Adeyemi Okediran, a journalist with BONews Service, has been selected alongside 21 other journalists from across Nigeria and Ghana for the inaugural Social Accountability Fellowship organized by UDEME, an initiative of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID).
The fellowship commenced with a comprehensive two-day virtual workshop held on March 19th and 20th, bringing together 22 esteemed journalists from Nigeria and Ghana. These journalists, all full-time employees of reputable media organizations, were selected through a rigorous process and interview session based on their demonstrated dedication to investigative reporting and their potential to effect positive change through their journalistic endeavors in the civic space.
The fellows include Okediran Adeyemi from BONews Service, two reporters from PREMIUM TIMES, Bakare Majeed and Mariam Ileyemi, two from The Guardian Newspaper, Gbenga Salau and Charles Akpeji, two from TVC News, Godwin Agwam and Chenemi Bamaiyi, Angela Nkwo-Akpolu from Leadership Newspaper, Marie-Therese Nanlong from Vanguard, and Azubuike Chimaobi from PUNCH.
Others are Francis Ntow from Ghana News Agency, Ekemini Simon from The Mail, Kafilat Taiwo from Dataphyte, Manasseh Mbachii from Middlebelt Reporters, Abdulwasiu Olokooba from Sahara Reporters, Abubakar Kankara from Daily Episode and Muhasa TV/Radio, Azeez Jaji from TheInformant247, Adediran Adeleke from New Telegraph, Shafa’atu Suleiman from Daily Times, and Yahuza Bawage from Prime Progress.
According to the UDEME Project Manager, Ijeoma Okereke-Adagba, the 2024 accountability fellowship aims to equip journalists with the necessary skills, knowledge, and resources to conduct in-depth investigations into issues related to governance, transparency, and accountability. She noted that it will also empower them to identify red flags in budget line items and unique patterns in contract awards at the sub-national level.
The moderator of the fellowship, Uchenna Igwe, reiterated to the fellows while addressing them that the focus of the fellowship is on agriculture, education, health, and public infrastructure while placing emphasis on gender inclusion.
In his opening remark, the Chief Executive Officer of CJID, Dapo Olorunyomi, and the Executive Director, Dr. Tobi Oluwatola, urged the fellows to uphold the ethics of journalism, which include truthfulness, accuracy, accountability, and dedication to public purpose.
Mr. Olorunyomi reaffirmed the purpose of accountability journalism in a democracy, citing sections 22 and 162(5) of Nigeria and Ghana’s constitutions respectively.
Representative from the Plans and Projects Department of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Kenneth Kwujeli, was also present to enlighten the fellows on the budget formulation and preparation process. He noted that the Nigeria Agenda (NA) 2050 aims at positioning Nigeria as an African regional power and global economic force, which envisages a GDP of US$11.7 trillion with an average annual GDP growth rate of 7 percent and a per capita income of $33,328.02.
The CJID’s Director of Programmes, Akintunde Babatunde, and Assistant Managing Editor at PREMIUM TIMES, Bisi Abidoye, along with Dubawa’s Editor, Kemi Busari, conducted a practical session with the fellows where they enlightened them on how to make use of data in their investigative stories. They shared some of their previous investigative works with the fellows and how they make use of data in telling such stories.
In her closing remarks, UDEME Program Manager, Ijeoma Okereke, commended the fellows for making it a priority to attend the two days’ workshop and congratulated them on their selection for the 2024 UDEME Accountability Fellowship.
The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) is a West African media innovation and development think tank. Founded in 2014 as a non-governmental organization in Nigeria, the Centre has been a leader in investigative journalism, innovation, open data, verification, the promotion of journalist welfare and safety, elections, and the freedom of information and expression. In 2020, the CJID expanded its footprint beyond Nigeria and moved into specific niches in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and The Gambia.