Barely 2 years after AAUA Insider -the student-run digital platform amplifying the AAUA stories- commenced operation, the platform made the final list of nominations at the 2022 Youths Digest Campus Journalism Initiatives Awards edition.
Also, five students from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko made the list out of about 336 entries from over 50 institutions in the country. Oluwatosin Ologun, the editor-in-chief [broadcast category]; Phillip Anjorin, managing editor [feature writer category]; Victor Olorunfemi, sports editor [sports category], were among the students along with Akingbondere Babatunde David, a 500-level student of Law [author category]; Akinsulure Semilore, also from Law [broadcast].
According to the chairman of the screening committee, Mr Olanrewaju Oyedeji, only 12 categories made it to the finals out of the proposed 15 categories. “The three categories dropped were photojournalist, syndicated writer and social media influencer,” The nominees whose screening conditions led to the cancellation were as a result of failure to meet up with their tasks”, he said.
Phillip, a 400-level student of Mass Communication made the list with his collaborative fact-check for DUBAWA titled, “Alexandra: Scammers extort millions using 9-year-old girl as bait“
Victor, a 300-level student of Biochemistry- made the sports category with the People’s Gazette “As Gusau resumes NFF job, five key tasks undercut Nigeria’s push to host Africa Cup of Nations after 22 years”
For the broadcast category, Oluwatosin -a 400 level student of Computer Science- joined the list with the series “ASUU Strike: The Days Of Our Lives In Numbers (I – IV)” for Agidigbo F.M, slugging it out with Akinsulure Semilore, who made the list with the “Talent Hunt Show”.
Akingbondere Babatunde David, a 500-level student of Law, capped the Author category with his book
“A History of Students’ Unionism: Chronicling Unionism In Nigerian Universities, A Case-study of.
Speaking with Phillip, he revealed that it is his first selection and all the nominees are worth the award. He said, “This is my first finalist selection, though I’ve been pursuing it for some time. I must say that this year’s selection gave the jury a tough time because the quality of reports submitted all deserve awards.
Oluwatosin disclosed that the training he had at National Broadcast Academy in 2018 exposed him to the “what is and what is not” of broadcasting. “I joined Agidigbo FM, in April 2021. I was part of the 30 finalists in the Youths Digest Campus Journalism Awards (CJA) 2021, and I later won the Edirin Jerry Wesley Best Student in Broadcasting Awards category of CJA 2021”, he said.
Victor felt grateful but stated that there is still a long way off in the profession. He said, “I feel grateful and fulfilled that all the sacrifices that I made in order to get to this point in the profession are finally coming to manifestation. It’s a great feeling actually, there is still a long way though. I have been writing since 2018. It’s been four years that I have been in the profession but started paying off in 2021”.
David expressed how good and optimistic he feels about being a nominee. “I am particularly awed by how my latest book on students’ unionism ended up clinching that kind of recognition, not even when it came out late August. I am never a recipient of any award organised by the conveners of the Campus Journalism Awards”.
This remarkable performance indeed caught the cognizance of other journalists within the campus to fasten their belts and buckle up their shoes for a heterogeneous remarkable recognition in their specific categories.
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