Stallion Times, on February 10, 2024, trained 30 journalists drawn from print, broadcast, and online media in Kogi State on Human Rights and Social Inclusion, as part of a series of training for its participatory governance and Media Literacy project tagged “Get Involved, Dialogue and Improve (G-DRIP)” being implemented in Kano and Kogi States.
Mr. Isiyaku Ahmed, Editor-in-Chief of Stallion Times, in his welcome address, said the objectives of the one-day training were to make journalists appreciate conditions for gender equity and social inclusion in society, to advocate for human rights and social inclusion through news coverage, and to promote human rights and social inclusion in the state.
Mr. Ismail Isah, Special Adviser, Media to the Kogi State Governor, Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo, in his goodwill message said that the Kogi State government would not deviate from promoting human rights and social justice.
He assured that the present administration would rely on dialogue mechanism in delivering good governance to the people adding that the involvement of community, traditional, and religious leaders in dialogue that would sustain its peaceful status, assured of more coordinated approach that would involve all shades of citizens of the State in governance. He solicited the support of the media in propagating the efforts of the state government.
In her goodwill message, Ms Stella Edoka urged participants to write reports that would protect the female gender by bringing to the fore issues faced by women in society.
Mr. Theophilus Abbah, a Media expert, who facilitated the training, lamented the slides on gender representation and disparity since the advent of the current democracy and urged the media to put the issue on the front burner to propagate a change in the sad narratives.
He urged participants to use news stories, features, opinion sampling, and interviews amongst others to promote human rights, with gender equity, in governance and representation as a priority.
Also, Ms Edoka, the Chairperson of the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Kogi State Chapter, urged journalists to bring to the front burner issues of human rights and social inclusion in society.
The training was organised with support from the MacArthur Foundation through the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development, Inclusivity and Accountability (CMEDIA) Project, a multi-level intervention that supports media independence, improved transparency, accountability, and good governance in state and local governments with more public awareness on the need for accountability, and amplified marginalised voices.
