Echo Media's Third Female Editor-in-Chief Promises Amplifying Students’ Stories

Gbonjubola Olanrewaju, the newly appointed Editor-in-Chief of Echo Media (a long-surviving media outlet) in Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, AAUA, has promised the medium will amplify students’ stories. In an interview with OLAMIDE AJALA, this third female Editor-in-Chief in the history of Echo Media shared her plans and how she is going to manage the editorial duties.

Briefly tell us about yourself.

I am Gbonjubola Olanrewaju, a 300-level student of Mass communication Department, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, AAUA. I am the newly appointed Editor-in-Chief of Echo Media.

How did you feel when you were appointed as the Editor-in-Chief of Echo Media?

I felt overwhelmed with the position as I was earlier appointed as the general secretary of Nigeria Union of Campus Journalists (NUCJ) AAUA. Although at that moment, I was thinking of how I am going to handle the new mantle of leadership.

What do you intend to achieve in your tenure?

As the Editor-in-Chief, I want Echo Media to be a voice for students, highlighting their stories, achievements, and concerns. My focus is on making information accessible to all who need it through the platform while mentoring my team to grow their skills and establish a collaborative ground for us to grow together. Ultimately, I want to leave a legacy by building a platform that future teams can build on.

What are the challenges you think you may face and how do you intend to overcome them? 

As the Editor-in-Chief, I may face challenges like managing a team with different types of people and maintaining consistency under tight deadlines. Balancing responsibilities with academics, and handling criticism on sensitive topics are really the tough ones I think. Also, the constant issue of trying to keep people engaged on content will require consistent effort. With consistency and resilience I believe I will overcome such challenges.

The work of an editor seems tasking, with your academics and other activities you may be engaging in, how do you intend to strike a balance?

Balancing the role with academics and other activities might require that I effectively manage my time. I will prioritise tasks by setting clear goals and deadlines for both the blog and my studies. Delegating tasks to my team members will also help lighten the workload, and I will use a structured schedule to allocate time for classes, the media, and personal activities. Staying disciplined and avoiding procrastination of tasks will ensure I do not miss out on anything, while taking short breaks in between.

Your final words to campus reporters and intending writers.

I will just say that I got considered for this role because I first became a member of the association. And so in whatever space we find ourselves as writers, reporters or anything we might be, the first step is to make ourselves available then others can see what we can do and more. The ones that will look up to today are the ones that stepped out and tried even without knowing what was to come out of it.