Award-winning campus media publisher, AAUA INSIDER, was launched November 1, 2020. As it clocks a years, the Editor-in-Chief, Oluwatosin Ologun, in an exclusive interview talked about the creation, challenges and the future of AAUA INSIDER. Excerpt…
Kindly introduce yourself.
I’m Oluwatosin Ologun, the incumbent President of Nigeria Union of Campus Journalists, Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko Ondo State chapter and the Editor-in-Chief of AAUA INSIDER.
AAUAINSIDER is said to be established and organized by you. Please shed more light on this?
AAUA Insider is from the Insider brand. AAUA INSIDER was established by the Insider brand. I was actively involved in the establishment of the brand here alongside the Yousuph Adebayo Grey, the Publisher. Apparently, I have been organizing it for the past 12 months now, with the help of the great minds in the brand.
After the creation of FSS INSIDER, we decided to extend to AAUA, that’s why we now have AAUA INSIDER. It started from me sending out registration link to students of AAUA, who are interested in digital journalism.
What inspired you to create AAUA INSIDER?
We were inspired to create a platform that reports on the intriguing lifestyle embedded in the DNA of the students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko with an approach that screams; this is for us by us; showcasing the best of us and generally amplifying the stories that matters to the student of AAUA. Our essence is an wholesome reportage on every single facet of the AAUA life; the good, the bad and perhaps the ugly.
As we know students are reluctant to things like this. Please tell me more about the challenges faced in getting people to work because I know you are not paying them.
I don’t fully agree that students are not interested in this. From the last three major recruitments that we have done, I saw the passion and zeal in young minds. One of the challenges is making reporters consistent. Another challenge is the level of professionalism of which they practice journalism.
What are the problems faced in maintaining the essence of this noble platform?
The major challenge is money. It’s our wish to actually reward every deserving member of AAUA INSIDER, to keep the fire burning in them, but we don’t have it. Another problem is the reading culture in this part of the world.
As the Editor-in-Chief, how have you being coping with the news blog, academics and other part of life?
It’s just that I see it as my responsibility, and I try as much as possible to give everything I have to it. I have missed classes because of journalism, I have gone through stress, it is just for the main time, you know it’s a new brand, and people trust us for what we do, above all, it’s not easy to be at the top as the foremost digital journalism platform in AAUA. I create time for academics. The other part of life is volunteering and tech. With the help of my team members, I also create time for other things. For the record, I am part of four other organizations on campus.
Can you list the organizations?
Junior Chamber International, ENACTUS, Nigeria Union of Campus Journalists and Debating Society.
As the editor-in-chief, what publication inspires you the most?
This is somewhat hard. But I feel it is Phillip Anjorin’s story about the Students Union leaders ‘swallowing” money. We got the story published before FIJ, Sahara Reporters or any other mainstream platform.
Do you have any work experience before the creation of AAUAINSIDER be it journalism or editing?
I had the opportunity to serve as the Editor-in-Chief of Union of Campus Journalists, Federal School of Statistics, Ibadan from 2016 to 2017. I was the Managing Editor of FSS INSIDER in 2020. And I am currently working for News Digest Nigeria.
How do you stay motivated with repetitive tasks like proofreading, fact-checking or source-checking?
For a journalist, it’s not about the rigorous process getting stories published, it’s about the public good. The impact of stories and the responsibility of information, entertaining and educating AAUA students is the motivating factor. And of course, reporters are always glad.
What are your future plans for AAUAINSIDER?
The future plan is for AAUA INSIDER to continue to be the leading journalistic platform telling the stories of AAUA students. We hope to be platform for students that are interested in journalism, and do everything to hone their journalistic skills. For the greater good, AAUA INSIDER will be a driving force to the development of our institution.
Before you go, kindly drop some words for students journalists.
Beyond campus journalism, if at all you won’t be practicing journalism, let it be a matter of choice, and not of incompetence. Stand on the shoulders of great journalists, protect your integrity. Learn, unlearn and relearn. Above all, be true to yourself, then you won’t be false to anyone else.
Author
Omodolapo Asiata Agboola fondly called Able Alhaja, is a young journalist and broadcaster who has passion for journalism and broadcasting.