OOU, UI Students Win Big at Campus Business Journalism Awards

The first-ever Campus Business Journalism Awards celebrated top student reporters, inspiring a new wave of financial journalists and showcasing the untapped potential of business storytelling.

Campus journalists and student reporters have been encouraged to sharpen their skills in business reporting to stand out in the competitive media landscape.

Speaking at the inaugural Campus Business Journalism Awards organized by National Wire, the publication’s General Editor, Friday Ekeoba, emphasized the importance of specialization in journalism, particularly in business reporting. He noted that even political stories could have a business angle.

“When you report that a university official has misappropriated a certain amount of money, researching what facilities that amount could have provided takes you into business reporting,” he explained.

Ekeoba urged aspiring journalists to carve a niche in financial and business journalism to better prepare for professional media practice.

The event, sponsored by VidCrunch, honored campus journalists who excelled in business reporting.

In the Best Business Feature category, Olamide Ayoade, a Mass Communication student at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, emerged as the winner. His article, “How OOU Student Entrepreneurs Leverage Tech for Career Advancement,” published on Campus Mirror, earned him the top spot.

Sonaike Peter Omotola, Features Editor and a student of Education and Political Science at the University of Ibadan (UI), secured second place, while Tolulope Ayeye, Editor of Indy Press Organisation and a Law student at UI, came third.

Indy Press Organisation was also named Best Campus Journal of the Year 2024, solidifying its position as the leading campus publication.

Chairman of the awards and National Wire News Editor, Dayo Emmanuel, explained the motivation behind the initiative:

“Our website is strong on financial reporting, and we want to groom future business reporters from campuses. Initially, people doubted we’d get entries since campus journalists rarely write business stories, but we were determined to start.”

He appreciated Manifold Media and Tayo Olanipekun, the event’s main sponsors, expressing optimism that the experience would inspire students to explore financial reporting further.

Victor Emeruwa, Director of Strategy at Manifold Media, commended the organizers for focusing on business journalism.

“Many young people are drawn to political reporting because it trends easily, but there are fantastic opportunities in business journalism,” he noted.

Media trainer and career specialist Lekan Otufodunrin praised the initiative, emphasizing its role in shaping the next generation of journalists.

Similarly, Muyiwa Akintunde, Editor of Breezy News Nigeria, and Ugonma Cokey, Director of Training at Voice of Nigeria, highlighted how the program equips campus journalists with essential industry skills.

Sanmi Falobi, Programme Manager at the International Press Centre (IPC), urged the organizers to sustain the initiative.

“Don’t relent. Many great projects started small and grew into major successes,” he advised.

Representing the panel of judges, The Niche newspaper Editor Ishaya Ibrahim applauded the participants’ commitment, encouraging student journalists to explore business reporting from their unique perspective.

“Business journalism is a specialized field with vast opportunities. Campus journalists should take advantage of this space to tell compelling financial stories,” he said.

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SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, NATION