Funke Olaode: Mastering Communication In Notable Institutions Across Continents

Every accomplished journalist has a story about where the journey began. For the vibrant and meticulous, widely known as Funke, that journey began in the classrooms of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, where she graduated with an Upper Credit (Honours) in Mass Communication in 2002. Her brilliance was evident early as she emerged as the Best Female Graduating Student in her department and Overall Best Graduating Student, a distinction that foreshadowed a career defined by excellence and relentless self-improvement.

Rather than wait until graduation to pursue a media career, Funke began blazing the trail while still an undergraduate. As a freelance reporter for THISDAY, she interviewed prominent personalities in South West region. These early assignments sharpened her reporting skills and prepared her for a lifetime in journalism.

During her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) between 2003 and 2004, Funke served as a Course Instructor in the Department of Mass Communication at Sokoto Polytechnic, where she taught Communication Skills, Fundamentals of Communication, and Public Relations. Her exceptional teaching earned her an Outstanding Performance Award, marking an early recognition of her professional dedication.

But Funke’s hunger for knowledge did not end with her first degree. In 2007, while already working in THISDAY, she returned to the University of Ibadan to pursue a Master of Communication Arts (MCA), specialising in Communication and Language Arts.

On June 25, 2009, Funke celebrated the submission of her final project—marking the completion of her master’s degree and another milestone in her pursuit of excellence.

Yet even that achievement did not mark the peak of her academic ambition. More than a decade later, with over two decades of journalism experience and serving as Assistant Editor at THISDAY, Funke stepped beyond her comfort zone to deepen her expertise through international studies.

In 2024, with her employer’s support, she embarked on an intensive academic journey across Europe and the United States, relocating temporarily to London, United Kingdom, while shuttling between institutions on the two continents.

From September 2024 to January 2025, she earned an Advanced Certificate in Strategic Communication from the Rotterdam School of Management, Corporate Communication Centre, Erasmus University, The Netherlands. The programme exposed her to advanced frameworks in strategic communication planning, stakeholder mapping, corporate reputation management, and narrative positioning. It broadened her understanding of how organisations craft communication strategies that align with long-term institutional goals.

While pursuing that programme, Funke simultaneously enrolled at Harvard University’s Division of Continuing Education in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, where she completed an eDiploma in Effective Organisational Communication in November 2024. At Harvard, she studied executive communication, message design for complex organisations, leadership communication, stakeholder engagement and relationship-building strategies that prevent crises and promote institutional trust.

According to her, the Harvard experience reshaped how she sees communication in modern institutions.

“Communication isn’t just about passing information,” she explained. “It is about building trust, creating understanding and driving action in complex organisational environments.”

Her international academic journey also took her to the International School of Communication (ISOC) in London, where she obtained a Certificate in Crisis Communication between October and December 2024. The programme focused on crisis preparedness, media response strategies, reputation protection and managing corporate crises in the digital and social media era—skills increasingly essential for organisations operating in today’s fast-paced information ecosystem.

Together, the three programmes—Harvard’s organisational communication expertise, Rotterdam’s strategic communication frameworks, and ISOC London’s crisis management training—equipped Funke with a powerful combination of global communication skills.

These international studies built upon a career already rich in professional experience. Since joining THISDAY in January 1999 as a trainee reporter, she has steadily risen through the ranks to become Assistant Editor. Over the years, she has curated the popular weekend column “Memoirs” for 15 years, managed the Glitterati lifestyle magazine where she profiled more than 4,000 personalities, and now edits the weekly column “Crime and Punishment,” focusing on Nigeria’s justice and security issues.

Her academic growth has also strengthened her consulting career. She has provided communication support and advisory services to organisations including Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Rural Electrification Agency (REA), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and Caverton Offshore Support Group.

Shortly after completing her international programmes, Funke further applied her newly acquired expertise during an apprenticeship as a Communication and Media Strategist at Caverton Offshore Support Group Plc, where she contributed to corporate messaging, executive communications and strategic stakeholder engagement.

Beyond journalism and corporate communication, Funke has also demonstrated the power of compassion in action. In 2024, she mobilised support for Amina Olufunmi, a 36-year-old house cleaner who dreamed of becoming a fashion designer. Through Funke’s intervention and the support of philanthropist Alhaji Rafiu Adisa Ebiti and the Ibeji Foundation, Amina was enrolled in a fashion school, with accommodation, a monthly stipend, and sewing equipment.

Over the years, Funke has attended several global events, including the World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings in Washington DC, the United Nations SDGs Pledging Conference in New York, and international conferences across London, Dubai, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Dakar, and Lusaka.

Today, with over 25 years in journalism, global certifications verified by World Education Services (WES), and membership of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Olaode remains driven by one principle.

“I’m relentless when it comes to seeking knowledge,” she says.