Name: Sherifat Oshoala
Course: Mass Communication
CGPA: 4.60
Post in MSSN: Member
Sherifat Oshoala is a promising content creator, newscaster, anchor, and producer of News Wrap, a popular news headline summary on Instagram, a photo and video-sharing social networking service. Sherifat, as a student of the University of Lagos studying Mass Communication (Broadcast), also created another Programme titled, Up-Close, and can be watched on YouTube.
Interestingly, despite being a sister to Asisat Oshoala, the multiple award-winning Nigerian female footballer, who also plays for Barcelona FC, the beautiful Hijabi, Sherifah, worked hard to emerge top in Broadcast, Mass Communication with a First Class Degree.
Here’s what she had to say about how she feels:
“First class, yes, it feels really good and fulfilling because it gives me the conviction that there is nothing I cannot achieve as long as I set my mind to achieving it. When I wanted to take my jamb, I felt pressure as UNILAG is a prestigious institution. I did what I had to do and by the grace of God and the support from my family and friends, I got in. That was the first achievement. After I got in, I had to achieve the best that I could; not the first class, but I just wanted to get the best, whatever it was. So, I just did my best and Alhamdulillah.”
Mass Communication as a choice:
“As a kid, I had always wanted to be a broadcaster, even if I didn’t know jack about what it requires to be one. I liked the pronunciation that came with presenting especially newscasting, so I had always wanted to be a broadcaster. When I wanted to get into the University, I had no doubt, I knew it was Mass Communication, and even when it came to the sequencing that I had to choose a merger in Mass Communication; I knew it was broadcasting because that has always been my forte. I had always picked up newspapers and read them with a fake accent. I’m working hard towards being a good broadcaster.”
The role of MSSN
“MSSN taught me that there is nothing you’re doing, that you won’t bring Allah into; you don’t want to really get lost in chasing something without praying to God or without having that relationship with God. So, MSSN was the organization that helped me with that moral and spiritual support. I was an active member of the Mass communication chapter ( Unilag Muslim communicators). I remember attending a weekly meeting after every jumaat. We talked about finding yourself if you’re getting lost or derailing while chasing the best. There is this constant reminder that you have to have a relationship with Allah, you have to do the right things as regards the Deen, and also it was really good being part of the organisation while in school. I didn’t get blinded by the fact that I wanted to get a good result and forget the fact that I had to pray. Well, I am a strong believer so I really pray towards it and that was like a major factor towards achieving the result.
Current Engagement
I am currently serving in Fresh FM, a radio station in Ibadan. So, it is another great step towards my career aspiration and I am really happy that I am working in a media organisation because it is something I want to do. That is where I want to end up in. This is like a ladder towards achieving my dreams. I work as a newscaster now and I also work in other capacities.
Five years Plan
In five years, I am working towards owning my skills in broadcasting and other Fields. I want to be a seasoned broadcaster. In fact, I want to work at the BBC. I hope that by then, I would have gone very far up the ladder towards achieving the heights of the profession.
I want to present, produce documentaries, do voice-overs, news presentations for renowned TV stations. I have this thing for TV and I am really working towards having my own broadcast outfit. Right now, I have a program (News Wrap-up) that I share on social media and one other program (Up-Close) that is also towards wanting to own my own TV station eventually. So, in five years I hope that I would have gone very far with that and I would also like to have an academy when I am seasoned so that I can train other aspiring broadcasters.