With the aim of achieving first-class honours, Abdulrasheed Akere, the immediate past editor-in-chief of Pen Press, went all out in his studies when he began his academic journey in 2019.
Studying Education and Biology is tough. Apart from reading, Akere attended numerous tutorial sessions to lay the groundwork for achieving his dream first-class degree. To him, it’s first-class or nothing—and to achieve this, he must focus.
During his 2nd year at the University, Akere discovered his passion for journalism and decided to join Pen Press—one of the five press boards at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS)
As a newcomer in campus journalism, Akere enjoyed several mentorships under the EIC he met at Pen Pres—Abdulrasheed Hammad—where he acquired skills in journalism.
“I owe my inspiration to pursue reporting to Abdulrasheed Hamad, who was the then editor-in-chief during my 200-level year,” he said. “Under his guidance, I honed essential skills in campus journalism, including news reporting, feature writing, fact-checking, and more.”
To him, campus journalism has offered him many opportunities for professional growth and learning.
Akere revealed that his initial determination on arriving on campus was to focus solely on his studies and work tirelessly towards achieving his goal of a first-class degree, but campus journalism ultimately paved the way for his academic excellence and prominence.
Juggling Academics with Campus Journalism: The Challenges
Regardless of the intense academic pressure, particularly at UDUS renowned as one of Nigeria’s most challenging institutions, Akere finds that balancing academic activities with campus journalism, though highly challenging, is ultimately worthwhile.
“Merging academic activities with journalism is extremely demanding, but it has become a fundamental aspect of my career path, greatly shaping my chances as a degree holder—offering me numerous opportunities I never imagined possible,” Akere said.
Like Akare, Abdullateef Abdullahi was another campus journalist and the immediate past EIC of the News Digest Press. Abdullateef joined campus journalism on his 100-level days in the second semester.
Having been introduced to it by his coursemate, Abdullateef gave his all and won many awards with the News Digest Press and later became the editor-in-chief of the pressboard.
“Through The News Digest, I honed my writing skills and transitioned from campus journalist to freelance writer, discovering the vast possibilities of journalism beyond academia via a fellowship programme,” he said.
The Professional Skills I’ve Gained Are Invaluable —Hussain Wahab
Beyond his primary assignment as a law student, Hussain Wahab, the immediate past president of the National Association of Campus Journalists, had a passion for journalism that yielded great results.
“I’m grateful for my experience in campus journalism, which has been instrumental in shaping my career,” he said. “The professional skills I’ve gained are invaluable.”
To Hussain, campus journalism is a professional skill that should be put into practice.
When asked about the importance of acquiring professional skills, he said, “The beauty of learning professional skills, or any skill for that matter, lies in its permanence—once you’ve acquired it, it becomes yours forever, no matter what life brings.”
Sharing the same enthusiasm as others, Isiaaq Ibrahim proudly attributed his success to campus journalism for the significant role it had played in his academic growth and the invaluable mentorship it offered.
“Through campus journalism, I come to learn a whole lot, including the likes of participating in climate change workshops organized by Brain Builder Youth Development, the Campus Journalism Clinic through CJID, and participating in the Liberalist Fellowship, among others,” Ibrahim stated.
