The West Africa Broadcast and Media Academy (WABMA) has graduated participants from its third-quarter long-term professional courses, marking a notable milestone with 12 media aides from the Liberian Senate becoming its first international cohort to complete a full five-week programme physically at the academy’s Abuja campus.

The development represents a significant step in WABMA’s international training activities. Until the latest programme, international participants had largely taken part in the academy’s courses virtually.

The Liberian delegation was sponsored by the President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, as part of an effort to build the professional capacity of media personnel supporting Liberia’s legislature.

Officials of WABMA, representatives of the Liberian Embassy, faculty members, facilitators and graduands from Nigeria and Liberia attended the graduation ceremony in Abuja.

Addressing the gathering, WABMA Rector, Dr Ken Ike Okere, encouraged the graduands to apply the knowledge and skills gained during the programme to improve their performance in their respective workplaces.

He placed particular emphasis on the Liberian participants, challenging them to return home and uphold the professional standards associated with graduates of the academy.

According to Okere, the true value of professional training is ultimately determined by how effectively the lessons acquired are applied outside the classroom.

Representing the Liberian Ambassador to Nigeria, Deputy Chief of Mission Mr Kansualism Berk Kansuah praised the 12 media aides for their discipline and conduct throughout their time in Nigeria.

Kansuah revealed that some members of the delegation distinguished themselves academically, completing several courses with distinction.

He also praised Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, the President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate, for funding the programme, describing the sponsorship as an investment in strengthening the capacity of Liberia’s legislative media team.

Mr Roland Glay, Team Lead of the Liberian delegation, said the training exposed the participants to Nigeria’s media and legislative communication environment, providing them with valuable professional experience.

He noted that the delegation’s visits to institutions and media organisations, including the National Assembly, Radio Nigeria, Silverbird Television and Arise TV, added further value to the five-week programme.

Glay said feedback from the participants showed that WABMA had surpassed their expectations.

He added that the President Pro Tempore was satisfied with the outcome and had expressed interest in sponsoring more participants for WABMA’s fourth-quarter programme, which is scheduled to begin in September.

WABMA Executive Director, Mr Mike Yawe, also described the physical participation of the Liberian media aides as a memorable moment for the academy.

According to Yawe, having the international participants in Abuja illustrated the expanding opportunities for professional development and knowledge exchange among media practitioners across Africa.

He advised the graduands to regard the certificates they received as the start of their professional responsibility rather than the conclusion of their learning journey.

“Practice what you have learnt. If you learnt to communicate better, let people see it in your communication. If you learnt to write with clarity, let your writing demonstrate it,” he said.

Yawe further urged the graduands to make professionalism, competence and integrity the clearest evidence of the training they had received.

The graduation featured the presentation of certificates to successful participants from WABMA’s three campuses, as well as goodwill messages and testimonies from graduands.

The programme also underscored the growing demand for practical professional development in media and communication while providing a platform for knowledge exchange between Nigerian media professionals and their counterparts from other African countries.

Source Leadership.ng