Stallion Times Trains Kano Journalists on Investigative Journalism
By Rashida Ozavize Salihu
Stallion Times with the support of Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) and funded by MacArthur Foundation on Saturday trained 40 Kano journalists from Print, Online and Broadcast space.
The Get Involved, Dialogue, and Improve (GDRIP) training was organised to empower the skills of Journalists on how to write good investigative stories, pitching of story ideas, presentation of facts, data presentation as well as writing ground breaking stories that will hold the government accountable.
Stallion Times (GDRIP) Project Coordinator, Isiyaku Ahmed, said that the project is targeted at promoting good governance and accountability, and added that this is the second cohort of the program.
He said that the purpose of the training was to train journalists on investigative journalism, while also lamenting its declining nature, particularly in the north.
Isiyaku advised Kano Journalists to limit event and press release reporting to embrace in-depth stories and investigative reports.
“The purpose of this training we had today, which is investigative journalism, is because we have noticed that over the years Investigative journalism in the north is fast declining.
“Journalists do not write investigative reports or in-depth stories.
“So we organized the training to empower participants with the required skills, strategies and understanding they need to be successful as investigative journalists.
He added that journalists are also taught how to write good pitches that they can use to access grants,and as well to get support from organizations.
During an experience sharing session with the previous beneficiaries of the GDRIP project. Rabiu Musa, a freelance journalist, recounted that the project and the funding has really helped him towards improving his journalism skills professionally.
Idris Muhammad, a facilitator in the event said his aim was to enrich journalists with the skills required to excel in investigative journalism.
He added that journalists are no longer interested in unraveling stories that are of public interest, which he attributed to their lack of skills in research and investigation.
Muhammad called for rigorous investigative journalism training, as well as data-driven journalism.
He commanded Stallion Times for giving the participants the avenue to learn the skill of investigative journalism, as well as supporting them with grants in carrying out investigative projects.
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