Categories Life
Coming from someone who lives in the States that didn't do those things & instead pursued it later, I mean it with sincerity when I congratulate you on discovering your passion & deciding to pursue it so early! I'm frustrated you are being defensive of folks not paying talent.
Starting your own publication is probably very difficult. Again: I'm super happy you're doing it at such a young age & that you have peers collaborating in a joined vision.
I started The Indiependent in 2014 when I was in sixth form, and have worked on it VOLUNTARILY ever since. I probably spend about 20 hours a week working on the site, alongside a day job which I need to do to live.
— Beth Kirkbride (@BettyKirkers) December 7, 2020
As I'm in the States, I can tell you from experience & discussions w/ journalists at major pubs that Jschool isn't necessary in order to gain freelance clips. I wish more folks knew that. You really can do it without a
The amazing editors all give up their time to do the same, often juggling their positions alongside university/work. For them, they get the editorial experience which to someone looking to apply for a journalism course or go on to work in the media industry, is valuable.
— Beth Kirkbride (@BettyKirkers) December 7, 2020
Pitching to national or international publications can absolutely be intimidating no matter what level of experience or age you are. Thankfully there are several resources out there which can be found online to help folks with that vs 10+ years
Trying to pitch to national publications is depressing for an experienced freelance journalist, let alone inexperienced newcomers who i) don\u2019t have any clippings and ii) don\u2019t understand what a pitch is or how to write one.
— Beth Kirkbride (@BettyKirkers) December 7, 2020
As a Believer, one of the greatest tests of my life is granting real forgiveness to all those who because of Politics twisted my deep agony and agitation for rescue of ChibokGirls into all forms of wicked accusations I have had to bear since 2014. And yet I must.
In this 2018 tweet, I was recounting how the @BBCAfrica handle broke the news of the abduction of ChibokGirls on the 15th and my immediate reaction was to ask them if the news was “verified”.
I mean, it was hard to imagine hundreds of schoolchildren being abducted. It was hard.
This was what on that April15 2014 I tweeted @ the .@BBCAfrica handle the first time I ever heard of the #ChibokGirlsAbduction:
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) February 1, 2018
Verified? @BBCAfrica: Over 200 girls have been abducted in an attack on a school in north-east #Nigeria, parents say https://t.co/NKMOruZCI2\u2026\u201d
My follow-on tweet after asking @BBCAfrica if their breaking news on the abduction was verified is captured below. It sank in my mind that it was BBC News and that by the quality control standards, it was near impossible to break unverified news. Ah. My eyes rolled down tears.
I followed on that 1st tweet with:
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) February 1, 2018
I hope this is NOT TRUE. The @BBCAfrica reports that some 200 school girls were abducted LAST NIGHT in Borno State? Any Tweeps in Borno?
As I waited for some minutes to learn more, tears rolled involuntarily because my mind said \u201cit\u2019s BBC o\u201d
As I waited handle out in Borno replied my tweet affirming the @BBCAfrica report .
My family remembers up until today how I wailed reading that.
It pierced straight to my heart that hundreds of poor innocent children of my fellow human beings were in the grips of terrorists.
As I waited with sinking feeling on that April 15, 2014 a fellow responded to my tweet and here was my reaction:
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) February 1, 2018
\u201cOh dear! Praying our Security Team ACTS swiftly&brings GOOD NEWS @othmanyakubu: @obyezeks abductions confirmed and the number is above 100.\u201d
I started wailing.
Those who by 2014 followed me here would remember that EVERYDAY from that April 15 afternoon, all I started tweeting about was a shout to the then FG and Military to ACT SWIFTLY and RESCUE the abducted ChibokGirls.
Sadly, the Presidency and FG pretended nothing had happened.
Those who already followed me here on Twitter in 2014 would likely remember that EVERYDAY from that April 15 afternoon, ALL I BEGAN TO TWEET ON was a shout out to the then FG and Military to ACT SWIFTLY and RESCUE the abducted ChibokGirls.
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) February 1, 2018
Sadly, THE FG PRETENDED NOT TO HEAR ME.