THE International Center for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) has partnered tertiary institutions in Nigeria to build capacity for students on countering misinformation.
The project “Countering Misinformation and Promoting Media Literacy” kicked off on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, at the Federal University Lokoja, Kogi State, Hassan Usman Polytechnic, Katsina State, and Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo state.
It aims at reducing the dissemination and impact of misinformation in Nigeria by promoting media literacy and responsible information sharing among citizens.
The project is supported by the German Embassy in Abuja.
At the two-day training held at the institutions’ premises, students were taken through a step-by-step guide on how to combat fake news, identify phishing websites and verify images and videos.
They were also trained on pitch writing, using OSINT tools and how to archive online claims, among others.
Kogi state
In his welcome address, the Dean of Social Sciences, S.D. Musa, a professor, commended The ICIR for the initiative.
He advised the students to make the most of the opportunity to help them become versatile and make valuable contributions to society.
The Editor, FactCheckHub, Opeyemi Kehinde, who led the facilitators, spoke extensively on misinformation, disinformation and malformation, citing copious examples.
He also stressed the need for the students to cross-check sources cited in every report.
Kehinde emphasized the importance of identifying fake news circulated on various platforms and how to fact check, using fact-checking tools.
Facilitators include Temilade Onilede, a fact-checker and researcher of DUBAWA, Kimberly Kures, an author and content creator, and Opeyemi Kehinde, the Editor of the FactCheckHub.
Students at the event expressed gratitude to the organisers as they revealed it was an eye-opening seminar.
Some of the students noted that the seminar taught them not to be purveyors of false news and how to always check sources of information obtained on social media platforms.
Ondo state
In Ondo state, The ICIR team was led by the Head of Programmes, Alfred Akerele, at the Adekunle Ajasin University in Akungba-Akoko.
In attendance were the university’s Vice Chancellor, Olugbenga Ige, the Acting Head of the Mass Communication Department, faculty members, and students.
In his address, Ige, a professor, emphasized the university’s commitment to enhancing the educational experience of its students. He lauded The ICIR for selecting the university as one of the 12 tertiary schools benefitting from the training.
Ige reiterated the university’s full support for whatever would help its students acquire good knowledge.
In his address, Akerele said the training’s objective was to arm the students with all the skills they needed to identify and fight misinformation.
“The Factcheckhub was set up due to the need to proffer solutions to misinformation and disinformation. One of our major goals is to counter misinformation and promote media literacy in Nigeria,” he stated.
Facilitators include Dubawa editor Kemi Busari, fact-checker Nurudeen Akewushola, and digital media expert, Esther Ilesanmi.
Katsina state
In Katsina state, the Director of the College of Environmental Studies and Acting Rector, Sani Yar’adua, spoke glowingly of the training.
He commended The ICIR for selecting the school for the project. Yar’Adua expressed the institution’s readiness to partner with The ICIR to promote teaching, research and other programmes that advance knowledge.
In her opening remark, The ICIR’s Assistant Programme Manager Ayisat Abiona said the training objective was to equip students of tertiary institutions with knowledge and skills on how to verify information and fact-check claims.
Facilitators for the programme in the state include The ICIR Editor Bamas Victoria, OSINT Investigator with Dubawa, Silas Jonathan, and journalist and The ICIR‘s Social Media Manager Shehu Olayinka.
The ICIR is an independent, non–profit media organisation promoting good governance in Nigeria through robust investigative, data-driven reporting. It aim to build a culture of watchdog reporting for the media in Nigeria.
In the last five years, the Centre has worked to develop the capacity for journalists to undertake investigative, data-driven reporting, thus strengthening accountability and engendering effective service delivery for the welfare of the citizens, particularly at the sub-regional level.
Olayinka works with The ICIR as the Social Media Manager, Reporter and Fact-checker. You can shoot him an email via shehuolayinka@gmail.com. You can as well follow him on Twitter via @BelloYinka72
Blessing Otoibhi is a Multimedia Journalist and Anchor host for the News in 60 seconds at The International Center For Investigative Reporting. You can shoot her a mail via Botoibhi@icirnigeria.org or connect on Twitter @B_otoibhi
Esther Ilesanmi is a Multimedia Journalist with The International Centre of Investigative Reporting.
She is also a Social Media Manager and Trainer who teaches others how to maximize social media effectively.
Esther can be found on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/estherilesanmii
Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @estherilesanmi_