…Emerging best student six years ago spurred me – Ebeledike
…Holo emerges as inaugural recipient of award

A journalist and documentary filmmaker Neenma Ebeledike has instituted a N200,000 annual prize for the best graduating student in the Department of Mass Communication at Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State.

The Neenma Ebeledike Prize for the Best Graduating Mass Communication Student, which comes with a cash award, a commemorative plaque, and a copy of Ebeledike’s grant, scholarship, and fellowship guidebook, has named Adeola Holo as its inaugural recipient.

The establishment of the prize comes six years after Ebeledike made history as the first mass communication student to emerge as the overall best graduating student of the university in 2020, a feat that laid the foundation for her commitment to recognizing and rewarding academic distinction in a discipline she described as demanding.

According to Ebeledike, the decision to endow the award is rooted in her firsthand experience of the rigors of mass communication, a field she said required strong writing skills, analytical thinking, creativity, and the ability to communicate complex ideas effectively.

“People often celebrate excellent results without fully understanding what it takes to achieve them. I know firsthand how difficult it is to graduate with an outstanding result, let alone emerge as the best in a department like mass communication, where so much of your academic performance depends on writing, critical thinking, analysis, creativity, and assessments that do not always have one straightforward answer.

“Behind every excellent result are sacrifices people may never see. There are sleepless nights, countless assignments, moments of self-doubt, and the discipline to keep showing up and giving your best. I want this prize to recognize that effort,” she said.

Since graduating from Redeemer’s University, Ebeledike has built a career spanning journalism, documentary filmmaking, photography, and multimedia storytelling.

She earned a master’s degree in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley, and currently works as a multimedia journalist with The Sacramento Observer in California, United States. Her reporting and documentary work have focused on underrepresented communities, social issues, and stories that seek to inspire meaningful change.

Ebeledike said establishing the annual award is her way of giving back to the department that helped shape her academic and professional journey.

“This is my way of giving back to a department that played an important role in shaping who I am today. I hope that years from now, a student will receive this prize and feel that their effort has been seen, their sacrifices have been worth it, and their dreams are worth pursuing.”

Beyond the financial reward, the inclusion of her grant, scholarship, and fellowship guidebook reflects her desire to support students as they transition into the next stages of their academic and professional lives.

The guidebook provides information intended to help students identify funding opportunities and navigate applications for grants, scholarships, and fellowships—a resource she wished she had access to during her own academic journey.

The inaugural recipient, Adeola Holo, described receiving the prize as an unexpected and meaningful recognition of her academic efforts, noting that there had been little to no recognition for Mass Communication scholars in the department in previous years.

“As someone who has always valued academic excellence, I realized that there had been little to no recognition for mass communication scholars in the department in previous years. So, when I was informed that I was the best graduating student this year, I didn’t expect much either.

“I felt a great sense of pride upon seeing my name as the recipient of this prize. To me, this prize is an avenue for young communicators like myself to be seen and recognized,” Holo said.

Holo, who hopes to build a career in broadcast journalism, public relations, and strategic communication, said she wants to explore how storytelling and media can shape public conversations and contribute to positive social change.

She also expressed a desire to amplify underrepresented voices, particularly those of women and young people, while contributing to discussions about gender equity, education, and youth empowerment.

Her long-term ambition, she said, is to become a communication professional whose work goes beyond informing audiences to making a meaningful difference in Nigeria and across Africa.

With the establishment of the prize, which has drawn appreciation from Redeemer’s University officials and members of the Mass Communication Department, the university’s registrar, Dr. Akintola, expressed gratitude to Ebeledike for her contribution to the institution.

“The University appreciates your generosity and kind support and prays that the Redeemer Himself will continue to prosper you on all sides. Amen,” Akintola said.

Prof. Felix Talabi of the Mass Communication Department also commended Ebeledike, describing her gesture as an encouragement to both the department and its alumni community.

“First, on behalf of the Department, I’d like to say thank you for instituting the prize. It means a lot to us and to me especially. You have encouraged and motivated us in more ways than you know. You have also started something in the mass communication alumni network that will yield such great results,” Talabi stated.

Through the annual prize, Ebeledike hopes to create a lasting tradition of recognizing academic excellence in mass communication while encouraging students to pursue opportunities beyond the classroom, a legacy that, if sustained, could transform the department’s culture of achievement and inspire generations of communicators to come.