OUR JOURNALISTIC ADVENTURE

''The journey of a thousand mile'' it is said, ''begins with a step''. One may wonder what sort of journey is it that I am talking about. But a retrospective look at life and a peep into the future show that life is a journey of many bus stops. In the latter part of last semester when we were asked to choose a media house for our SIWES, many, if not every one of us had looked forward to having a wonderful experience in our chosen organizations. After eight months of excruciating lectures in this dreaded institution, we were all in high spirit to put to practice our hard earned knowledge and in turn, to get exposed to the profession.

 The release of names and posted stations ignited in us an unconcealed euphoria that was later to become a euphorbia for some of us. The euphoric days did not last as it was first blighted by the traumatic discovery of an ineluctable mountainous bill. We had initially thought it was a fallacy of ambiguity or something fictitious, but it was not to be as the reality is fast emerging. This incident of September 24th coupled with the fact that many of us were yet to acclimatize to our organization’s house style did slow our progress to work. Almost immediately, some of us were down to business with our media houses and were assigned to various beats, given conditions of services and what have you. The journey into journalism had just begun for us.

 There was a bundle of issues not properly addressed by some of these media houses. Among them was the much touted ethics of the profession which seems to exist theoretically. A cursory looks into the life of some of the practitioners especially the cup journalists and their conditions of service were disheartening. Some of us felt it during the three months sojourning when we were assigned to go and source for news in places that will take a financial toll from us. The fares to our places of works were obligatorily our responsibilities, but going for official duties in our own expenses was unimaginable considering the global financial crisis of the period that even hit the federal government to at a time withdrew from hosting the under-17 FIFA world cup. 

Kudos must be given to some of these organizations who no doubt impacted in us the much needed first hand experience. Some did not make us feel the heat of the global melt down by putting in place for us a good welfare package. But still, some offered nothing while profusely tapping for free our hard earned skill. An interesting aspect of the period was the common practice o Public Relations by many of us. This was another kind of PR – errand boys and girls so to speak. We became lackeys against our own will just for the sake of being subordinate to our superiors. In fact, it was part of the experience we never bargained for but had more than a dose of it. 

The woes of these bouts may appear grievous to those of us who for the extrinsic factors and not the intrinsic reward are adventuring the profession. Well, one should not be deterred yet because there are avalanche of opportunities lurking around. In all these, some still had a fructutous adventure coupled with the raking in of the little more. While we were recounting and sharing our experiences, anxiety also mounted as to when the result would be out. After reading like mad, (even in the toilets and bathroom) and had read everything, oh yes, we read everything – especially those of us whose fate were hanging in the balance – a very good performance was the only panacea needed to cap the year. The eventual pasting of result was like turning again the captivity of Zion as there was no wailing nor weeping compared to first semester’s result. The mad effort had paid off; some lessons learned. Because this is just the first half and the final whistle yet to be blown, one cannot afford to rest on his oars. 

Candidly speaking, the release of the result was timely. It has assuaged the debacles of the previous session and year while it gave virtually every one something to reminisce on during the festive period. More importantly, it was a moral booster for our parents and guardians who needed nothing but a justifiable result from us. The pains of the mountainous bills are also fast fading and by effect will expedite payment. Potential gentlemen of the press, it is our collective prayer that he who has brought us to NIJ will see us through and help foot the colossal bill. Welcome to a New Year and session of greater challenges and heights.                                                                                                                         chronicled by Edosblue                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
 Published in January 2009 at NIJ campus