To mark her birthday, Evelyn Osagie, a reporter, performance poet and artist,held a seminar entitled ‘’Chat Evelyn Osagie’’for some aspiring young female journalists in higher institutions. Tolulope Lawani reports.
As part of the criteria for participation, the students submitted a 100-word essay on the theme Why Journalism Now?, stating their inspiration for their choice of career, their passion as students/aspiring journalists as well as their dream for the future. The event was supported by two media mentorship organisations, Journalists for Christ (JFC) and Media Career Services.
Armed with the theme, Why Journalism Now, the budding journalists were gathered under one roof at the International Press Center (ICP), Ogba in Lagos, to interact with seasoned speakers in the media profession who intimated the participants with the opportunities, challenges and principles peculiar to their chosen career path.
According to the event convener, popular demand to increase the rate of practicing female journalists through mentoring informed the event initially organised as part of activities marking her birthday slated for July 21 into a sustained seminar which would be held on regular basis.
“The Chat with Evelyn Osagie initiative was inspired by my love for mentoring young people. There is a growing discourse on the need to widen the gap between the teachings of journalism and its practice; and for more initiatives seeking to mentor more women journalists, especially the young and aspiring ones. The event is meant to inspire young women to reach for their dreams of becoming journalists without holding back.
“I thought of marking my birthday a week before this year with a programme that sought to nurture young female talents in the media. The initiative was first inspired last year by my involvement as facilitator in a workshop for female student journalists by MAIN Network sponsored by the United States in Ogun State. I decided to start with a small number,” Osagie said.
The guest speakers at the maiden edition of Chat with Evelyn Osagie included The Nation Online Editor, Mr Lekan Otufodunrin; the Founder and Director of Creativity Development Centre, Henrietta Ikediashi; Senior Programmes Producer, Television Continental, Christy Ejiogu and Mrs Olunike Asaolu, a lecturer at the Yaba College of Technology. Also in attendance were the founder of Journalism Clinic, Taiwo Obe; Executive Director of Centre for Children Health Education, Orientation and Protection (CEE-HOPE), Betty Abah, and Christ Against Drug Abuse Ministry (CADAM).
The event held in partnership with two media mentorship organisations, Journalists for Christ (JFC) and Media Career Services. Osagie said: “To encourage the young journalists further, I have partnered with Journalists for Christ (JFC) and Media Career Services involved in mentorship. Both organisations are expected to put the students under their mentorship programmes for some time. The duration will be decided by each and communicated to the participants accordingly. I am particularly glad that my desire for organizing the event was immediately justified. One of the participants, a fresh journalism graduate Tolulope Lawani, won an honorary slot to attend Journalism Clinic’s Digital Journalism training sponsored by Airtel Nigeria, which had already closed. This goes to show how far our efforts can go at touching the lives of others”.
Speaking on the theme of the event, Otufodurin described journalism as a necessary profession vital for societal change. He admonished the young journalists to define their reasons for venturing into the profession and ensure they put in their utmost efforts in fulfilling their expectations.
“If you must do journalism, ensure you do it for the right reasons. Understand what you want to be known for. If you don’t set targets for yourself, you won’t know when you are missing the link to your target,” he said.
The online Editor further stressed the need for mentors, advising the participants to wisely select a mentor in the profession.
He said: “Everybody needs a mentor. You should have someone you can ask questions especially when you are confused and are in need of guidance”.
Similarly, Ikediashi emphasised the need for mentoring saying: “Follow somebody, because if you have mentors, you won’t miss your way. For those of you who are always on the internet, chatting and doing frivolous things, there is a lot that can be discovered on the internet with regards to your chosen profession. Learn the appropriate use of the internet to further your line of work. Search and link up with people that matter especially those that would be relevant to your field.”
While urging Osagie to make the event an ongoing initiative, Ikediashi further encouraged the participants to be creative and actively leverage on numerous opportunities available on the Internet.
In the same vein, Journalism Clinic founder, Obe urged the participants to creatively use their smartphones in practicing conventional journalism. Obe, who promised support for the subsequent edition of Chat with Evelyn Osagie initiative, said: “Journalism now is about conversations. You have to start conversations and engage in conversations. You are so lucky these days that you have smartphones. Now with your smartphones powerful camera you can do great stories. Journalism is also about asking questions. Don’t be afraid to ask. Make sure you are alert to the environment.”
Meanwhile, TVC’s Ejioku admonished the young female journalists to neither see their gender as a limitation nor expect preferential treatment on the same basis in their profession. “A lot of times, you are your own limitation. Who says there is gender inequality? It’s in your head. There is no beat that women cannot and are not covering. Sometimes you have to roll up your sleeves, take off your heels and get the job done. I don’t like to hear limitations, gender inequality.
“Many female interns that come into media firms today are not ready to learn. Before people see you, let them read or hear your stories, break barriers. When you have a story, see it to the logical end. People have stories they want to tell but are you interested in the stories? Improve on yourself by being a voracious reader. Don’t just want to be a TV face, be a solution provide. Improve on your skills by engaging in several trainings,” she said.
