The training, conducted through CJID’s The Campus Reporter project, took place between 13 and 16 June in Lokoja, the Capital of Kogi State.
The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) has conducted a journalism training programme for 60 students of the Federal University Lokoja and Kogi State University, Anyigba
The training, conducted through CJID’s The Campus Reporter project, occurred between 13 and 16 June in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State.
CJID said the Kogi training was the 34th of its kind, where participants were taught by media professionals and journalists from PREMIUM TIMES newspaper, the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Dubawa, CJID and the Nigeria Media Innovation Programme (NAMIP).
Participants were trained in newsgathering and tools for investigative reporting, multimedia tools and skills for investigative journalism and photo and video editing. They were also taught a course on Data Journalism, Fact Checking, Gender Transformative Approach to Storytelling, and Media Ethics and Professionalism.
Others include The Use of Grammarly and Google Docs for Basic Editing, Introduction to Media Product Development, The Use of the Freedom of Information Act, Media in Elections, Safety Tips for Campus Journalists, Introduction to Audience Development and Solutions Journalism.
“The participants were guided on how to write news reports and paired into six groups for their first report writing. At the end of the four-day training, the participants submitted their first-ever news reports, including multimedia and data visualisations,” the statement noted.
Ms Ajibola said several beneficiaries of the Campus Reporter training are now full-time professionals.
“We have Kunle Adebajo, who is now the Investigations Editor of HumAngle, and Alfred Olufemi, who was formerly on the investigations desk of Punch and now freelances in the UK. Chiamaka Okafor is the foreign correspondent at Premium Times, and Iretomiwa Dele-Yusuff now coordinates the Campus Reporter project,” Busola Ajibola, the deputy director of CJID’s Journalism Programme, said.
While Dubawa’s editor, Kemi Busari, took sessions on Newsgathering and Tools for Investigative Reporting and Media Ethics & Professionalism, Kehinde Ogunyale, a data journalist at ICIR, took a session on Data Journalism.
Other trainers were the Project Officer of the Campus Reporter project, Iretomiwa Dele-Yusuff, (Freedom of Information Act), Adedeji Adekunle, the Programme Director of NAMIP (audience and media development) and Akintunde Babatunde, the Programme Director of CJID, (solutions journalism and the importance of not just naming a problem but proferring a solution).

“Titilope Fadare, a multimedia journalist at Premium Times, explained that multimedia elements such as images and videos are essential in capturing an audience’s attention and visualising information that might otherwise not catch their attention. She taught them how to use Inshot during video recording,” the statement added.
Lois Ugbede, a fact-checker and researcher at Dubawa took the session on definition of fact-checking and the perils of fake news in society, Ms Ajibola facilitated the session on gender transformative approach to storytelling and Mboho Eno, the deputy director of CJID’s Accountability Programme, introduced the participants to CJID’s Media in National Elections (MiNE) programme.
The Campus Reporter project team also visited the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja, Olayemi Akinwumi, who commended the Chief Executive Officer of CJID, Dapo Olorunyomi, and the team for their efforts in training students to be journalists.
The CJID programme director, Mr Babatunde, said the centre believes in promoting quality Journalism as a way of promoting democratic endeavours.
“The Campus Reporter Project seeks to bridge the gap between what is taught in universities and the skills that are required in journalism at this period,” Ms Ajibola said.
Campus Reporter
The Campus Reporter project was established in 2017 as a learning platform to help undergraduates hone their reporting, journalistic and writing skills and teach them the principles of evidence-based ethical reporting towards championing sustainable media in West Africa. The project adopts a Training-Internship-Mentorship (TIM) model and has organised training across 34 tertiary institutions in Nigeria and Sierra Leone. The project also boasts a network of over 3,000 students across West Africa.
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