The President of the Association of Campus Journalists, Obafemi Awolowo University (ACJOAU), Olabode Oluwafemi, and two other campus journalists from the association had just been selected for the 2025 Edition of the African Foundation for Young Media Professionals (AFYMP) Fellowship.
The selection process for the Fellowship followed a call for applications to identify the top young media professionals across Africa. The ACJOAU president, Olabode Oluwafemi, was selected for the Campus Journalism fellow, while the other two ACJOAU members, Oguntade Adedoyin and Ayanfe Oluwafemi, were chosen for Disability and Inclusion Fellowship
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On May 3rd, via its official X page (formerly Twitter), AFYMP announced a call for applications for its fellowship program aimed at building the capacity of young journalists across the African continent. The 2025 fellowship opened applications for three key areas: Disability and Inclusion Reporting, Campus Journalism, Ethics, Fact-Checking, and Data-Driven Reporting, as well as Women in Journalism/Gender Reporting. The fellowship was highly competitive, attracting numerous applicants from across Africa. Out of these, the foundation noted in the call to select 20 applicants for each category of the fellowship, while an additional 8 participants will be chosen for an in-person training event based on strong interest demonstrated in their selected category.
Olabode Oluwafemi, a 400-level student of Political Science, the current President of the association, was selected as one of the 16 fellows for the 2025 AFYMP Fellowship in Journalism Ethics, Fact-Checking, and Data-Driven Reporting.
In an interview, the ACJOAU President described the opportunity as both an honour and a reflection of his unwavering passion for journalism. “It is such an honour and privilege to stand tall amidst over 200 entries. The journey has always been a reflection of my passionate drive for journalism. I believe the training will be an additional exposure to the nitty-gritty of my journalistic journey, which I am so anxious about.”
When asked if he was hopeful about being selected among the eight fellows who will attend the in-person training, he stated, “Man proposes, God disposes — but I hope for the best.”
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Two other members of ACJOAU, Adedoyin Oguntade and Ayanfe Olatunji, were selected as fellows in the 2025 edition of the Africa Foundation for Young Media Professionals (AFYMP) Fellowship in Disability and Inclusion Reporting out of the 16 applicants selected in this category
In an Interview with Oguntade Adedoyin, a 300 level student from the department of English, the Editor in Chief at ICON organization news agency and the 2024 recipient of ACJOAU best Campus Journalist award who was selected as a fellow for Disability and Inclusion Reporting fellow, when asked how it feels to be a fellow of the AFYMP he said “It feels very nice to be one of the selected fellows for the Disability and Inclusion Fellowship. I have had it in mind to apply since last year, when I had the opportunity to work on disability related reports during my internship with Platform Times Newspaper. Applying for the fellowship and eventually getting selected for it gladdens me.”
He also explain further that he looks forward to be trained and for helpful materials that will assist and make him better in telling stories of persons with disabilities while he also hope to go through the next stage of the selection of people who will attend the in-person training as it will be an opportunity to connect with professional.
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Ayanfe Oluwafemi Samuel, a 300-level student of the Department of Communication and Media Studies and Production Manager at ICON Organization news agency, has once again made ACJOAU proud as a two-time recipient of the AFYMP Fellowship. In 2024, he was selected for the Campus Journalism Fellowship category, and now in 2025, he has been shortlisted in a different category—Disability and Inclusion Reporting.
Speaking with ACJOAU, Ayanfe expressed his excitement about the back-to-back recognition. “I feel so excited—being shortlisted in a new category despite being a fellow last year shows that my previous contributions were recognized,” he said. He explained that learning the fellowship had multiple categories inspired him to apply again. “They told us if we performed well and contributed in the first fellowship, there would be chances to be selected for other categories and to work with the organization in new ways. This second selection is a testament to that promise.”
Ayanfe also shared his eagerness to network and expand his reporting focus beyond campus stories, adding, ‘I look forward to learning the nitty-gritty of disability and inclusion and its mainstream reporting.’ He also expressed high hopes of being part of the 8-person shortlist for an in-person training session, having already submitted the upfront reporting assignment required. ‘For the Disability and Inclusion category, they said only 10 will be selected for in-person training. I’ve submitted my report, and I’m trusting God that I’ll be among them. Without that physical training, the fellowship will be like a cruise. I’m hopeful and looking forward to bringing the glory to ACJOAU by God’s Grace.’
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The Executive Director of the foundation, on June 6, made this selection announcement known, stating that ‘AFYMP media fellowships in different media categories are a yearly tradition of the organization. We are glad that a total of 50 fellows selected for different media fellowships across Africa will be equipped and mentored professionally in 2025.’
The Africa Foundation for Young Media Professionals (AFYMP) is a foundation committed to strengthening and promoting a vibrant, independent African media landscape by empowering young journalists who advocate for an open, inclusive, and sustainable society. With a focus on the next generation of media leaders, the foundation targets early-career professionals—those with five years or less experience—as well as students of journalism, communications, and public relations. AFYMP is headquartered in Nigeria, with plans to expand to regional offices in Nairobi, Kenya, and Johannesburg, South Africa.