From classroom to field: My eye-opening experience with CJID in Anambra State

The moment that stayed with me the most happened at a polling unit in the Government Residential Area (GRA). A man stopped me at the gate, refused to let me enter, and even snapped my observer tag. 

He warned that he would “deal with me”, telling me I didn’t have the right to take pictures when I tried to snap the voters’ registration register.  I left without taking the photos.

This incident occurred during my coverage of the 2025 governorship election in Anambra State. My name is Ogalue Chigozie, a journalism student who has never gone out for any field assignment before. Everything felt new, scary, and exciting at the same time. That encounter in GRA opened my eyes to the reality of election coverage.

When I first got the email that CJID had selected me to observe the election, I didn’t know how to feel. I was happy to have been chosen, but I was also afraid because I knew that elections in Nigeria could be rough. I started preparing myself mentally. 

The CJID training helped me a lot. They taught us how to behave in the field, how to stay calm, and how to keep to the rules.

Two things motivated me to take part in the coverage: my desire to gain real experience as a journalist, and my wish to see how elections truly work in Nigeria.

Pre-election and election day were stressful but full of lessons. I had easy access to some polling units because of my tag. I visited both calm and rowdy polling units. Some places welcomed me and allowed me to do my work freely. 

Others were hostile, as seen in the GRA incident. But I remembered what the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) taught us about behaving well and avoiding trouble. I followed the advice of “following peace with all men,” and it helped me get through the day without any further problems. Each polling unit showed me something different and taught me more than any classroom ever had.

Covering the election was important to me as a student and as a Nigerian. It helped me understand the challenges our country faces during elections. I learned that courage is essential in journalism, that good conduct earns respect, and that observers help maintain the integrity of the process.

If I could change anything about our elections, I would start with ending and eradicating poverty, providing the basics of life. When this is in place, vote-buying will have no ground. Improving voter education and making the environment safer for everyone. Seeing these issues up close made me understand how serious the problem is.

In the end, my experience with CJID gave me confidence, courage, and a story I will never forget. I’m not going to forget the sumptuous meals round the clock for the whole training sessions, as well as a king’s kind of hotel with a comfy room. Our instructors were friendly as though we were age mates. The experience I had was one I could never get sitting in a class, moping at my lecturer speaking his Queen’s English. It marked the beginning of my journey as a real journalist.