ideas that can challenge the status quo.”

On technological trends in the society, the veteran journalist said “you must change if you want to continue to be relevant in the profession and the change in this context is not what journalism is about. It is about the process and the tools used to perform the tasks expected of journalism.”

Also contributing was ace broadcaster and media executive, Omoluabi Victor Eniola Mark,l who urged students who are passionate about media profession to endeavour to have a second address that will help them to remain financially and professionally balanced owing to the fact that journalism isn’t always a very lucrative profession.

“Having a second address that brings money to one makes one not to consider taking brown envelope which is against the ethics of the profession,” he said.

Also speaking at the occasion was the Head of Station, Sweet 107.1 FM, Laurah Norah who advised the students to maintain a high level of creativity and continuity to succeed in the media industry.

The highlight of the summit was the relaunch of the organiser’s magazine, The Fact after about seven years of absence, the handing over of the Hassan Abdusalam-led Press Club MAPOLY executive and the presentation of awards to meritorious campus journalists.

The awardees include Efosa Taiwo, Campus Editor of the Year; Quadri Yahya, Creative Writer of the Year; Jeffrey Ikolo, Feature Writer of the Year; Hassan Abdulsalam, Sports Writer of the year all from MAPOLY, while Press Club MAPOLY was awarded the Campus Press of the Year.

Others are Akintulobo Precious (AAPOLY), Rookie Reporter of the Year and Oluseyi Abe (FCE, Osiele) who was crowned the Campus Journalist of the Year.

The new Press Club MAPOLY executive members

The executive members inaugurated to steer the affairs of the association for the 2021/2022 session include Rasheed Olamide, President; Abdulrazaq Fatoki, Vice President; Kowiyat Adepoju, Editor; Fawaz Adebisi, Editor 1; Jeffrey Ikolo, Editor 2; Rebecca Olawunni, General Secretary; Oladele Akinyemi, Assistant General Secretary; Zynab Akodu, Public Relations Officer (PRO); Moyosore Ilesanmi, Welfare; Adeyemo Taiwo, Deputy P.R.O; Odunayomi Ogunsola, Financial Secretary; Gbadamosi Lateef, Graphic Designer; Kemahoun Isaac, Photo Editor; Zainab Abiola, Associate Editor, and Adenekan Hammed, Protocol Officer.

Speaking on his swearing-in as the new president, Olamide who hails from the department of Electrical/Electronics Engineering said his interest to join the club aroused after his industrial training where he met with a publisher; even though his course of study is about electrical work.

He said: “Well, one of the reasons I joined was because I wanted a club or team of like-minded people (writers, journalists etc.) As I mentioned, I’m from Electrical Engineering Department where we are concerned about what would happen if this red wire meets another red wire. A greater part of engineering students are bothered about solving Circuit Theory, no one has the time or mental fortitude to be a writer.”

He added, “Press Club Mapoly has been known for its excellence. I plan to keep that excellence going.”