One of the leading media and advertising schools in Nigeria, Alphabet Media Academy (AMA), today held the 2nd graduation ceremony for cohort 18th in Lagos.
The event, themed “The Big Leap,” hosted the Vice President of the Media Independence Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN), Brenda Nwagwu; Professor Rotimi Olatunji, part-time Dean of AMA and Professor of Advertising & Public Relations at Lagos State University (LASU); Patrick Gomes, CEO of DigitXplus; Dr. Tayo Oyedeji, CEO of Insight Publicis; Ose Osundeko, Content Lead, Africa at Diageo; Chinwe Bode-Akinwande, Head of Sponsorships, Partnerships, Events & Collaborations at FirstBank; Yinka Adebayo, Executive Director of MediaReach OMD, West and Central Africa, among others.
The graduating students received Post Graduate Certificates in Media Management (PGCMM) and Post Graduate Diplomas in Media Management (PGDMM).
While addressing the fresh graduates at the ceremony, Prof. Olatunji emphasized, “Academic qualifications no longer suffice; a precision combination of both the art and soft skills holds greater importance now, more than ever. Moreover, multifaceted factors—chief among them digitization, artificial intelligence, and other emergent technologies—continue to disrupt the economic models of nations, including Nigeria.”
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He stressed that economic dynamics have shifted so drastically that Bachelor’s degrees and even PhDs may no longer be sufficient. He encouraged the graduates to apply the 3H of education, which AMA has imparted, to excel in their careers as they move forward in the industry.
“Along with this, media economics and employment dynamics have changed significantly. The traditional three Rs—reading, writing, and arithmetic—no longer apply. The current focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics also seems inadequate to address emerging challenges in the industry.
I recall one of my research articles titled ‘Will the Advertising Curriculum Ever Catch Up with Advertising Industry Practice?’ This reflects the dynamic nature of the industry and underscores that your Bachelor’s or PhD alone may not keep you relevant. Alphabet Media Academy (AMA) serves as a platform that connects graduates to the industry.”
He explained that integrating with society requires embracing the 3H of education—intellectualism through the head, emotional intelligence through the heart, and skill acquisition through the hands. “In this context, Alphabet Media Academy plays a vital and timely role. Here, we equip our graduates with the media management knowledge, skills, ethics, technological know-how, economic awareness, innovations, and other essentials needed to succeed in the integrated marketing communication industry and beyond.”
The professor pointed out that AMA functions as a finishing school that not only prepares graduates from various fields for a seamless transition into media management but also into innovation, job creation, and entrepreneurship. “That’s why our graduates distinguish themselves among peers globally.”
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Gomes, in his remarks, emphasized the importance of updating and adapting the curriculum to stay relevant. He spoke about the urgent need to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the academy’s curriculum while advancing its current offerings.
“I spoke with the chairman before the event began and mentioned that we probably need to revisit our curriculum. Our certificate and diploma programs will continue, but I believe the time has come to introduce a 2-day or 3-day program to quickly bring someone up to speed with AI and related modules.”
Gomes underscored the importance of continuous learning, using the acronym “curious, hungry, inquisitive” to highlight the need for lifelong development. “Learning doesn’t happen just once—it’s constant. It never ends; it’s a cycle we must go through.”
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He shared his principle, stating that education contributes only 10%, while experience and exposure account for the remaining 90%. “Without experience or exposure, education alone can’t take you far. Take AI, for instance—enroll in an AI program, learn prompt engineering, and understand how to craft prompts to achieve the right outcomes.”
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