As Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Anniversary on October 1, the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) has called for renewed attention to the role of investigative journalism in examining the gap between public commitments and the realities experienced by citizens.
The Centre said the anniversary should provide an opportunity not only to reflect on Nigeria’s journey since independence, but also to ask what the evidence reveals about the country’s progress, institutions and fulfilment of commitments made to citizens.
“As Nigeria marks 66 years of independence, we must look beyond official statements, budgetary allocations and institutional assurances to examine what citizens actually experience. This is where investigative journalism remains critical — following the evidence, asking difficult questions and keeping issues that matter to citizens in public view” said Motunrayo Alaka, Executive Director/CEO, WSCIJ.
Across WSCIJ-supported investigations, journalists have examined what happens between public promises and lived realities. Investigations into abandoned hospitals in Sokoto despite multimillion-naira budgets, medical certificate fraud in Kwara hospitals and cross-border smuggling have brought scrutiny to public resources and systems that affect citizens directly.
The investigation “Democracy on the Margins: How Systemic Exclusion is Leaving Nigeria’s PWDs Behind” examined the gap between legal provisions for electoral inclusion and the experiences of persons with disabilities in Niger State. Another investigation into the Odo Iya Alaro River in Lagos examined a wastewater treatment plant and questions around environmental regulation and its impact on surrounding communities. Different issues, but the same fundamental question: does what exist on paperwork in practice?
These investigations, the Centre noted, demonstrate the role of journalism in examining how public resources are used, how institutions function and whether policies and legal protections translate into meaningful outcomes for citizens.
WSCIJ stressed that investigative journalism must go beyond documenting what institutions say. It requires the examination of documents and data, verification of claims, field reporting, engagement with affected communities, and persistence in following a story after the initial publication.
This approach underpins the Centre’s Report Until Something Happens (RUSH) model, which encourages journalists to continue following up on investigative reports by asking what changed, who acted and whether the promised action ultimately reached the people affected.
“Publication should not always be the end of an investigation,” Alaka stressed. “Journalists must continue to ask what changed, who was held accountable and whether citizens eventually received what they were promised.”
The Centre noted that the realities of independence are ultimately experienced in everyday life — whether public hospitals function, roads are usable, environmental regulations are enforced, public institutions respond to citizens and people can exercise their rights without undue interference.
As Nigeria enters its 67th year as an independent nation, WSCIJ called on journalists, media organisations, public institutions, civil society organisations and citizens to continue demanding evidence, transparency and accountability in matters that affect the public interest.
The Centre reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening investigative journalism that helps citizens understand how decisions are made, how public resources are used and whether institutions are delivering on their responsibilities.
“Sometimes, the most important story is the one that begins where the official story ends.”
Motunrayo Alaka,
Executive Director/CEO
Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ)
