By Bolanle Lawal
Female Journalists in the Just concluded International Press Centre (IPC) training have commended the organisation and the EU-Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria, EU-SDGN 11 for equipping female journalists with requisite knowledge on the coverage of the 2023 general election in Nigeria.
The two-day Skill Enhancing and capacity building and mentoring for female Journalists was organised by the International Press Centre in collaboration with NAWOJ and funded by the EU-SDGN held in Abuja .
The IPC Executive Director, Mr Lanre Arogundade who declared the training open said it was important to train female Journalists on Election Reporting and Technology aspect of Journalism.
He urged the female Journalists to make good use of the training in order to be more effective in the discharge of their responsibilities during election reporting.
The President of NAWOJ, Mrs Ladi Bala appreciated IPC/ EU for deeming it fit to organise training on election reporting for female Journalists.
One of the participants, Palang Kasmi, said the training was apt and timely considering the era of digital media where journalists are now operating.
“I am glad that the training armed me to use digital applications like Tin eye, Reverse Image Search to fact-check fake news and images circulating during the 2023 political era and how to create a news hub.
“I was also spurred to write impactful human angle reports, report women in politics, gender and underrepresented groups, create a news hub, and begin to look at the entrepreneurial dimensions of media work.” She said.
Chukwudike Edith Ogochukwu, from Enugu said she got more than what she was expecting at the training by leaning on Fact Checking of stories before publishing.
“Fact-Checking is key in Journalism in ensuring that the general public were not misinformed” she said.
According to her, the facilitators taught her how to make designs with the use of canva designs to enhance her story and to give her story more detail
” I thought I was coming to know more on election reporting alone but IPC broadened my knowledge in the use of technology, how to make use of my phone to make money” she said.
Another female Journalist , Peace Ofeoshi, from Abuja said she learnt more on stories pitching and how to make fortune in pitching stories.
Lola Serik, from Kaduna appreciated IPC for the insightful training , calling on well meaning Nigerians to follow suit in ensuring that Journalists are well trained.
Also, Faith Maji from Kastina said her knowledge on Election Reporting and safety are well broaden.
She appreciated IPC/EU for the hospitality in ensuring that all the participants were well treated during training.
Three facilitators anchored the training sessions. they are ; Mr Taiwo Obe, Founder Journalism Clinic who trained the Journalists on Impactful Reporting of Electoral Processes and 2023 Elections: Focusing on Issues and Telling stories that Matter. David Ajikobi, Editor, Africa- Check, spoke on Factual Accuracy and Combating Fake News: The place of fact checking and data use in reporting of 2023 Elections and Moji Makanjuola, CEO, International Society of Media in Public Health, spoke on Electoral Processes and 2023 Elections: According Priority to Issues of Women and other Underrepresented.