From Divine Macaulay, in Kaduna
The Daily Trust Foundation (DIF) has commenced a 3-Day training workshop for young journalists to broaden their unserstanding of Data and investigation Journalism.
Speaking during the opening ceremony held at the Butterfly Hotel in Kaduna, the Chief Press Secretary to Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, Mallam Ibraheem Musa said that journalism is the backbone of the government, and that without journalism keeping an eye on other arms of government, some things will eventually go wrong hence the need for investigative journalism.
Mallam Ibraheem Musa added that the training is timely because artificial intelligence (AI) is gradually redefining the practice of Journalism all around the world.
He, however, stressed that robots cannot take over Investigative journalism as it requires hard work and extensive research.
He humorously said, “I would have loved to be part of the training so that I can learn and be able to bring something new to the table as my retirement plan.
In his remarks, the Chairman Board of Trustees (DIF) Mallam Bilya Bala, explained that Daily Trust Foundation is a non-profit organization that has been engaged in humanitarian schemes over the years, like scholarships for female medical and nursing students, scholarships for basic education for many orphans whose parents were victims of Boko Haram conflict in Borno state, assistance to inmates in correctional centers in Nigeria.
He added that DIF also provides support for orphanages in Abuja and Kaduna, drilling of boreholes across the North, skill acquisition training for women in the North-East, and Provision of textbooks for tertiary institutions.
The services, he said, also includes the renovation and remodeling of a Primary Healthcare Clinic in Yobe State, Several other interventions Since 2017.
He added that the Daily Trust Foundation has been involved in capacity building for journalists, especially in the area of investigative reporting.
“We have done so much with support from the MacArthur Foundation. We have conducted investigative reporting workshops in all six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.
“Some journalists from your organizations may have benefited from the workshops; the training activities demonstrate our commitment to credible journalism and our faith in the power of journalism to facilitate change in society.
“The quality of journalism depends largely on the quality, not quantity, of journalists in any society; unfortunately, in Nigeria, there is the proliferation of the media, but the impact of their work is not being felt as it should be.
“The knowledge of investigative reporting will enable journalists to engage in quality journalism, as one great investigative report could make more impact than a thousand stories published from press statements,” he said.
Another interesting moment of the event was the training on investigative reporting and how to conduct research for investigation.
This was anchored by The Executive Director of the Center for Media Policy and Accountability (CMPA), Dr. Suleiman Suleiman, who had extensive interaction with trainees to establish authenticity and originality in investigative journalism through gathering, Analysing, and interpreting information.
