Get Guardian on GoogleMedia students have been urged to prioritise practical skills, professional competence and entrepreneurship over academic certificates as they prepare to navigate the increasingly competitive creative industry.
The President and Chief Creative Officer of Fedmas Studios, Dr. Sam Idiagbonya, gave the advice while delivering a keynote lecture to students of Broadcasting, Film and Multimedia Studies at the University of Abuja.
Idiagbonya said academic qualifications alone could not guarantee career success, stressing the need for graduates to acquire industry-relevant skills, build professional portfolios and develop entrepreneurial abilities.
He challenged the students to move beyond dependence on limited employment opportunities and position themselves as creators of value through innovation, practical experience and enterprise development.
According to him, graduation marks the beginning of greater personal and professional responsibilities, requiring young professionals to demonstrate competence in areas such as production budgeting, crew management and audience engagement.
He also emphasised the importance of understanding copyright laws, contractual agreements, content distribution and monetisation, noting that talent without adequate business knowledge could hinder long-term career growth.
The media executive further identified discipline, punctuality, teamwork and respect for professional commitments as essential qualities for building sustainable careers in the creative sector.
He urged the students to embrace emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, digital storytelling and evolving distribution platforms, while developing the capacity to tell authentic African stories to global audiences.
Similarly, veteran Nollywood actor, Segun Arinze, described university certificates as instruments that open doors but do not automatically guarantee professional success.
Arinze maintained that graduates must demonstrate their ability to solve real-world problems and deliver measurable results to remain relevant in their chosen fields.
He identified punctuality, consistency, teamwork, integrity and dependability as critical attributes for success in the creative industry.
The actor also encouraged students to handle rejection constructively, pursue continuous self-improvement and build meaningful professional networks anchored on mutual value and good character.
He noted that a strong professional reputation could travel faster than a résumé, urging the students to establish themselves through content creation, practical engagements and portfolio development before graduation.
In his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Fawehinmi, expressed delight at the presence of prominent media personalities and industry practitioners, particularly veteran actor Segun Arinze.
He said interactions with established industry figures provided students with opportunities to connect their admiration for media personalities with practical career possibilities.
The Vice-Chancellor encouraged the students to maximise the interactive session by asking questions, learning from the experiences of the guest speakers and building professional relationships that could support their career development.
As part of its corporate social responsibility initiative, Fedmas Studios also awarded scholarships to two students: Godwin Ofejiro Friday (24/212FMU/075) and Akaahan Mbasughunter Stephanie (23/212FMU/010).
