By Richard Akintade, Osogbo
The Osun State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations recently organized the inaugural “Osun PR Challenge,” a pitching competition for universities in the state that offer Mass Communication programme.
The event took place at the Opolo Global Innovations Hub, located on the main campus of Osun State University in Osogbo.
Participating universities included Redeemers University, Fountain University, and Westland University.
In a fierce battle to determine the top Public Relations team among universities in Osun State, Redeemers University emerged as the victor with an impressive score of 72.7%.
Fountain University, Osogbo secured second place with a score of 62.6%, while Westland University finished third with 45.3%.
The Osun PR Challenge, a pioneering event in Osun State, aims to provide aspiring Public Relations professionals with practical experience and bridge the gap between theoretical and practical aspects of the field.
The competition was organized by the Osun State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).
A panel of esteemed professionals evaluated the participants, including Mr Taiwo Ogunwumi, the Executive Director of Brooks and Blake; Mr Patrick Akinwuntan, the Immediate former Managing Director of Eco Bank; Dr Tunji Olugbodi, the Group CEO of Verdant Zeal; Mrs Tolulope Olorundero, the founder and Chairperson of Women in Public Relations; and Mr. Godfrey Adejumoh, the Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainable Business at Unilever.
After a rigorous screening, Redeemers University emerged as the winner with a score of 72.7%.
Speaking on behalf of the panelists, Mr Taiwo Ogunwumi explained that the students were evaluated based on five criteria: presentation skills, knowledge of the subject matter, development and organization of points, appearance and carriage, and communication and language use.
Redeemers University secured their victory with the presentation of two communication plans: “Crisis Management: Peak Milk Easter Flyer” and “In-harmony Challenge of Smoov Chapman.”
In his address, DCG Adewale Adeniyi, the Vice President of NIPR, commended the concept behind the challenge and praised the students for their courage in embracing the task.
He also expressed gratitude to the lecturers for guiding the students in developing their communication plans. Adeniyi encouraged the participants to leverage their skills as a team when they enter the industry as certified practitioners, emphasizing that the PR challenge serves as an eye-opening experience and prepares them for the realities of the PR profession.
In his welcome address, Mr Ademola Adesoji, the Chairman of Osun NIPR, announced that the state chapter would make the PR challenge an annual tradition.
He highlighted that the competition not only exposes participants to PR practice but also offers opportunities for firms and builds the next generation of PR leaders and experts.
Stay ahead with the latest updates! Join The ConclaveNG on WhatsApp and Telegram for real-time news alerts, breaking stories, and exclusive content delivered straight to your phone. Don’t miss a headline — subscribe now!
