Team lead of Platforms Africa Adeola Yusuf has assured young journalists and students of mass communication at the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) that the future of journalism is promising despite technological and economic challenges.
A three-time winner of the Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA), Mr Yusuf delivered a lecture titled “Print Media Organisation in Nigeria from Conception to Economic Glory: Weaning the Young Journalists” at a seminar for 300-level mass communication students of the university.
According to him, the consistent advancement in technology gives credence to his belief that no creative journalist should be out of job.
The media lecture also featured Nigeria’s former ambassador to the United Kingdom Sarafa Tunji-Isola; former information minister Lai Mohammed, TV host Morayo Afolabi-Brown and Chrisland varsity lecturer Dr. Demolu Okuneye.
Admitting that technology poses some challenges to conventional journalism practice and made hard copy newspaper publishing and terrestrial broadcasting less lucrative, Yusuf stated that the same technology, where properly studied and applied, has been a revenue spinner for many journalists and non-journalists in Nigeria and around the world.
“Journalism is a trade no one can escape. You are either the seller, the product or the buyer,” he said, adding that while consistent change in technology has made many trained journalists to be products and buyers of information on new media, many untrained people have been smiling to the banks for adapting to and taking full advantage of the imminent change in technology.
“Many journalists who may be complaining of what they believe are disadvantages technology has brought to their trade, use their data to watch skits by Taaooma, Mark Angel, Layi Wasabi, Mr. Macaroni and Lege Miami.
“Some even still marvel at how Instablog9ja and Linda Ikeji make a lot of money with their hot gist and society reportage. If you do not understand or agree with how skitmakers are making it through creativity, the two blogs I have mentioned are already believed by many to be practising information dissemination – something close to journalism – with the help of the same technology many professionals complained about.
“They are owned by two young and creative Nigerians who never attended university to study mass communication. While Linda Ikeji studied English Language at the University of Lagos, the owner of Instablog9ja, according to the blog, is Mr. Aruleba who studied an agric-related course at the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB). Without prejudice, these young Nigerians have done well for themselves using the tools many who were trained in mass communication have failed to use – technology.
“Good news is that professionals are now becoming awake with establishments of thriving online newspapers like Platforms Africa, Premium Times, The Cable, The Eagle Online and Freedom Online, among others. Conventional newspapers, too, are not left out as they now have versatile online editions and PDF papers. It is as simple as if you are not there, you are nowhere!
“The time you have spent being a product or buyer of information with your data is enough. You are students here to study mass communication to be actively involved in the trade of journalism as the seller of information. What else are you waiting for?”
Responding, the dean of faculty of social sciences Prof. Dele Odunlami expressed admiration for Yusuf’s Platforms Africa and its style of news writing and headline casting.
“I usually see the byline as I have been reading your stories. I am happy that I am meeting you in person today,” Professor Odunlami said.
He charged the students to take note and make full use of the advice given by Yusuf and all the resource persons.
“These pieces of advice from our resource persons will go a long way in brightening up your future in your chosen career as journalists or broadcasters,” he concluded.
