The Women Radio Centre (WRC), the first female academy established to train women in the media, has carried out a one-week intensive training for female journalists from across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones to build their skills in conducting investigative reporting. The training which took place from August 8 to 12, 2022 comprised of sessions which were a mixture of plenary presentations and practical exercises in break-out sessions as well as experience sharing, among others.
Facilitators included Deji Bademosi, Founder TV360 Nigeria; Dr. Suleiman Yar’Adua and Dr. Ruqayyah Aliyu of Bayero University Kano; Dr. Raheemat Adeniran of Lagos State University, Dr. Adma Adamu of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Motunrayo Alaka of Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative journalism, Juliana Francis of Eagle Online, Fisayo Soyombo of Foundation for Investigative Journalism, among others.
Giving her welcome remarks at the training, Mrs. Toun Okewale-Sonaiya, Managing Director, WRC, congratulated the 20 selected applicants noting that 810 journalists applied with nine of the applications coming from applicants outside Nigeria.
Mrs. Okewale-Sonaiya urged the participants to use the opportunity to promote women and produce stories that would amplify the voices of Nigerian women.
She said “We have gathered experts who are the best in the profession and our goal is to raise the next generation of female investigative journalists. There are 13 faculty in total and I would advise that you suck out everything in them.
“It is hoped that at the end of the training, you will commit to unearth and uncover those stories that affect women and girls, with the overall goal of amplifying the voices of women,” she added.
The training was aimed at equipping 20 Female journalists with tools to carry out investigative journalism from woman angle. It featured different topics including Exploring the Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) in Investigative Reporting, Compelling Pitches & Identifying Potential Sponsors for Investigative Reports, The Female Investigative Journalists and Safety Issues, Data Driven and Info graphic Journalism in uncovering hidden issues, Overcoming Gender Based Discrimination in the Newsroom & Commitment to Investigative Journalism, Metadata Protection for Female Journalists, Solution Journalism in the Interest of Nation Building, and Tapping Sources for Investigative Reports etc.
Participants were presented with support tools for carrying out investigative journalism and at the end of the training they were presented with certificates.
The training was carried out under the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability (CMEDIA), a multi-level intervention for media independence and government accountability by the WSCIJ. CMEDIA, is supported by the MacArthur Foundation working through 26 partner organisations to improve public awareness and the ecosystem for transparency, accountability and good governance and to amplify marginalised voices, especially at state and local government levels and the private sector.
