Oluwatomisin Amokeoja writes on the exploits of two journalists who have maximised new media skills to enhance their careers
The limitless and boundless opportunities access to the internet present explains why media practitioners, by exploring available online platforms can attract readers who can offer recommendations and employment.
Currently experienced the world over is the imperative paradigm shift from the traditional means of disseminating information to the new media, given the pandemic ravaging the world. Like the media industry, every other industry has been forced to continue operation online while the staff work remotely from home.
Traditional media organisations are downsizing and placing staff on compulsory leave, but here’s the silver lining: online media organisations are massively recruiting. The vacancies are everywhere online. But obviously, only the qualified can apply to be considered for employment.
Online platforms like Medium, LinkedIn, Blogger and the social media affords budding and established media practitioners alike the opportunity to prove their mettle as professionals confident in their craft. Addition of networking and mentorship goes a long way to make all the difference that a young journalist needs to soar.
Despite the featuring of Sola Abe’s project “Why FGM may be difficult to end in Nigeria” at the 73rd United Nations General Assembly and her recent selection, by Women Deliver, a global advocate for gender equality and the health and rights of girls and women — as a Young Leader of the 2020 class comprising 300 beneficiaries out of which 117 are Africans with 22 others from Nigeria, she still continues to use her social media platforms to share important stories and resources.
The young Nigerian digital journalist and quiet achiever who reports on influential women that inspire change and speaks to young girls about menstrual hygiene and management was able to, with the combination of using online platforms, advance her career enjoying support from friends and mentors. She leverages on the global reach of online platforms to air her thoughts in the bid to promoting gender equality.
The internet has afforded her the opportunity to juggle her job together with volunteering for non-profit initiatives like Sanitary Aid Initiative and Wellbeing for Africa among other notable organisations supporting women and children causes.
As a graduate of Broadcast Journalism, instead of letting the inability to secure an internship with an electronic media organization get to her, she opted for an available internship opportunity with a national print media because she wanted to learn and actively participate in the process of becoming a journalist.
While at it, she learnt the importance of good content which would later inform her resolve to do more writing for online media with venturing later into broadcast media still in view.
Notable among Abe’s publications are “Menstruation: I Wish I Was Told Not To Be Scared Of It, Teenage Mothers In Struggle For A Second Chance; Female Genital Mutilation: Why Won’t I Cut My Daughter? and Why Fight Against Rape In Nigeria Has Not Been Effective, which have all received global acceptance and sparked conversations on the need to treat genders equally.
She is always willing to speak on menstrual hygiene management, Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FMG/C) and impact of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) on women.
Chief News Editor for Hotjist.com and Director, Creative Contents for 3Sixtyworld TV, Joseph Omoniyi’s “heavy” media work experience even before completing National Service in Bauchi posed a “serious burden” to him in securing a job afterwards.
Some interviewers felt he was overqualified based on his resume, but he eventually got a job as a staff writer for the online media organisation and later got promoted and confirmed for two positions he had earlier acted in. Today, he can be at the office sourcing, writing, or editing contents for publishing, while also planning a film production.
A major contributor to the success of 3Sixtyworld TV bagging three awards in the 2018 MTN Shortz Awards, boasts of about 10 years of experience in various departments of the media industry, starting out as a young journalist in 2010 to “successfully grow into a dynamic content producer, being part of several productions from scratch (script) to finish (screen).” He has produced several exclusive contents ranging from; news, entertainment, documentaries, movies, TV/Radio programmes.
Omoniyi, as a student journalist, covered the magistrate court beat for the school’s community newspaper and magazine from year one. On one of those visits — he met a practising journalist who greatly encouraged him. The innovative undergraduate reporter would later be appointed as the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the same school publication.
Apart from journalism, another thing he also practised passionately while in school was theatre and film production, although he had been part of a faith-based drama and film production company before then. He joined a group that staged a couple of plays in and outside the school and then later co-founded a new one (Faith-based): The Arkbearers, which he leads till date. Almost immediately after his graduation, he went for a couple of training both in TV and Film production.
In an interview with the writer, his message for aspiring journalists was “dear undergraduate pursuing a career in the media do everything in school even if you have a specific ‘darling’. Challenge yourself. Take up voluntary jobs related to the media. Be consistent. Be willing to learn from every ‘no’ and turndown.”
Abe holds the same view with Omoniyi, as she makes it clear that it shouldn’t always be about freelancing for organisations that would pay. “Your focus should not be on the money. In the beginning, all I was paid was a paltry sum but I didn’t bother because all I needed at the time was to push my works out there. Little did I know that my very first story with Wellbeing for Africa would feature at the 73rd United Nations General Assembly. Having my story on that huge platform launched me into a very bigger opportunity.”
Stressing the need to volunteer for platforms that would promote a writer’s work, Abe added: “I’m now one of the 300 young leaders for Women Deliver. I want to believe that my featured work on the platform I volunteered for must have been one of the major considerations for my selection even though I still attribute the achievement to God. Even the Holy Book of the Christians attests to the fact that ‘faith without work is dead,’ so no matter how little the work is, just put it out,” the young writer added.
According to her, the reward can only come with consistency and resilience: “Yes! There are days you will get tired but do not relent, keep putting out the work. Don’t keep your eye on the money because opportunities will definitely come that will surpass the money you did not opt for, so look out for organisations that you can freelance for; bigger platforms where people can read your work and interact with you or platforms you can just put your work because you don’t know when and how the opportunities will start trickling in. And you will need those stories to take advantage of the opportunities. I still make reference to stories as far back as 2016, 2017, when opportunities present themselves to me like one of my favourite stories published by The Cable.”
On exploring all avenues possible, she added: “Do not limit yourself to just working in a media organisation as other opportunities can present themselves like working with the corporate communications in other institutions. Someone with a flair for investigative reporting could leave the newsroom for an NGO. Opportunities abound so much in the media that you can work in any institution. I’m focusing on being a communication expert for an international NGO that focuses on women and children. Put yourself in positions where you can quickly take opportunities when they come. You cannot understand the journey at once, it’s as you progress you understand it.”
She was quick to chip in the place of providence in human affairs, noting that whatever religion you are practising, never take out the God factor in your affairs because you will really need Him by your side in your journey to guide you and open the doors of opportunities; you need to constantly communicate. There is a calling and purpose attached to every human being, I have realised that I am called to help women discover themselves beyond how they are addressed by society. And journalism gives the expression to my calling.”
There is always the need to change with the times which is why the young writer has advised media practitioners young and old to keep evolving because in her words: “Personal development is key as well. You have to be in tune with the current approach to communication obtainable. Be open to learning which can lead to opportunities. Be versatile, don’t limit yourself as a journalist, be able to fit into any area of communication in any organisation at all. Know how all the tools for present-day journalism works.”