The Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University, Professor Nlerum Okogbule, has commended the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Step-up for Women In Journalism Initiative (SWIJ), for their interest and roles in promoting women, media and communication in the society.
Professor Okogbule made the commendation in Port Harcourt when he received a delegation from SWIJ and management staff of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies before a one-day capacity training for student journalists in the University.
SWIJ with the support from WSCIJ under its Reportwomen project and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation organised the training tagged “from Classroom to Newsroom” at which over 40 students from the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies were trained on Techniques of Investigative Journalism, Data and Digital Journalism, Story Telling and Pitching.
Professor Okogbule commended SWIJ for its efforts in encouraging young female journalists, noting that it is laudable to encourage young female students in their careers and also create training opportunities for them.
According to him, the role of the media as stipulated in the Constitution as the 4th estate of the realm is profound and key to the growth and development of any society.
He explained that the institution is also committed and interested in promoting excellence.
The VC also expressed delight that women can now legally inherit properties due to advocacy efforts.
“We are all created equal by God, nobody has a role to decide whether male or female should be this or that, it’s purely the prerogative of God. I am happy that women are making impacts in various sectors,” Professor Okogbule said, adding that society cannot function maximally without both the male and female.
Earlier, the Team lead of SWIJ, Ann Godwin told the Vice Chancellor that the objective of the training was to harvest, mentor and build capacities of future female Newsroom Champions to equip them with the skills needed to function professionally in newsrooms and hopefully close the gender gap in Nigerian media industry.
The Dean of the Faculty, Professor Richard Amadi, at the training, charged the students to utilise the training opportunity to improve their skills and carve a niche for themselves in the prestigious Journalism career.
Represented by Dr Sarah Joe, a senior lecturer at the Faculty, Prof Amadi thanked SWIJ, WSCIJ and the Gates Foundation for the noble initiative and called for a sustained partnership with the faculty towards raising newsroom Champions and leaders in the media industry.
The Mass Media and Information Management Coordinator of Search for Common Ground (SFCG) Sunny Dada, facilitated the session on Data and Digital Journalism while Godwin spoke on techniques for Investigative Reporting, Pitching and storytelling.
There were also participants from the University of Port Harcourt and Ignatius Ajuru University.
The students commended the training, saying it has a great mental shift towards their journey in Journalism.
A 200-level Communication and Media Studies student, Hope said, “Through this training, I have been made to understand that the traditional method of journalism has passed, we are now in the era of fact-checking, Investigative, data and digital Journalism where some tools can be used to add value the reports we do.”
Another student, Gift a 100-level student said she learnt to improve her skills in storytelling, to be focused and determined as she journeys through her Journalism career.
The delegation to the Vice Chancellor’s office included the University Director of Research and Development, Professor Godwin Okon, lecturers in the Faculty, SWIJ stakeholders, Dr Ijeoma Tubosia, and Precious Akutamadu.
