‘How to win fellowships, get grants and freelance opportunities’

Freelance Investigative and Development Journalist, Kelechukwu Iruoma has won many awards, grants and fellowships for his reports on many local and international platforms. In this online interview with Lekan Otufodunrin, he offers deep insights on his winning streak and what other interested journalists can do to maximise various opportunities. 

Congratulations on the Fellowship on Covering Rare Diseases. How is the fellowship going and what disease did you pitch to cover?

The fellowship is going pretty well. I am happy to have been selected by the National Press Foundation (NPF) to participate in the fellowship on covering rare diseases.

During the application, I pitched monkeypox disease as a subject to report on. Since September 2017, there has been an increase in monkeypox disease reported in Nigeria. According to the data from the Nigeria Center and for Disease Control (NCDC), between 1971 and 1978, only 10 human Monkeypox infections were reported in Nigeria. Three were laboratory-confirmed — two in 1971 and one in 1978. From September 2017 to August 2021, NCDC reported 483 suspected cases of monkeypox disease, of which 205 have been confirmed.

My report will explain monkeypox situation in Nigeria, looking at the reasons for the increase in positive cases, how it is difficult to diagnose the disease, what can be done to improve diagnosis, identify suspected cases and eliminate stigmatization and find potential treatment for positive cases.

NPF organized a training for the fellows, where I had the rare privilege of meeting health experts across the world whose teachings and insights helped in understanding rare diseases, their genetics, research, among other important issues.

Right now, I am preparing to go to the field to report my findings.

What is involved in finding and applying for international fellowships like NPF fellowships?

It is not difficult to find fellowships, grants, or training opportunities to apply for as a journalist. There are several fellowship opportunities available for journalists. I usually visit the website of the International Journalists’ Network (IJNet), where I see so many opportunities. I go through the eligibility requirement of the opportunities. Once I see I am eligible and qualified to apply, I do not hesitate to apply. I have a book where I write down all the opportunities and their deadlines. I make sure I submit the applications before the deadlines.

What is your advice for journalists interested in getting selected for international fellowships, awards, and grants?

Every journalist who wants to succeed must be hardworking, patient, and persistent. They must constantly apply these attributes in their day-to-day activities.

What I mean by hardworking is not merely writing “she said” or “he said” kind of journalism or stories. Journalists must learn to do in-depth stories that spotlight the numerous socio-economic issues that affect the people. Such reports, written in the human-interest form go a long way to expose the problems while advocating for solutions to address them. I believe such stories have forms of advocacy that make impacts at the end. It’s such stories that journalists should submit when applying for fellowships or awards and grants. Organizing committees look at the extent of the stories we write. They want to know what impacts or potential impacts the stories can make, how does it promote press freedom, and advocate for good governance.

Every journalist should try to do at least one special story or investigation every three months that exposes social injustice, gender inequality, and corruption. This is not primarily because of fellowships or awards, but their contribution towards making Nigeria a better country and an advocate of press freedom and good governance.

Patience and perseverance are attributes every journalist must also apply. I have received numerous fellowships, grants, and awards rejections, but I never gave up. I have kept applying for opportunities and I have succeeded in receiving so many of them. But I am still hungry for more.

What are the advantages of being a fellow or winner of local and international media opportunities?

First, it enables people to recognize the work I am doing as a journalist to promote social justice, press freedom, and good governance in Nigeria. I have never regretted being a journalist from day one, despite the numerous challenges of being a Nigerian journalist. To become a journalist was a childhood dream and that’s why I take risks most of the time to speak for the voiceless, expose corruption and social injustices. There is nothing so important than seeing people acknowledge my work and thanking me for the work I have done so far to promote good governance.

Also, it opens more opportunities for me. It kind of strengthens my branding. When people see the works I have done, they recommend me to individuals and international organizations for bigger opportunities.

In addition, so many fellowships and awards come with grants or monetary favours. In other words, the opportunities enable me to do greater and impact stories. Doing in-depth stories or investigations is extremely expensive, but these opportunities have made things easier for me. All the awards I have won so far were funded stories by local and international organizations. I do not just request for grants; I ensure I justify the reasons for receiving such grants by producing quality multimedia stories that make an impact and advocate for a better society.

Is it by choice that you have remained a freelance journalist and why?

It is by choice I have remained a freelance journalist – the best decision I have ever made to boost my journalism career.

I studied Mass Communication at the University of Nigeria and graduated in 2016. In 2017, I was posted to Vanguard Newspaper in Lagos for my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), a program set up by the Nigerian government to involve Nigerian graduates in nation-building and the development of the country. I must thank Vanguard for my development because I started reporting for the newspaper as a campus reporter.

While doing my NYSC, I was reporting the education beat. But I wanted to expand and explore other areas of reporting. I hated beat reporting and disliked writing news stories. I loved doing features, in-depth reporting, and investigations, but my skills were only limited to reporting only education and news stories.

A few months before I concluded my NYSC, I started pitching to foreign editors. I received my first by-line in April 2018 when African Arguments published my story. Immediately after I concluded my NYSC in May 2018, I decided to go into full-time freelance journalism.

