Otufodunrin cutting his birthday cake |
ADA DIKE
Families,
friends, mass media practitioners and students, last Friday, May 9, 2014,
gathered at the Auditorium of the Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Ogba,
Lagos, to celebrate the teacher of teachers and the Editor, Online and Special
Publication of The Nation Newspapers, Lagos, Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin who clocked
50.
Unlike other
birthday celebrations where people would wear uniform (Aso-ebi) and dance till
dusk, it was an avenue by which mass communication professionals shared ideas
and journalism students learned a few things on media career development.
The chairman of the occasion, President Guild
of Editors and Managing Director, Sun Newspapers, Mr. Femi Adesina moderated
the event and emphasized the need for professionalism in journalism. He advised
the students to pick some journalists who have done well in the vocation as
their mentors.
Similarly, the
celebrant and author of three books, Otufodunrin, while delivering his birthday
lecture, titled: “Reinventing Journalism practice in Nigeria: The need for
conscious media career development,” traced the beginning of his career in
journalism to 1984, when he was an intern in the defunct National Concord
newspapers and revealed that that three months plus experience in many ways
prepared him for what has turned out to be his long sojourn in journalism which
from every indication would not end soon.
The
President, Journalists for Christ, Nigeria, emphasized on the need for media
organisations and individuals to show more than passing interest in helping to
train up-coming journalists and urged media organizations to have budget for
the training of their staff.
In his
words: “Right from media training institutions for those who have the
opportunity to attend one, to the various media houses there is a
yearning gap for the implementation of well articulated media industry relevant
training and career support for journalists.
“I
acknowledge that there are indeed some efforts being made but what we need is a
coordinated approach to ensuring that journalists are well trained in media
training institutions. That some Mass Communication students graduate these day
don’t have what it takes to work in a media house is a reflection of the
quality of training they are getting and how obsolete the curriculum is. There
is need for a well defined working relationship between media training
institutions and media organisations. If the graduates are being produced to
work in media organisations, the training institutions should work with the
employers to produce the right quality of graduates.
“I don’t
know how many media houses budget for training of their staff. Some media
houses have training managers, but in some instances such positions are
‘Siberia’ postings, if you know what I mean. My experience is that we have
largely abandoned training of journalists to Media Non Governmental
Organisations, who understandably have their own agenda and focus. NGO
trainings unfortunately do not cover many area of media coverage. Most times,
they are in the areas of health, human rights and a few others,” he said.
In the same
vein, the discussants of the lecture comprising: Editor, Sunday Punch, Toyosi
Ogunseye, Executive Director, Media Support Centre, Wale Fatade, and Funke Treasure,
Controller, Corporate Development, Research and Strategy, Radio Nigeria, Lagos
Operations Funke Treasure also stressed the need for training.
Wale Fatade
was of the opinion that ethical journalism was fast varnishing, meaning that
journalism is in crisis.
He explained
the difference a job and a career and noted that “one thing that is missing in journalism
is mentoring. Training is very important. Set aside certain amount from your
earning and use it to develop yourself.”
Funke Treasure
stated that transference of one’s experience and knowledge to younger
colleagues is important. She cited Late Omololu Falobi, a journalist who
set up a
non-governmental organization on health issues, as an example of the few
journalists who people are benefiting from their works after their demise.
She maintained
that many journalists were not schooled and said that “talent can take you far
but training can take you further.”
Toyosi Ogunseye urged everyone to seek
opportunities in order to grow, know the company they keep and have mentors
that would encourage them in their career.
The event also
featured exhibition of Otufodunrin’s publications and others by Media Non
Governmental Organisations.
No comments:
Post a Comment