For the first time in the history of Alphabet Media Academy, the media finishing school has given awards for outstanding performance to some leading personalities that have contributed to the success of the academy. And Dr. Tayo Oyedeji has revealed that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will not take away jobs from practitioners, rather people that can apply AI in their works will take away the jobs.
Tagged AMA Excellence Awards, the awards were given at the second grand graduation ceremony held on Thursday, June 26, 2025 at NECA House, Alausa-Ikeja, Lagos.
Speaking at the ceremony, the chief executive of Alphabet Media Academy, Eki Adzufeh, said the awards “is to show our appreciation to those who have stood out in one way or the other in an exceptional manner, to assist and ensure the Academy moves forward and achieves its set goals.”
He explained that more people deserve the awards and will be honoured in the future.
The recipients of the awards are Prof. Rotimi Olatunji - Dean of the Academy, Mr. Patrick Gomes, Mr. Yinka Adebayo, Mr. Henry Ononiwu and Mrs. Brenda Nwagwu.
Others include the Director General of ARCON – Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, Anuoluwapo Maria Adeyanju, Oluwafemi Sonuga, Adekunle John Afolabi, Emmanuel Ereoah, Otome Oyo and Damilola Ayobami.
In his keynote presentation at the event, the speaker, Dr. Tayo Oyedeji, Group CEO of Insight Redefini, was quick to negate the generally assumption that AI will take jobs away from people. He explained that AI will not take away jobs, rather it is people that understand and use AI that are going to take away jobs from those who do not understand AI and cannot use it.
The way out, he pointed out, is for people to learn and be proficient in the use of AI as that is the future. “The truth is: the people who will lead the next decade in this industry are those who understand how to use AI to speed up thinking, sharpen decisions, and drive results,” he said.
“Let me say this clearly: AI will not replace media professionals. But media professionals who use AI will replace those who don’t. AI does not have intuition. It does not understand culture. It cannot build trust with clients. It cannot feel the pulse of a city like Lagos or decode the nuance of a joke in Pidgin. You can. So here’s the winning formula: AI + Human Insight = Superpower.”
He explained how AI can be used in all processes in media strategy, media mix and channel selection, media buying, media control and campaigns optimization.
He gave four challenges to those playing in the media space, especially graduating students of AMA.
“Stay Curious Learn a new AI tool every month. Start with ChatGPT, MidJourney, Google Gemini, or Runway.
“Think Strategically Don’t just execute media. Understand why each decision matters.
“Be Ethical AI gives you power. But with that comes responsibility. Respect data. Guard privacy. Don’t exploit consumers.
“Lead the Change You are not too junior. You’re not too new. You are perfectly placed to bring AI into your teams — to teach your managers, to inspire your clients, and to build a new kind of media agency: smarter, faster, more human.”
The speech was followed by a panel discussion that lend more voice to AI and how it should be explored for optimal performance and relevance today and in the future.
Members of the panel were Patrick Gomes, CEO of DigitXplus; Chinwe Bode-Akinwande, head, Sponsordhip, Partnerships, Events and Collaborations, First Bank; and Ose Osundeko, Content Lead for Africa Digital Hub at Daigeo. The session was moderated by Brenda Nwagwu, the Vice President of MIPAN and CEO of QVT Media.
Earlier on, in his address, the CEO of AMA, Eki Adzufeh, said AMA was launched on February 20, 2018 with the vision of being “The preferred Media Academy that creates a pool of well-trained talents that will shape the future of the Media & Marketing Communications Industry in Nigeria and Africa.”
The CEO also said the slogan of the Academy is “By the Industry, for the Industry” and has two broad levels – Post Graduate Certificate in Media Management (PGCMM) and Post Graduate Diploma in Media Management (PGDMM).
“Since we started classes over seven years ago, we have remained consistent, having been able to run 19 cohorts made up of both certificate and diploma programmes producing over 500 graduates,” he explained. “Cohort 20 Certificate classes that started on April 26, 2025 is nearing completion while Cohort 18 Diploma programme that started at the same time will be rounding up course work in July 2025,” he said.
He mentioned several achievements of the Academy which is the finishing school for media management to include graduating over 500 students, most of whom are making the academy proud in different fields of endeavour; partnership with ARCON where graduates of the PGDMM programme are given opportunity to sit for the last stage of ARCON Diploma in Advertising and be registered as Associate Registered Practitioners in Advertising (arpa); and AMA foreign study/trip for students to provide them with incremental knowledge offshore.
Graduating students of both the PGCMM and PGDMM were awarded certificates at the ceremony.
Among those present at the event were Vincent Oyo, Chairman of AMA, Prof. Rotimi Olatunji, Dean, Faculty members, graduating students, other industry stakeholders and guests.