Between June 2018 and now, I have written for international publications such as Al Jazeera, The Fish Site, Devex, NPR, Recycling Magazine, African Arguments, African Business Magazine, among others.

One great thing is that besides looking for international opportunities or platforms, I have not ignored the local platforms. I look for opportunities anywhere they are. People like Dayo Aiyetan of the International Center for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) and organizations like Premium Times Center for Investigative Reporting (PTCIJ) and Ripples Nigeria believe in my ability to do great stories. They have given me numerous training opportunities and grants to write some of the best stories I have ever written so far.

With the grants received, I have produced numerous in-depth reports investigations in the areas of education, health, social injustices, business, economy, conflicts, among others, that made an impact and promote good governance in Nigeria. This is the kind of journalism I have always wanted to practice, and I am glad I am fulfilling my dream. I have been awarded for my excellence in journalism. I have won and been shortlisted for over 15 regional and international awards and participated in over 20 local, regional, and international fellowship and training programs.

Between 2019 and 2020, I turned down some full-time offers because I felt it was not yet time to close the curtain on freelance journalism.

Perhaps I am gradually closing the curtain on freelance journalism and may finally close it at the end of the year to begin a new chapter next year. Who knows? Anything can happen.

What informs your plan to gradually close the curtain on freelance journalism?

Every freelance journalist has their opinions, but for me, freelancing is not something I’ll advise early-career journalists to do for more than three years if they want financial sustainability. Fine, it may pay well, but is it sustainable for a long time? Every freelance journalist has that answer.

Freelancing should be an opportunity for early-career journalists to expand their skills, explore various reporting areas and report for as many global platforms as possible. I feel three years is enough to achieve the goals and then navigate to a full-time role depending on what one wants to achieve next

What does it take to be a freelance journalist and get local and global organizations to approve your story pitches?

Like I said earlier, every potential freelance journalist needs to be hardworking and persistent. Freelance journalism is difficult and it is not for people who easily give up. If you’re not mentally and emotionally strong, you may fall into depression. I have received so many rejections. You need to be strong to get to the top. Every freelance journalist has their reasons for going into freelance journalism. Mine was to get global media platforms to publish my stories and amplify socio-economic issues I have raised for global awareness and impact.

Every journalist must have the necessary pitching and writing skills to get editors to commission you. Pitching requires serious research. You must convince the editor why the story is important to be told and why you’re the best person to tell the stories. I read so many articles on how to be a successful freelance journalist.

Networking is extremely important. I reached out to several freelance journalists who advised me and provided me with emails of editors I could send my pitches to. You can’t do it alone. Share ideas with people and see advice on how to address your concerns.

What are some of the high points of being a freelance journalist for you?

I have had a fulfilling experience as a freelance journalist. I reiterate that it was the best decision I have ever taken. I have had several high points as a freelance journalist but the biggest of them all was receiving a grant of $7, 500 from Microsoft and the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ). The story I produced alongside a freelance colleague, was so exceptional that it made an impact. The story won me several awards and made the shortlist for some awards. It is one of the best investigative stories I have written so far.

Generally, what is your advice for journalists on how to get funding and payment for their work?

Journalists should continue to apply for fellowship and grant opportunities from local and international organizations. When an opportunity is advertised, journalists should read the requirements and craft their essays well before submitting their applications. There is a need for thorough research on the subject matter of the opportunity to help in writing good essays.

To also have better chances of receiving funding for your stories, always reach out to organizations that offer grants to journalists without advertising. If you have your pitches or story ideas well written, look for emails and shoot them. If your pitches are great, they will accept them.

For payment for work, besides being a good writer, every journalist must also be a good negotiator. When you have a piece commissioned and the editors mention how much they will pay you, if the amount does not sit well with you, you can negotiate for better offers. To avoid being cheated, you can also reach out to journalists who have written for the publications before.

What are the major opportunities journalists should be exploring to cope with the disruption of the industry?

Every journalist should update their skills to have the chance of getting more opportunities. Journalism is tilting towards multimedia and there is a need for journalists to have and develop their audio, video, photography, and data skills. There is competition in writing and no organizations or funders want to see only texts in their funded reports in the coming years. More skills bring greater opportunities. Several organizations offer sponsored training programs for journalists in these areas. Journalists should explore those opportunities to update their skills and increase their chances of getting bigger opportunities.

Any other thoughts you want to share on career development for journalists.

I am happy to see campus journalists and early-career journalists exploring international opportunities. My advice is to local journalists. I know they are busy reporting for their media organizations, but they need to also explore international opportunities, especially having a by-line in an international platform. For their development and growth, there is a need for them to pitch international editors and have their stories published on their platforms. This process enables them to learn new things they do not know and increase their chances of bigger opportunities.

I don’t know how far this message will go but I advise students journalists not to wait after their graduation before they begin to write or look for opportunities. In my second year in the university, I started writing and by the time I left the university, I already understood the system. I do not believe in job scarcity in the Nigerian media industry. It’s a huge industry that continues to look for journalists always. Are you qualified? In the media industry, the question means do you have work samples. Start creating those work samples now!