Of Pressmen Making Waves as Public Speakers Despite The Demands of Journalism
Sakeenah Kareem
In the University of Ibadan, the two most populous student organisations, aside from the Student Union itself, are the Union of Campus Journalists (UCJ) and the Literary and Debating Society (TLDS). While the former is the mother body of all Press organisations on campus, the latter is the mother body of all Literary and Debating societies, also in charge of the annual Jaw War public speaking competition.
While it is not uncommon to have some students who are interested in both societies, it is fast becoming a norm to see Pressmen who also excel in public speaking. This correlation sparks the curiosity of whether or not there is an intrinsic connection between both skills.
The ongoing Jaw War 2024 have witnessed the presence of several Pressmen like Adebayo Abdur-Rahman, Editor-in-Chief of UCJ, AbdulKabir Tijani, the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Union, Eriomala John, Simisola Esther, Ebunoreofe Adedeji, Sakeenah Kareem, Moboluwarin, and Akinjide Adebowale, amongst others.
Also, the just concluded Prof. Egbokhare inter-press debate organised by the Union was another event that allowed pressmen to flex their public speaking muscles. The competition adopted an Australasian debating style contrary to Jaw War’s presidential debating style. The Pressmen were coached by Habeeb Abdul, another functional Campus journalist and the captain of the British Parliamentary Debating Society, University of Ibadan.
In an exclusive interview with the Union’s president, Oluwatobi Odeyinka, who is also a public speaker, he shed light on the intersection between journalism and public speaking. The president established that both skills complement each other.
“I would say that journalism and public speaking are both under the umbrella of communication. Both involve the use of language, and a mastery of one reflects in the other. Some of the skills that make one a good journalist are also reflected in public speaking. The richness of your content, application of logic, and critical thinking are the things you find in journalism and they could also make you a better public speaker”, he explained.
Journalism and public speaking demand considerable effort, pushing individuals to develop a range of skills. The president highlighted that these two realms interconnect, emphasizing how journalism now incorporates public speaking skills, especially with the rise of broadcasting and the emerging trend of podcasting in the media sector. Noteworthy media outlets such as Al-Jazeera, New Lines, and the Republic are increasingly venturing into podcast production, diversifying their platforms beyond traditional print media.
Also, the president stated that the decision to reinstate the Prof. Egbokhare contest since it was last held in 2019 was to boost the skills of Campus Journalists (CJs).
“As the president of UCJUI, one of the reasons I decided to re-institute professor Egbokhare inter-Press debate is actually to boost the critical thinking and intellectual engagement skills of CJs as that’s what public speaking and journalism offers. Sometimes, as journalists, we get so engrossed in telling stories that we fail to intellectually engage those topics & issues. But with public speaking, you get to evaluate ideas, and that is where and why we introduced the inter-Press debate”
Aspiring public speakers among campus journalists may find it beneficial to enhance their critical thinking and research abilities, as these skills significantly contribute to success in both domains. Additionally, the President emphasised the significance of mastering the art of crafting high-quality speeches, highlighting it as a key attribute of a proficient and articulate public speaker.
The Professor Egbokhare inter-press debate proved to be both captivating and demanding. Despite its challenges, it provided journalists with a unique perspective on the value of applying their intelligence, intuition, and various skills acquired through journalism to explore other fields.
Also, AbdulKabir Tijani, an active public speaker and the deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Union, who represented AFAS Press in the debate, opined that “speaking compliments writing.”
“As a campus journalist, it’s not enough to write, engaging in speaking is also as important as the former. This is because there are times that you need to defend what you’ve written,” he said.
This underscores the significance of journalists having a vocal presence, enabling them to stand firm in challenging situations. It emphasises that their pens should not merely represent them; instead, they should strive to amplify the voices of the people. By investing more in effective communication, journalists can excel in their endeavours.
Abdur-Rahman Adebayo, the Editor-in-Chief of the Union, believes that “the big part of being a good public speaker is being a good speech writer. Writing good speeches is influenced by one’s ability to carry out in-depth research, and critically analyse a particular topic. All these are things that journalism gives you.”
Certainly, journalists possess the power of impactful writing and intellectual voices. As they pursue truth, justice, and the amplification of people’s voices, exploring other fields should not hinder, but rather aid their journalistic endeavours. Despite the demanding nature of journalism, witnessing Pressmen make significant strides in various aspects of life is truly inspiring.