Prairie View A&M University
08/05/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/05/2024 07:29
This PVAMU MBA student is leading an award-winning global multimedia company
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (Aug. 5, 2024) - As a Nigerian growing up in Houston, Prairie View A&M University graduate student Eno Oduok didn't see many opportunities around her for Nigerian creatives. "There was minimal representation and limited opportunities in nontraditional and overlooked professions, such as graphic design, communications, public relations, and culinary. I didn't see it in person or online," she said.
So, the then-21-year-old created her own venture in 2020. "I launched Naija Comm during my last year as an undergrad."
"My younger self was the inspiration behind Naija Comm," says Oduok, now a graduate student at PVAMU studying business administration, working toward her MBA. "I created Naija Comm because this is the space and resource I wish I had growing up. Hopefully, that resonates with other individuals and becomes that type of space/resource for them."
Oduok, who holds a bachelor's degree in public relations with a minor in marketing, says she got her "first taste of entrepreneurship" while tutoring the kids in her neighborhood during her teenage years. "I learned various valuable lessons, such as discipline, negotiation, critical thinking in a timely manner, and decisiveness," she adds.
Through her "passion project," she developed an interest in public relations, eventually evolving into content creation and digital media, leading to work with companies like AMC Networks and BET or shows like Bloodlands or writing about artificial intelligence and cloud software.
"I aspire to create more opportunities for myself, my loved ones, and the communities I'm a part of," Oduok says.
Now, Naija Comm (NC) is an award-winning global multimedia company that provides media services to companies and individuals, creating content for their campaigns catering to diverse audiences. "More than that, it is a community united by its mission to support Nigerians pursuing overlooked professions and nontraditional ventures while uplifting the African diaspora by providing opportunities and resources for them to thrive," Oduok says.
Since its debut, NC has worked with notable companies like HBO, Black Ambition (founded and owned by Pharrell), I Stand with Immigrants (owned by FWD.us - founded by Mark Zuckerberg, Joe Green, and Drew Houston), and more. NC has been featured in Forbes Africa and Business Insider.
In addition, Oduok herself was named among the 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 in media. Her work has been featured on Ad Age, AfroTech, and more. She has spoken on various platforms, notably the NBA and VidCon. Her bylines and published articles have appeared in Adweek and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Data Science Institute, among others.
"The NC team and I have collaborated with renowned brands. One of our favorite campaigns was helping WhatsApp amplify the launch of their documentary 'Naija Odyssey' and being a part of their social media campaign. It features basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was born in Greece to Nigerian parents. The documentary is now available on Prime Video," Oduok says.
Oduok has won several awards and recognitions for her achievements. However, what matters most to her is NC's impact on empowering the African diaspora. What started as a passion project created in her sister's room has evolved into both a business venture and a thriving community, engaging people from around the world - from Canada to Amsterdam and beyond.
"I'm grateful for the awards and support throughout these few years of NC's existence," she says. "But overall, I care more about the impact the NC team and I are making through our work and the initiatives we create to give back. This journey surpassed all my expectations and imagination. It all started with a dream from my younger self, and it's truly a blessing to continue expanding it."
Naija Comm combines Oduok's three loves: marketing, media and community service. "There's power in marketing/media, and great power comes with great responsibility," she says. "As people, we heavily consume it every day, from social media to billboard advertisements. But we don't always have control over what we see and hear, how things make us feel sometimes, or how our community is being represented, which can influence our perspectives."
This is only the beginning for Oduok.
Next, with her MBA from PVAMU, Oduok, who has always been a "creative first," hopes to scale Naija Comm to new heights with the resources and connections she makes or possibly create other ventures in the future. "I'm looking forward to learning more about the analytical and logistical processes involved in scaling business infrastructures," she says. She graduates next spring.
Sharing her lessons from her own success, Oduok encourages people to write their own stories and be their own superheroes: "I believe people should have control over their own narratives because if you don't, someone else will. You are a superhero; your perspective is your superpower, and nothing is more super than that."
By Christine Won
-PVAMU-