‘How my brand of campus journalism gained national acceptability’

Adejumo Kabir, the Executive Director of Campus Press Hub, in this interview with NIYI OYEDEJI, speaks on how his brand gained national acceptability.

How would describe the journey so far?

Upon resumption in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, in 2016, I developed interest in journalism and I joined Association of Campus Journalists (ACJOAU) as a freshman. Before then, I wrote to several media outfits but would not get response early enough. That forced me to start News Track Platform. The news medium was popular among students and authorities for its position against victimisation, irregularities and all forms of nepotism.

While others felt I was merely trying to make name for myself, I disagreed. I knew I wanted a better institution and wanted to be part of history. Like it happens in the mainstream media, some ‘bad guys’ who were not pleased with my style of campus journalism, on several occasions, hacked the site but I was not deterred. While doing all of these, I never knew I had people in the mainstream who loved my activities.

Before setting up your own brand, where have you worked before?

In 200 level, I got my first salary job as a journalist with Ife City News, a website that focused its report on Ife and its environs. Osun NUJ chairman, Kehinde Ayantunji,  introduced the newspaper’s publisher, Kehinde Bamigbetan, a former Commissioner for Information in Lagos. Since then, my works have featured in several national dailies.

What was the turning point for you?

In 2017, I was privileged to be a beneficiary of Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism Next Gen programme and that has transformed my life as a student journalist. The platform gave me all needed support after threats from university management to suspend me for my radical journalism. Having gotten a platform, I decided the type of practice I wanted to do and basically to hold authorities accountable, since I now had a wide audience. Many of my reports generated impact on campus, made me closer to some stakeholders and also made some persons hate me. In all, it is on record that my series on Professor the Richard Akindele, the lecturer exposed in sex-for-marks debacle were part of reports gathered to nail him for his inhumane acts, among other stories. Beyond that, I have done reports that generate national debate. So, all of these are my weapons.

When was your brand, the Campus Press Hub initiated?

In January 2019, when I got into 300 level, I felt there was need for legacy and that was how I initiated Campus Press Hub an initiative for training and offering of consultancy services to students interested in the practice of journalism. We prepare them ahead of the mainstream practice. We do this by inviting experts for a two-day workshop that we organise across all schools. Our aim is basically basic principles of journalism, ethics, fact-checking and data journalism.  This is the first media hub to be owned by a student in Africa.

What inspired the establishment of Campus Press Hub?

From my findings, many student journalists did not have the opportunity I got as a student; I mean being trained by top investigative journalists in the country. So, they lack the courage to put their authorities on toes because even most journalism schools lack the required equipment and tools to teach students practical skills that will help them when they graduate. Hence, students end up graduating without practical skills to succeed when employed by media organisations. So, all of these inspired me to come up with the idea of Campus Press Hub.

How many students have you trained so far?

We’ve trained over 500 student journalists across Nigerian institutions. We’ve been to Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Ilorin, University of Ibadan, Lagos State University, Ekiti State University, Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, and Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, among others

Beyond physically training over 500 students, over 1,000 student writers have also benefited from our online class. The online classes are often for students in the northern and eastern part of the country. We are yet to get resources to travel that far. But, interestingly, even those that partook in our online classes are giving great testimonies. Many of them are writing for national dailies already. They are reporting issues on their campuses responsibly with ethical standards.

The dream is to get to all communication students. We must leave a legacy and also make those that showed me the journalism way proud. I’m also working on creating a Campus Press Hub alumni archive to guide and monitor the success of the students after the training.

After we started training student journalists, I again discovered that there is need for a guide that will help their practice. That was when I thought of writing Campus Journalism Beginners’ handbook.

What challenges have you faced so far?

To be sincere, launching a media hub did not come as a tea party. There are lots of challenges. Beyond the fact that some university authorities who know me so well do not want their student-writers to be radical like me, we also face funding and sponsorship challenges. We’ve been writing to organisations for funds but we are yet to get response. However, that will not break us. We are trying with the little we have.

Have you won any grant or award so far?

I won’t say the road has been smooth all these years but it has not also been rough. I have been honoured locally and internationally for my activities as a media persona.

In all, I have won 15 prizes for my activities, including Alfred Opubor’s Prize for Most Prolific Student Journalist in Nigeria, Prize for Best Investigative Story and Over All Best Student Journalist prize. The awards were sponsored by Premium Times Centre For Investigative Journalism. I have won YouthDigest Award twice for Best Investigative Story and Best Photo News.

I have won the prize for Best Reporter at the Nigerian Universities Merit Awards two times. After a year on campus, I won OAU awards for Best Journalist and also Association of Campus Journalists Newcomer of the year.

I was runner-up in the 28th Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (Photo News) and recently, I was shortlisted for International Centre for Investigative Reporting award for my reports that exposed pains of physically challenged lawyers in Lagos.

As a fact checker, in 2018, I was shortlisted for Africa Check Awards in South Africa. These are some of the honours I can remember now.

For grants, I’ve received many grants from international and local organisations, even as a student journalist. In all, I’ve not had the need to return money but rather got commendation at the end of all. So, I believe with these, I’ve got a lot to do for the betterment of my country.

What advice do you have for other campus journalists?

For me, journalism is a profession that has nothing to do with years of experience, what is primary is understanding ethics and core elements. I plead with other student journalists to seek mentorship and continue writing. Also, we must not write to impress but to express. The moment they put interest of the masses first, they can achieve greatness. Our platform Campus Press Hub will be available at all time to offer training and consultancy services to all student journalists. Also, our publication, Campus Journalism Beginners’ handbook is selling fast.