It was a two-day of discovering hidden talents and identifying fresh opportunities for female journalists who participated at a skill enhancing capacity building and mentoring workshop organized by the International Press Centre (IPC), in Abuja. The workshop in the words of participants has been very useful, inspiring, and motivating. As stated by the the National
It was a two-day of discovering hidden talents and identifying fresh opportunities for female journalists who participated at a skill enhancing capacity building and mentoring workshop organized by the International Press Centre (IPC), in Abuja.
The workshop in the words of participants has been very useful, inspiring, and motivating. As stated by the the National President of Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) on Monday, it was an eye-opener to the participants.
Taken through practical sessions by media experts, icons in the profession and mentors, the 35 female journalists came out shinning after going through long hours of practicals from Mr Taiwo Obe, Mrs Moji Makanjuola, David Ajikobi and Mr Lanre Arogundade, the Executive Director, International Press Center, Lagos. Participants had a new focus, new orientation and fresh ideas about journalism practice. Ideas on how to impact the nation and indeed humanity.
Dorothy Abellegah, a journalist with The Voice newspaper, Makurdi, Benue state said; “I discovered during the workshop that I have been under utilising my journalism skills, and my handset. Maybe, because I am a government media actor. But now, I know there are other avenues I can apply myself to and I intend to do just that”.
For Lola Seriki Idahosa of Tracereporters online, her expectation was for her to be able to identify fake news however well packaged it was. According to her, her expectation was met, and she would apply her new skills in her medium.
“I intend to use knowledge learned to add value to my journalistic know-how and most importantly to write news, features and special reports,” Faith Awa Maji of Faith Maji’s blog/The Nigerian Pilot Newspaper, said.
Rebecca Bolanle Ukpevo of NAWOJ was of the view that; “more journalists need to be trained on how to detect fake news and expose miscreants in the media space”.
Indeed, the female journalists were given a four-course meal that transformed them into media generals, going by the outcome of the different tasks they were given at the end of each course. The first session was on Factual accuracy and combating fake news: The place of fact checking and data use in reporting of 2023 elections. It was facilitated by David Ajikobi, Editor Africa-Check.
Ajikobi handled the female journalists the way a goldsmith would take raw gold to fire and bring it out shinning. With assignment and practical work on fact check, politicians and their media handlers should be careful in the days ahead as this set of participants at the workshop are armed to the teeth on Fact checking photographs, videos and statements. Indeed, the female journalists now have a third eye to smell fake news, false and malicious items.
The second session was on Impactful Reporting of Electoral Processes and 2023 Elections: Focussing on Issues & Telling Stories That Matter. It was from a media teacher, mentor and icon, Mr. Taiwo Obe, Founder of the Journalism Clinic. Drawing examples from real life situations, Mr Obe captured the participants attention when he drummed it into their ears that knowledge is important in today’s journalism world and that whoever could make use of the knowledge to create content would be contented intellectually and financially.
His reason; most Nigerians, even at parties are glued to their handsets searching for information which a focused journalist could provide. “The smart phone could be your source of money if you create content”, he stressed.
Mr. Obe took them through book review and made stars of the exercise as the female journalists not only review a book but looked at the other opportunities, they could derive in reviewing books.
The third session on Electoral Processes and 2023 Elections: According Priority to Issues of Women and other underrepresented groups was handled by former national President of NAWOJ,Mrs. Moji Makanjuola, MFR the CEO of International Society of Media in Public Health. She was an inspiration to the female journalists. She told them to build trust. “Trust is important especially for those who work on the field. We should be humble. Do a bit of human psychology. Drop your ego if you want to go far.”
Executive Director of IPC, Mr Lanre Arogundade made a presentation on Conflict-sensitivity and safety in election reporting stressing that this session was important ” because we do not take your well-being for granted, and because the project seeks to make the media catalysts of credible elections, the actions, including media engagements like this, seek to strengthen the media for fair, accurate, ethical and inclusive coverage of electoral processes in Nigeria to achieve six results as follows:
“The enhancement of the professionalism of media practitioners, especially women; the strengthening of media professional capacity to deal with electoral misinformation/disinformation; the enhancement of media platforms’ ability to diversify, deepen the coverage of the electoral process and deliver civic and voter education; the improvement of media awareness and use of FOI Act for increased accountability; and the strengthening of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to perform its mandate; and the improvement of media engagement in promoting women, youths and marginalized groups in politics.
He noted that though the workshop relates directly to the first result, but it is also aimed at ensuring that participants contribute to the realisation of the other five. ” That is why our expectations include the fact that you will make use of the skills acquired in the two – day workshop to combat fake news; provide civic and voter education and inspire other forms of engagement with the media that encourage the people particularly underrepresented groups like women, youths and persons with disabilities to vote and be voted for; and make FOI requests for the purpose of investigative reporting of accountability and transparency issues in the electoral process”.
Unlike other workshops where participants would be eager and anxious to leave the venues, female journalists enjoyed the workshop and forgot the sessions had eaten deep into the night.
