THE Future belongs to those who prepare for it today - Malcolm X. These words by the great American activist summarised the entirety of the first-ever Career Summit held by the Association of Campus Journalists, LASU, on Friday, July 26, 2024.
The summit, themed "Preparing Campus Journalists for the Media of the 21st Century," featured experts and professionals in the Nigerian media world as speakers, including Dr Tunde Akanni, Mr Lekan Otufodurin (represented by Mr Adejumo Kabir), Mrs Itunuoluwa Hunga of the Women in Leadership Advancement Network, Mr Bayo Wahab, and Miss Abdulsemiu Monsuroh.
Among the plethora of advice and words offered by the speakers, one message stood out: the rallying cry for student journalists to prepare. This message was passionately echoed and re-echoed as if all the guests had met before the event and decided to convey the same message.
Dr Tunde Akanni, the Father of the Day, began this rally in his address. In his words; “Where you are now is the perfect place to equip yourself. Build value, register your invaluability in the organisation, and cultivate a very strong passion for the job.”
Corroborating the truth of this statement during the panel discussion, he tells an interesting story, and it is about one of the panellists. Many years ago, Mr Bayo Wahab was still a student at LASU’s Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, previously known as the School of Communication, when a friend of Dr Tunde Akanni, who was gearing up to start his newspaper reached out to him and asked that he recommends someone to be a part of it, and Prof. recommended Mr Bayo Wahab without thinking twice. Prof.’s recommendation meant one thing; he had carefully observed him and found him not just diligent, but also prepared. He must have excelled in various minor school tasks to bag such heavy trust, and true to the recommendation, Mr Bayo performed exceptionally well all through his time there.
This story, which was retold by Mr Bayo on the day reinforces the thesis of this piece: tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. For students of journalism and aspiring media practitioners, the present decentralised era of the media offers an avalanche of opportunities, making excuses unnecessary. Much more than ever before, the media world yearns for young folks who are not just smart, but also equipped.
Sadly, and most unfortunately so, there is a big gulf between what is and what should be. The internet, which is the enabler of today’s democratised media world that in itself is an opportunity for the focused to build remarkable lives has become a big problem. What was supposed to become the catalyst for the advancement of our world has become a distraction, and a majority of the ones who are supposed to take the baton of safeguarding the media space of the future, by mastering ethical media practice, have been swallowed by these distractions, leaving the elders and present custodians of this noble profession to worry about its future.
Hence, students must start realising that the University, which is a microcosm of society presents the best opportunity for one to prepare and position one’s self for the future he so desires. Aspiring media practitioners in the University must strive to not be drowned in the distraction that social media offers. As Mr Kabir also posited in the Summit, and as corroborated by Mr Bayo, Miss Monsuroh, and Mrs Hunga, this is the time to latch onto the blessings of the digital age.
This is the time to learn its unique navigations and explore. This is the time to start reporting campus activities. This is where to start building your writing and communication skills. This is where to start leveraging free sites to publish your works. This is where to master digital tools that aid better reportage. This is where to join relevant student organisations and grow. This is where to take advantage of student-based opportunities and widen one’s horizon. This is where to build impactful and life-changing, long-term networks and relationships.
Ultimately, there is no miracle anywhere waiting to happen, as success only happens when preparation meets opportunity, and any opportunity met without the requisite preparation is a disaster waiting to happen. The cry has been sounded, but it remains to be seen whether the message will be embraced or not.
