More Than Records: Inside Blessing Famose’s Transformational Run as UNILAG Sun Editor-in-Chief

By Success Essien, Jacinta Emeka, Omope Oyinnijesu Omolola, Ajaraonye Sophie Onyinyechi, Kazeem Sherifat Oluwadamilare, Oyewumi Adebisi William, and Afolabi Barakat Olamide 

When the newsroom of UNILAG Sun looks back on one of its most defining periods, the tenure of its immediate past Editor-in-Chief stands out for its intensity, growth, and lessons in leadership.

The immediate past Editor-in-Chief of UNILAG Sun, Blessing Famose, shares her journey and lessons from her time in the newsroom. 

Tell us about your journey into campus journalism, and what exactly led you to become Editor-in-Chief of UNILAG Sun.

My journey into campus journalism basically started when I was in 100 Level. It started with me helping with transcription, on a personal level, for the then Editor-in-Chief, Paul Agada. He would usually reach out to me when he had interviews to transcribe, and I would work on them and send them back to him.

It was in my 200 Level that I joined UNILAG Sun as a cub reporter. I would go for interviews back then, just to learn the ropes of interviewing, journalism, reporting, writing news, editing news, and all of that. I went for a lot of interviews at the time.

From there, I became an Advert Executive, also in my 200 Level. We spent, I think, two years then because of COVID and ASUU, so we had two productions. As an Advert Executive, I went around looking for adverts for UNILAG Sun.

It was when I got to Year 3 that I took the course, Newspaper Management and Production. I don’t know if I would say it was hard work that paid off or if it was grace. I don’t know. But I know that the Editor-in-Chief then reached out to me and told me that they had gone through the list of people available for the editorial offices. I didn’t do any interviews during that time.

It was just an appointment. I was asked if I would be willing to fill the role of Managing Editor of UNILAG Sun.

It came to me as a shock because I was never on the board, and I didn’t know how the editors worked. All I ever did was show up, attend interviews, and do what I was supposed to do. And I became Managing Editor. The rest is history

What exactly was it that kept you committed throughout your tenure as Editor-in-Chief of UNILAG Sun? 

I would say, first of all, that it was passion for the work. Passion did a lot of pushing for me and helped me stay committed. 

In what way did serving as Editor-in-Chief shape your confidence, decision-making and work ethics?

I would say that I already knew what leadership was about, so I already had the confidence I needed. However, serving as Editor-in-Chief played a very important role in shaping how I approached issues.

I learned by observing my past editors, their flaws, their successes, what they did well and what they did not do so well. I told myself that if I was going to lead people to success, I could not do things the same way. I had to sit myself down and talk to myself. I prayed and spoke to God a lot during that period because I knew I could not do it by myself and that I needed guidance.

Looking back, what achievements or moments during your tenure stood out the most for you?

There is a long list, actually. I think the most important achievement that stood out for me was when we came back from the press and literally broke records. 

For the record, we were the first to bring papers back from the press very early. We also incorporated QR codes into UNILAG Sun for the first time. Before my tenure, the UNILAG Sun newsroom was very unconducive. It was always hot. We barely had chairs and proper lighting. We spent long hours in queues to print letters and interview questions. However, under my leadership, we got two air conditioners, a printer, a laptop, and created a much more conducive working environment. 

We were also the first production team in UNILAG Sun history to reject adverts because we already had enough. That had never happened before. People were rushing to advertise with us. We were also the first team to receive funds for production without having to beg. 

One of the stories in our last production was written by me, and it went viral. It gave the people featured in the story recognition, which I did not even expect. That moment meant a lot to me.

So for me, the standout moment was driving back from the press and knowing that we had set an unprecedented record. The paper arrived early, the newsroom became more conducive, we had a better structure, and we laid a legacy that I hope will be sustained and surpassed. That moment stands out the most for me.

What message would you leave for the current and incoming UNILAG Sun team?

My message to current editors and those coming in is very simple but vital. Remain grounded in truth. Journalism is not just about storytelling or writing news. It is about truth. It is about responsibility. It is about impact.

Develop your craft diligently. Do not just say, “I want to do what I want to do.” Be open to criticism. Embrace feedback. Do not compromise your ethics for anything. 

Learn at every point. Learning is a continuous process, so be willing to learn at every stage and to receive corrections at every challenge. It is all part of the formative process.