By Boluwatife Adedokun, Akungba.
A student of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Friday Omosola who participated in the 2022 Millennium Campus Network Leadership (MSN) fellowship, has been appointed as the President of National Union of Campus Journalists as well as the Editor-in-chief of Echo media, a media outlet in AAUA.
Millennium Development Fellowship is a semester-long leadership development program to widen students’ social impact capability and improve their leadership skills.
MCN fellowship was launched in 2013 to convene, challenge and celebrate student leaders for social impact. More than 5,500 young leaders from 300 universities have already participated in MCN programmes to date.
The MCN fellowship program which started in September 2022, and ended January 2023 featured Students across tertiary institutions in the country.
Prior to his graduation from the fellowship, Omolola, the Campus Director for the Millennium Development Fellowship, emerged as the leader of both NUCJ President and Echo Media Editor-in-chief.
In an exclusive Interview with this reporter, Friday affirmed that he has learnt a lot of leadership quality through the Program.
While mentioning his experience in the semester-long Program, Friday noted that the fellowship has contributed to his leadership skills, that will shape the smooth running of his leadership role in the new position.
He said, ” My experiences at Millennium Fellowship were top notch, starting from networking, connection and building my leadership skill as I had wanted to be. I had a dream of learning and building my leadership skill under an international organization. Millennium fellowship came on board and I applied as a campus director and I was selected.
“It has contributed in a lot of ways. During the long semester class, I used a millennium fellowship to apply for a Local Government Youths Parliament in my State and seeing the name on the documents I submitted, they were so surprised”
Speaking further, Friday noted that his experience in MCN Fellowship will help him in different aspects, stating that Millennium has taught him so many ways he can lead without forcing things on people.
“In school, I have seen many student leaders trying to force or demand respect from people they’re leading but MCN made it clear that those are not attitudes of a leader because leaders don’t force or demand respect but earn it from what he has done. It came as a surprise but at the same time, I was elated not because I am about to write my name as one of the past NUCJ President or Editor-in-chief but because I’m confident I’ll impact lives positively
The two roles are really demanding but I trust in God. He’ll help me and I’ll lead my people to the promised land. Journalism is what I love, it’s my passion and I can sacrifice anything for it”
He further stated, “I believe in teamwork and I am quite sure my executives will give me the little boy the support needed.
I have learnt to listen to others, collaborate, and ask for directions which I’ll thread on during my regime. I led MCN fellows and it was a success and I’ll reciprocate the same as NUCJ President and Editor-in-chief”.
When asked how he’s going to make change in the practice of Journalism in the school, he said, “I will Collaborate with media experts and media houses to train our members because through training from people who have been in the system for years, we’ll know what it’s expect of us as campus journalists and how to thrived in the industry after our years here”
I’ll also ensure NUCJ former presidents, Editor-in-chief come onboard to enlighten the newbies and share experiences on how they triumph in school and outside the school”
“I’ll work with my executives to make sure we encourage campus journalists in AAUA to work and get their articles published in newspapers and blogs outside the campus.
We’ll have training and workshops for all our members” He affirmed .
In his remarks about the challenges campus Journalists face, he noted that lack of training and workshop has been the impediment for some of them.
“Threat, lack of training, workshops and personal development. As campus Journalists, once we balance our stories, definitely we’re free from threat. Can you now see the importance of balancing stories. We shouldn’t be bias
Truthfulness and more. School management is our father, mentor and they know more than we do. Without them, no NUCJ, no press outlets on campus among others.
While advising Campus Journalists, Friday asserted that that there are opportunities in the media industry and only the consistent ones can benefit from it.
He said, “My advice for campus Journalists should be don’t be biased, balance your stories, avoid using your stories to cause conflicts and more.
To become a veteran, we must attend training and workshops on our own. What’ll learn today will stick in our brain
“We’ve media houses that train Journalists every weekend and so on. Let’s use our data to learn instead of wasting it on something not necessary”
“I’ll also implore people to join media outlets on campus to learn, not today because tomorrow and their Curriculum Vitae, (CV) because Labor market is competitive.
For the active Journalists, keep pushing. One day, you’ll smile. There are opportunities out there for them to compete for. Grant, fellowship, etc.
And for the upcoming ones, write, write and write. Read, learn, attend training, and have a mentor. One day, you’ll become a veteran and be a great journalist. It starts from somewhere. A drop of water turns into the Ocean”
“Take bold steps to learn. Learning is a process. Journalism is sweet. Journalists are respectable people in society. You’ll meet powerful people and talk to them”. He added
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