INTERVIEW: Why I Established Primus Media Academy in Ibadan – Media Icon, Afouda Samuel
What was the driving force behind the creation of Primus Media City and what is the long-term vision for the media hub?
Primus Media City is a journey that began unintentionally. The organization was formed to help individuals who sought career guidance from me. As a well-known radio personality, many people, young and old, would approach me for opportunities and ask to be heard. I found myself regularly counseling them and offering advice. To my surprise, some of them took my advice to heart, and it worked for them. This led us to institutionalise our efforts, giving birth to Media Basics Academy.
Initially, the Academy focused on providing career guidance and helping individuals get started in the industry. However, we soon realized that many of them were interested in radio, but there were no media academies in Ibadan at the time. We referred them to the FRCN training school in Lagos until we decided to establish our own academy in Ibadan. We rebranded to Primus Media Academy, meaning First Media Academy.
As we grew, guided by our vision, we expanded our offerings to include a media blog, media night, media club, media magazine, online radio/TV, studio services, media awards, and media conference. This led to another rebranding to Primus Media City, bringing all our services under one umbrella.
Our journey has been a progressive one, with many more initiatives in the pipeline. In essence, Primus Media City is a hub for media solutions, and our long-term vision is to leverage the strategic use of media to solve problems and make a positive impact.
How does your outfit distinguish itself from other media hubs in Nigeria?
As you correctly pointed out, Nigeria is home to numerous media organisations. However, I can confidently assert that we stand out from the crowd, as our unique blend of services and multidimensional approach to our mandate sets us apart. Our organisation is dedicated to expanding the frontiers of the media, and we achieve this through a comprehensive range of offerings.
We empower individuals of all ages through our academy, providing them with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the media industry. Our online radio/TV and studio offer a platform for aspiring broadcasters to showcase their talents, while our blog and magazine put media practitioners in the spotlight. We also host events like Media Nite and Media roundtable, creating opportunities for practitioners to network and fellowship.
Our media club caters to young people, preparing them for their future in the media, while our seminars, workshops, and conferences provide valuable learning experiences for media practitioners and communication students in higher institutions. Additionally, our awards celebrate professionalism and inspire excellence among young media practitioners in South-West, Nigeria. In essence, our multifaceted approach and diverse offerings make us a standout organisation, uniquely positioned to make a meaningful impact in the media landscape.
Who are your primary target audiences and how do you engage them effectively?
As I mentioned earlier, we are solution-driven, and our primary focus is on individuals who have yet to experience the power of the media. We aim to educate and empower them, or as I like to say, “catch them young.” However, when I say young,” I don’t necessarily mean people of a certain age. In the media industry, a ‘young’ person can be anyone who is new to the field, regardless of their age; even a 50-year-old can be considered a young person in the media.
That’s why most of our offerings, such as the club, seminars, and workshops, are targeted towards young people who make up the majority. We go to their schools, campuses, and anywhere else we can reach them. While we serve the entire media profession, it’s clear that we have a strong focus on broadcasting, as it’s our area of expertise. Nevertheless, we plan to expand our scope and become more inclusive in the coming years, God willing.
How do you assess the impact of the Primus Conference and Awards on the Nigerian media industry?
Our impact is typically measured by the number of lives we’ve touched. We’ve received numerous testimonials from individuals who credit our conferences, seminars, workshops, and training sessions with launching or transforming their careers. Winners and nominees of our awards have reported career advancements, proudly highlighting their award-winning status as OAPs or presenters in their bios. This brings us immense joy.
Often, winners reach out to us after receiving their awards, sharing the profound impact it has had on their careers. They express how the recognition has motivated them to persevere, work harder, and strive for excellence. These outcomes are immeasurable in terms of the fulfillment they bring to our organization, and we are eternally grateful for the opportunity to make a positive difference.
Does Primus Media City have plans to expand its reach beyond South-West Nigeria? If so, what are the challenges and opportunities ahead?
Yes, the brand is still growing by God’s grace. We celebrated our sixth anniversary last Thursday, this year, and we have set our sights on Africa as a continent, not just Nigeria. We aim to solidify our presence on the continent within the next four years, by the time we celebrate our 10th anniversary. This may seem like an ambitious dream, but we believe it’s achievable. We have outlined plans and strategies, and to the best of our knowledge, everything is progressing perfectly as planned. We are confident that it will happen as long as we remain focused and dedicated.
In our grand plan, the first step is to build a community, and so far, we have successfully built a formidable community of young media enthusiasts in Southwest Nigeria. We are on a journey to strategically expand and grow until we reach our target. Regarding challenges, we acknowledge that we haven’t gotten everything right yet. However, we believe that once we do, we will gain access to all the resources needed to bring our lofty and selfless dreams to life. Funding is a significant limiting factor, but we believe that with the value we offer, money should never be a challenge. That’s why we continue to work tirelessly, tweaking and fine-tuning until we meet all the requirements and attract the necessary resources. We are too valuable to be stranded; we just need to get certain things right.
What legacy do yo hope to leave on the African media landscape?
Our ultimate dream is to evolve into the largest physical media city in Africa. We envision a sprawling metropolis that will be home to hundreds of media establishments, schools, radio stations, TV stations, studios, printing presses, and more. A vibrant hub of expression, where media dreams are born and nurtured. As I like to put it, a place where ordinary individuals will be transformed into media icons. Our greatest legacy will be empowering everyone with a media dream on the continent to realise their aspirations. We aim to provide training and create opportunities for people to flourish as professionals or entrepreneurs. This dream is monumental, and it’s the legacy we’re committed to creating. With time, we will make it a reality.
How does the Primus Media Academy equip the next generation of media professionals with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed?
So far, so good, we train to the best of our ability. Our approach is to aggregate skills, believing that everyone has something valuable to share. We encourage senior media practitioners to be generous with their knowledge, rather than selfish or stingy. We then create platforms for knowledge exchange, bringing together those who have expertise with those willing to learn from them. This approach has been highly successful in many ways, and we have plans to replicate and expand it on a larger scale, reaching more people and making a more significant impact.
The annual Conference and Awards ceremony is a highlight of Primus Media City’s calendar; can you share some memorable moments from past editions?
In 2021, we launched the Primus Media Awards to encourage and motivate young media practitioners. At the time, there were several awards, but they often overlooked young talent, so we created an exclusive platform to recognise and celebrate their achievements. Following the success of the first year, we realised we could leverage the gathering to further train and empower the industry through a conference. Thus, we introduced the conference, which has been hugely successful ever since. The conference aims not only to teach new skills but also to facilitate discussions on emerging trends affecting the practice and practitioners. For instance, this year’s conference focused on dissecting the past, present, and future of content creation and exploring how broadcasters can tap into this lucrative field.
How does Primus Media City collaborate with other organisations, industry partners or government agencies to achieve its goals?
As I mentioned earlier, we collaborate with senior colleagues and encourage them to share their skills and knowledge with younger practitioners through trainings, seminars and workshops. We have aspirations to partner with organisations and government agencies to expand our reach and amplify our impact. We envision a future where we can organise trainings tailored to diverse groups, such as young school leavers, market women, widows, the youth corps, transport workers, entrepreneurs and more.
How do you see Primus Media City in the next five to ten years and what are your plans for expansion or growth?
In the next five years, I envision Primus becoming a powerhouse in the African media industry, where practitioners across all generations will have a positive story to share about their encounter with Primus and how we have helped them achieve their long-held dreams.
Nigeria Tribune
