Media consultant and CEO, Smartbrands Innovative Media Enterprise, Yinka Padonu, has hailed the maiden edition of Covenant University’s “Future of PR Consultancy” Student Pitch Initiative, which held recently at the College of Management and Social Science Conference Hall.

The organisers disclosed that the competition aims at equipping Mass Communication students with real-world media skills and setting a new benchmark in public relations education.

Speaking, Padonu stressed the need for universities to integrate media entrepreneurship into Mass Communication curricula, stressing the importance of practical training in the modern media industry.

“I want Mass Communication Departments of every University in Nigeria to integrate media entrepreneurship into their curriculum. We must begin to raise future media entrepreneurs,” he said.

The competition, organised by the Mass Communication Department of Covenant University in Ota, Ogun State, featured 14 groups of 400-level students, each representing existing brands within the University .

The competition offered a platform for the mass communication students to present public relations consultancy strategies, demonstrating creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial thinking.

Padonu, who was one of the panel judges at the competition, noted that the competition reflects a growing recognition of the need for applied knowledge in media studies. He highlighted the relevance of such initiatives in preparing students to respond to the evolving demands of the media and communications industry.

“This kind of initiative gives students a feel of what it means to build value-driven communication strategies that solve real-world problems,” he stated.

The initiative, led by Dr. Kehinde Oyesomi and Dr. Nkem Osere of the Mass Communication department reiterated that the competition allowed students to engage directly with industry-level expectations, giving them exposure to branding, strategy and client-focused communication planning.

He further noted that this is the kind of foundation required to build a generation of confident, skilled media practitioners with an entrepreneurial mindset.

The media relations expert further commended the efforts of the department and the university management for bringing to the fore a forward-thinking model of education.

“I urge the department to sustain this initiative, stressing that consistency in such programs would not only benefit students but also raise the overall standard of public relations education across the country,” he said.

The initiative also drew commendation from others, including Dr. Oludare Ogunyombo and Dr. Yartey Darlynton, who noted that the competition fostered creativity and critical thinking—skills necessary for professional relevance in the public relations sector. Padonu’s commendation reinforces the relevance of industry-academic collaboration in shaping future-ready professionals.