𝐍𝐈𝐉𝐀𝐀 MOVES TO RECONNECT GENERATION OF JOURNALIST PROFESSIONALS

By Olayiwola Ibrahim // The Nigerian Institute of Journalism Alumni Association (NIJAA) is embarking on a renewed effort to reconnect generations of professionals who passed through the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, as the Association seeks to strengthen the bonds that link its alumni across Nigeria and the Diaspora.

From journalists and editors to broadcasters, public relations practitioners, advertising professionals, publishers, communication specialists, academics, entrepreneurs and public servants, graduates of the Institute have gone on to build careers and institutions across different sectors.

Yet, like many professional alumni communities, the passage of time, geographical movement and changing communication habits have left many former students disconnected from one another.
The new NIJAA administration is seeking to change that.

The initiative is being driven by a simple question: 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝑵𝑰𝑱, 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓?

According to the Association, the answer lies not merely in bringing alumni back into a common WhatsApp group or organising periodic reunions, but in building a more structured and enduring alumni community capable of connecting different generations and professional backgrounds.

The Association is therefore working to strengthen its alumni records and communication channels while encouraging former students of the Institute to reconnect with their sets, chapters and colleagues.

The effort also recognises that many NIJ alumni who are no longer active on social media or existing alumni platforms may still have valuable professional relationships, experience and institutional knowledge to contribute to the wider community.

For an institution whose graduates have worked across decades of Nigeria’s evolving media and communications landscape, reconnecting those generations could create opportunities for mentorship, knowledge transfer and professional collaboration between older and younger alumni.

NIJAA’s renewed approach also places greater emphasis on the Diaspora, where many former students have established careers and families after leaving Nigeria.

The Association believes that reconnecting these alumni should not be viewed simply as an exercise in record keeping.

It is about rebuilding a professional community in which experience can be shared, relationships renewed and the contribution of alumni to the future of their alma mater strengthened.

The initiative forms part of the broader direction of the new NIJAA administration, which has identified unity and welfare, professional growth and mentorship, institutional support, and greater voice and impact as key areas of focus.

For an alumni body whose members span several generations and professions, the task ahead is perhaps best summed up in one question:
𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒅𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒏𝒊 𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆?

NIJAA is now seeking to find them.

𝑵𝑰𝑱𝑨𝑨 — 𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑵𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒈𝒊𝒂 𝒕𝒐 𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒕. 𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑹𝒆𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒔.