Juliet Buna, a journalist with Cresthills Media Group Ltd, the owners of Crest 106.1FM Akure and Crest 91.1FM Ibadan, has conducted a one-day training for students of the Mass Communication department at Kola Daisi University, Ibadan.
The training, held on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in collaboration with the Department of Mass Communication of the tertiary institution, took place at the Serifat Agbeke Auditorium.
The workshop, titled “Telling Stories That Matter: Advancing Gender Sensitivity in Journalism,” equipped mass communication students with skills to promote inclusive, gender-sensitive storytelling in media, emphasizing ethical reporting and the elimination of stereotypes.
It also aimed to introduce students, especially aspiring female journalists, to the principles of inclusive reporting and gender-sensitive storytelling.
Buna, a participant of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) Report Women! Female Reporters’ Leadership Programme (FRLP), described the initiative as a “catch-them-young” effort to inspire and mentor the next generation of journalists.
“As students of mass communication and the future of the media, it’s important to understand how gender nuances shape public discourse,” she said. “Journalism is not just about reporting events; it’s about reflecting people’s lives with honesty, empathy, and fairness.”
Her session, titled “Understanding Gender Sensitivity in Journalism,” emphasized the importance of inclusive narratives and the responsibility of journalists to avoid stereotypes and harmful language. She also unveiled a campus journalism initiative designed to provide a platform for students to begin reporting impactful stories.
The training also featured other media professionals, including Olufolajimi Akinnawo, a development communication expert, and Oluwatosin Ologun, a multimedia journalist and head of the reportorial desk at Agidigbo FM.
Akinnawo noted that “gender-sensitive reporting is essential, but how you tell the story matters even more. We must report in ways that do not victimize subjects and remain free from cultural bias and stereotypes.”
During an interactive session, Ologun, while using the childhood song “mummy in the kitchen cooking rice, daddy in the parlour watching film,” as an example, illustrated how deeply rooted cultural narratives can reinforce gender roles and biases.
He engaged the auspicious audience on how any gender should not be superior to another and gender sensitivity is all about mirroring our society from the lenses of men and women.
Ologun concluded his speech with the immortal words of Mahatma Gandhi, “be the change you wish to see in the world”.
Earlier, in her welcome remarks, Head of Department, Dr. Yetunde Ayobolu, commended Buna for bringing the training to the university. “This is a unique opportunity for our students. It’s not every day they get this level of engagement with practicing professionals. I urge them to make the most of it,” she said.
The event ended with an interactive Q&A session where students asked questions about the realities of newsroom practices, ethical reporting, and opportunities in campus journalism.