The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) started its 2024 journey with activities under the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability (CMEDIA), supported by the MacArthur Foundation. We convened the 2024 inception meeting with our 26 CMEDIA partners to discuss collaboration, amplification of marginalised voices, story pitching and media sustainability even as the partners gave account of their activities in 2023.
The WSCIJ also conducted a training on reporting local issues and communities for 17 students of journalism from the University of Lagos, Lagos State University, Yaba College of Technology, and the Nigerian Institute of Journalism. The resource persons emphasised the significance of story ideas, pitching, and media ethics for investigative reporters focusing on subnational issues to the students.
You may recall that we announced the relaunch of our Civic Space Guard project at the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting public presentation event last year with the award as its first activity. We will collaborate with the Centre for Innovation Journalism and Development under the ‘Leveraging the power of the media to fortify the civic space and tackle mal-information’ project supported by the Netherlands Embassy to provide mental health support for investigative reporters, train journalists on wholistic safety, rally stakeholders to make our civic space healthier, fight misinformation and reposition the media as the leader of the civic space.
Read the full news brief on the activities for January below. We also have a few updates from the works of colleagues in Nigeria and around the world and opportunities for journalists in this month’s newsletter.
Finally, if you missed our detailed recap of the events in 2023, you can catch up by reading ‘A journey through some WSCIJ interventions, collaborations, and milestones in 2023.’
Enjoy the read.
Motunrayo Alaka
Executive Director/CEO, WSCIJ
