By: Akinyemi Yinka
Late Shola Ilesanmi's Solutions Story Clinic which allows campus journalists to pitch story ideas that solve social problems started at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA).
Shola was a former investigative reporter and a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) correspondent before he was laid to rest.
The maiden story clinic which was held at Olusegun Obasanjo Multipurpose Hall (OBJ) was organised to mark Shola's posthumous 37-year-old birthday as well as immortalize him.
According to the organizers, campus journalists can pitch stories on people that solve social issues around child labour, drug abuse, illiteracy, inadequate infrastructure, inequality, and others.
Mr John Paul Akinduro, one of the organizers and a Communication Expert said Shola, who was a fact-checker with Agence France-Presse, a French International News Agency headquartered in Paris, France, during his lifetime was a journalist with a quest for details and facts.
This former Special Adviser on Digital Communications to the former Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko reiterated that winners of the 'Shola Ilesanmi Solutions Journalism Grant' will be mentored by some international journalists for one month, to come up with impactful stories that will be published in national dailies.
Akinduro also announced that the deadline for the submission of the pitch has been extended by 10 days due to some unforeseen circumstances. He said a new email address will be provided for the submission of pitches.
A broadcast journalist at Adaba FM, Mrs Monikan Ogidan stressed the necessity of factual news writing as well as the importance of writing catchy headlines while discharging one's reportorial assignments.
Ogidan maintained that reporters should pursue genuine stories, and avoid plagiarism before sending such stories to the gatekeepers for final publication. She further stated that pitching a story means reporters have started a journey.
Another speaker, a broadcast journalist at Crest FM Ibadan, Miss Juliet Buna mentioned the basic steps in reporting a credible story.
Buna urged campus journalists to bring in fresh angles that will make their pitches stand out for quick consideration by the editors.
She further buttressed that there are thousands of stories on the editors' tables that are not catchy or creative enough to captivate their attention.
Speaking on the relevance of building contacts, Rahaman Yusuf from BBC advised student journalists to have relevant contacts to verify stories. He said one of the ways to stand out as a journalist is to have contacts that can provide credible information.
Rahaman added that journalists should not always be in a hurry to break news when they have not gathered enough facts and evidence about the incident that unfolded.
Meanwhile, present at the event are the Head of Mass Communication Department (HOD), Dr Raphael Abimbola; AAUA Public Relations Officer, Mr Victor Akinpelumi; and all AAUA National Association of Mass Communication Students (NAMACOS) Executives and stakeholders.
Shola Ilesanmi, an alumnus of AAUA died on Tuesday, 1st of March, 2022 following a brief illness and was survived by his children and wife.
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