A celebrity journalist, Comrade Emmanuel Afolabi, has advised young journalists to be creative, saying creativity is essential for success in the profession.

Afolabi gave the advice on Monday when he visited Edunright Media in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where he spoke to media trainees.

“You cannot make it in journalism if you are not creative,” he said, stressing that creativity helps journalists gather, develop and present information effectively to their audience.

He also identified timeliness as an important requirement in journalism, urging young journalists to report news promptly while maintaining professional standards.

Sharing his experience with the trainees, Afolabi said his commitment to reporting news promptly had earned him recognition for being timely in his work.

He further stressed the importance of truth and accuracy, advising the trainees to always verify information before publishing or broadcasting it.

According to him, journalists have a responsibility to be the voice of the voiceless and should always have facts and evidence before reporting any issue.

He warned that failure to properly verify information could lead to the spread of inaccurate reports, urging the trainees to make fact-checking an important part of their work.

Afolabi also encouraged the trainees to read widely and carry out more research, saying continuous learning is necessary for anyone who wants to build a successful career in journalism.

Speaking on the various branches of journalism, he identified print and broadcast journalism as major areas through which journalists communicate information to the public.

He concluded by reminding the trainees that journalism is not only about obtaining good grades in school, but also about developing the skills, creativity and professional responsibility needed to succeed in the media industry.