FUNAAB Trains Public Relations Staff in Digital Communication and Professional Anchoring

The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), has organised a professional development masterclass for staff of its Directorate of Public Relations (DPR), focusing on digital public relations, institutional visibility and professional anchoring.

The one-day training, held on October 8, 2026, at the DPR Boardroom, was organised in partnership with Hattie Royale Media, a media consulting and professional training firm. It brought together public relations professionals from other universities, selected university staff and DPR interns.

Tagged “Voice, Visibility, Influence: A Digital PR and Anchoring Masterclass for PR Professionals,” the programme focused on equipping participants with practical communication skills suited to the evolving digital media landscape.

The training addressed strategic storytelling, digital reputation management, audience engagement, search visibility, emerging technologies and effective communication across multiple platforms.

Representing the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Babatunde Kehinde, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development), Professor Olawale Dairo, commended the DPR and Hattie Royale Media for organising the programme. He emphasised the importance of continuous professional development in preparing communication practitioners for the demands of the digital age.

Kehinde, through his representative, reiterated his administration’s commitment to human-capacity development and urged participants to apply the knowledge gained to achieve measurable professional and institutional results.

Earlier, the Acting Head of the DPR, Olasunkanmi Olajide, appreciated the Vice-Chancellor for his continued support and investment in the directorate, noting that the backing had strengthened the university’s image-building, visibility and strategic communication efforts.

Olajide disclosed that the two facilitators from Hattie Royale Media were former DPR interns who had benefited from the university’s professional development opportunities. He described their emergence as facilitators as evidence of the value of investing in young communication professionals and preparing them for industry demands.

The Coordinator of FUNAAB Radio 89.5 FM, Dr. Adewale Kupoluyi, commended the directorate for its consistent investment in professional development, while the Senior Deputy Registrar in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Moses Ayanda, encouraged participants to embrace continuous learning and apply the skills acquired in their professional responsibilities.

During the digital public relations session, the Principal Consultant of Hattie Royale Media, Oludolapo Agbejobi, addressed strategic digital communication, institutional storytelling, search reputation, audience engagement and the use of digital tools to build visibility, credibility and trust.

She also emphasised that artificial intelligence should enhance professional efficiency and creativity without replacing human judgement, ethical responsibility and strategic thinking.

The anchoring session was facilitated by Oluwaseun Adesina, a public relations strategist with Hattie Royale Media. He trained participants in event preparation, protocol, audience management, stage presence, programme transitions and real-time problem-solving.

Adesina introduced the AAA approach, which stands for Acknowledge, Assess and Act, as a practical framework for managing unexpected situations during public events while maintaining professionalism and protecting institutional dignity.

The masterclass also featured practical exercises, breakout sessions, interactive learning and networking opportunities, allowing participants to acquire skills applicable to corporate, institutional and media communication environments.

The initiative forms part of FUNAAB’s efforts to strengthen the professional capacity of its communication personnel and improve the university’s digital visibility, public engagement and institutional reputation.