Oluwafeyisayo Adebanjo 

The Association of Faculty of Arts, Press Organisation(AFAS Press) on Saturday, January 18th, 2025 held her annual workshop for campus journalists themed “The Pen for Justice: Telling Stories that Matter in Campus Journalism”, at the CLA PostGraduate Room, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan.

AFAS Editor-in-Chief, Olashile Ogunrinu, in his welcome address, clarified it as an avenue to “learn and unlearn”. He enjoined campus journalists to prepare their minds to learn.

The workshop witnessed the presence of three speakers who were Ayodele Aduwo, Indy Press Editor-in-Chief, Tijani Abdulkabeer, Editor-in-Chief, UCJUI, and Adebayo Abdulrahman, Former Editor-in-Chief, UCJUI.

Ayodele Aduwo in his speech discussed “The Ethical Conducts of Press Night.” He emphasised the purpose of Press Night according to Myles Munroe who said, “When the purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable.” 

He asserted that “it is an official business between the Press and the candidates or the student community where candidates share their manifestos, visions, and plans for the union while answering questions from the Press.”

Aduwo spoke to CJs on the things they must consider as far as a Press Night is concerned. He talked about the Pre-Press Night, the D-Day, and the Post-Press Night.

The second speaker, Tijani Abdulkabir, Editor-in-Chief, UCJUI spoke on the “Rudiments of Features Writing.” He defined features writing ‘as a proper analysis of an issue that has happened. It is beyond a surface story’. He further explained that a ‘feature story does not emerge from abstract things.’

Speaking about the structure of a features story, Abdulkabir advised Campus Journalists to “speak to interviewees fundamentally, understand and identify relevant details, have a proper structure, abide by feature ethics, and also have an angle to the story.”

He urged CJs to have an adequate background as much as possible and also quote interviewees appropriately among other necessities.

Progressively, Adebayo Abdulrahman, the Former Editor-in-Chief, UCJUI addressed the topic “Maximising Opportunities, Local and International for Campus Journalists”. 

He asserted maximising opportunities begins in the local organisation, as diligence at these counts. He also implored CJs to treat their bylines as a brand, writing stories that are accurate and being consistent.

Abdulraham encouraged CJs to put themselves out, reaching out to Journalists who have won these opportunities in the past, among others.

The workshop ended with the virtual session of Mr. Taoheed Mohammed, an Abuja-based journalist, covering stories on the intersection of conflict, misinformation, climate change, geopolitics, development, and social dynamics. He currently works as a researcher, covering Africa’s information disorder at DUBAWA, a project of the CJID.