News

Election: IPC Partners NAWOJ, EU On Capacity Building For Female Journalists

Published

3 years ago

November 21, 2022

By Ijeoma Umeh

Mr Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director, International Press Centre, IPC, has said that for the media to serve as catalysts of credible elections, certain deliberate actions must be taken.

Mr Arogundade said this while addressing female journalists drawn from both print and electronic media from the South-South, South-East, and South West during a workshop organised by the IPC in partnership with NAWOJ with the European Union Support for Media under the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU SDGNll) Project held in Port Harcourt Rivers state.

He stated that the workshop was designed to further enhance the skills of the participants on professional, impactful, inclusive and public interest reporting of the electoral processes and the 2023 elections.

He further noted that strengthening the media for fair, accurate, ethical and inclusive coverage of electoral processes will consolidate democracy.

He, therefore, tasked female journalists to make use of the skills acquired in the two days training to combat fake news, provide civic and voter education and inspire other forms of engagement with the media that encourage the people, particularly the underrepresented groups like women, youths, and persons with disabilities to vote and be voted for.

He further urged participants to at the end of the workshop interrogate issues such as the next step after the training.

The IPC boss stated, “The investment of the EU-SDG Nll and the efforts of the IPC in putting together this workshop would only be deemed productive if in the aftermath we are able to identify the impact of your work on the Electoral processes and the 2023 elections in visible and significant ways.”

In her remarks, Comrade Ladi Bala, President, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) appreciated the efforts of IPC in building the capacity of female Journalists and the EU for bringing effective development partnerships to Nigeria.

She noted that the media is an integral part of society and with strategic roles to play in the Electoral process and hoped that the training will help expose Journalists to the dynamics of the Electoral process as well as strengthen their skills in churning out balanced and objective reports during the elections.

The NAWOJ President stated, “The long walk of commitment and the concerted efforts we all made together have yielded results. Let us put our minds to this training and join all other well meaning people as agents of change in promoting good governance, to see a paradigm shift in the Electoral process and Governance in Nigeria. “
Facilitators at the training, included Mrs Moji Makanjuola, CEO, International Society of Media in Public Health, David Ajikobi, Nigeria Editor, Africa Check and Taiwo Obe, Founder, Journalism Clinic.

They took participants through an intensive training on Fact-Checking, how to fact check political claims, and various media and online tools to be deployed in accurate fact checking, Electoral Processes and the 2023 Elections, according priority on women and other underrepresented, Reporting in the Public Interest , Conflict Sensitivity and Safety in Election Reporting, and Conceptual Clarifications in Electoral Processes, among others.

The Project is targeted at building the capacity of 140 female journalists across the nation on election reporting, and participants will be required to pitch stories around the elections and get editorial mentorship and assistance while doing so.

News

DSS Issues Warning, Arrests Man For Circulating Fake Recruitment Materials

Published

3 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

The Department of State Services (DSS) has disclosed the arrest of one Mr. Eze Ezenwa Benard, who was recently apprehended for circulating fake DSS recruitment past questions and answers on Facebook.

The agency, while warning the public in a statement on Saturday, said the suspect operated through a page known as “Jobs and Education”, where he advertised the fraudulent materials and charged unsuspecting members of the public one thousand naira (N1,000) for access.

“The public is hereby cautioned to disregard any materials, as the DSS does not sell or distribute recruitment questions, answers, or examination guides through private individuals or social media pages. Recruitment into the Service, when necessary, follows specialised procedure in accordance with extant laws and due process,” the statement reads.

News

‘Na Only People You Gave Work Love You,’ Singer Speed Darlington Tells Tinubu

Published

3 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Singer Speed Darlington has told President Bola Tinubu that public admiration cannot be bought, warning that only those who received appointments or jobs from the government truly support him.

In a video posted on Saturday, August 23, the singer said, “Everything isn’t about the economy! There is more to leadership than the economy. See as everybody dey call your name, dey complain. Nobody loves you. Na only the ones you gave work, na them love you. Even your own tribe dey complain about you.”

Darlington, an Igbo man, urged Tinubu to focus on police reform and respect for human rights. “The Nigerian police is an oppressive agency rooted in human rights violation. As a matter of fact, if they do not violate you, it’s as if they are not even doing their job.

“The idea of arrest before investigation is a pure human rights violation. You arrest and hold a person before you dey investigate. Please, before you leave office, please speak to your Yoruba brother IGP man,” he added.

News

Before You Leave Office, Reform The Police — Speed Darlington Urges Tinubu

Published

3 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Popular controversial singer Speed Darlington has called on President Bola Tinubu to reform the Nigerian Police Force, urging the government to prioritise citizens’ rights alongside economic growth.

In a video posted on Saturday, the entertainer criticised what he described as the police’s systemic human rights violations and oppressive practices.

“Mr President, before you leave office, whether you secure a second term or not, try your best to improve Nigeria. Everything isn’t about the economy!

“There is more to leadership than the economy. See as everybody dey call your name, dey complain. Nobody loves you. Na only the ones you gave work, na them love you. Even your own tribe dey complain about you,” he said.

The singer, who identifies as Igbo, urged Tinubu to engage with the Inspector-General of Police and implement reforms.

“As an Igbo man, the advice I can give you so people will know your name and remember you for something good is to reform the police. Reform the police.

“The Nigerian police is an oppressive agency rooted in human rights violation. As a matter of fact, if they do not violate you, it’s as if they are not even doing their job.

“The idea of arrest before investigation is a pure human rights violation. You arrest and hold a person before you dey investigate,” he added.

Darlington also recounted his personal ordeal with law enforcement, highlighting the system’s abuse of power.

“I was held for two months after the judge had ordered my release. FID held me for two months. According to my lawyer, the Nigerian law gives only 28 days for investigation.

“They held me for two months. What is the extra month for? Because they can. If you give them money, they oppress your enemy. I have experienced it,” he said.