MTN Nigeria in collaboration with Pan-Atlantic University (PAU) held a graduation ceremony for the graduands of the second edition of its Media Innovation Programme (MIP) at the Lagos Business School, Lekki, Lagos on Friday, 26th April 2024.
Launched in 2022 in partnership with the School of Media and Communication, Pan Atlantic University, MIP is a six-month fully funded certificate fellowship set up to empower media practitioners and content creators to gain deeper insight into the ever-evolving media landscape.
Speaking about the benefits of the programme, Odunayo Sanya, Executive Director, MTN Foundation, said, “As fellows of the MTN MIP, we expect to hear of you, we expect to see you, visibly breaking new grounds, pushing the frontiers, and indeed setting very good standards.
"At MTN, this is our DNA, we do not leave people the way met them and when you look at our story, even as a commercial business, that’s the way it's been.
"MTN has made a commitment to be a part of the sustainable development of Nigeria. We know we can’t do it alone, and that’s why we look for avenues like this and join hands to deliver transformation.”
The Dean of the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Dr. Ikechukwu Obiaya, expressed his delight at the completion of the second edition of MIP. Sharing his congratulatory messages, he said, “Knowledge is power, but I’d ask this question, now that you have this knowledge, what are you going to do with it? You have all successfully completed the certificate programme which have consisted in a transmission of knowledge and knowledge as we know is empowering.
"But then knowledge could be useless if we do not apply it. So, I ask again, now that you have this knowledge what are you going to do with? I’d like to make a suggestion and that is to use knowledge to work towards change.
"We all complain a lot about the way things are and we could limit ourselves to those complaints, but the challenge is for us to actually make a difference in striving to improve the space in which we find ourselves. I don’t think any of us here will be able to change the world, but we can change the square-meter within which we find ourselves. Use knowledge to enrich the community.
"So while congratulating you, I also charge you in the goal of wanting to improve self, society and the particular space that you find yourself, I do hope that you will take up this charge to work with us in achieving these goals.”
Among the congratulations, the event’s highlight is inarguably the presentation of the award of excellence to two fellows, Chinenye Anuforo for Innovative Reportage on MTN Foundation and Abdulrasheed Hussain, Chairman’s Prize for innovation, who demonstrated diligence and hard work during their studies. The awards were presented.
Over the last two years, the MIP programme has proven to be one of the pioneers in training fellows in media and innovation in Nigeria. Through its capacity building, the MIP programme is posed to innovate the Nigerian media landscape.
