The Stallion Times has urged journalists in Kogi to step up their game and ensure accountability, probity and transparency among state and non-state actors.
Speaking at a two-day training workshop on “Investigative Journalism” in Lokoja on Thursday, the Project Coordinator, Isiyaku Ahmed, said the training was to teach participants key skills and techniques used in Investigative reporting.
Ahmed, who is the Chief Executive Officer/Editor-in-Chief Stallion Times Media Services, said the workshop would empower journalists to write a good pitch for investigative report, and gather data and present evidence to expose rights’ abuses, corruption or incident.
According to him, journalists should be able to write impactful and compelling investigative stories from Kogi talking about issues in the state.
“This we believe is going to provoke discussions leading to improve in the service delivery be it in the agriculture, health or water resources.
“What we are expecting from the Journalists is to begin to write compelling and perfect pitches, write stories that are more of investigation instead of eventual stories that we see these days,” Ahmed said.
A practising Journalist and Researcher, Idris Muhammed, in his presentation on “Data Driven and Presentation in Investigative Reports”, said most journalists lack the skills and knowledge on how to investigate stories that were not available at the public domain.
He stressed the need for journalists to know how to explore the necessary tools both online and offline to source and mining for accurate data.
Muhammed, who is a Lecturer at Uthman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, urged journalists to be independent and shun subjective stories that were capable of excalating conflicts and bringing public disorder in the society.
“Journalists should be aware that they are part of democracy which constituted the Fourth Estate of the Realm, and they have vital role to play in strengthening democracy.
“Journalists should not waste their time in collecting bribe or brown envelope or do things that could tarnish the image of the media in order not to put our democracy at risk”, he said.
The researcher harped on courage, good research skills, clarity of presentation, fairness, balanced reporting, strong ethics, determination and patience as necessities for a good investigative journalist.
In a goodwill message, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kogi council, Comrade Adeiza Momohjimoh, commended Stallion Times and MacArthur Foundation for organising the training.
Momohjimoh noted that the training has, over time, increased the knowledge of Journalists in the state on investigative reporting.
One of the participants, Adebayo Emmanuel, described the training as an eye opener and coming at a very good time.
“By the grace of God we have learnt the rudiments of investigative journalism and in the next couple of months, we will come with different investigative reports because we have been equipped enough,” he said.