National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
By Dayo Emmanuel
The United States Consulate in Lagos, in collaboration with the Media Career Development Network (MCDN), has hosted the inaugural session of the Journalism Clinic Bi-monthly Session aimed at strengthening investigative journalism and transparency reporting in Nigeria.
Held at the U.S. Consulate in Lagos, the event brought together early and mid-career journalists for a day of intensive training and mentoring on tools, practices, and ethics of investigative reporting.
In her welcome remarks, the Acting Consul General of the United States Consulate in Lagos, JoEllen Gorg, emphasized the vital role journalists play in safeguarding democracy. She acknowledged the challenges faced by the media industry globally but affirmed the U.S. government’s commitment to supporting press freedom and capacity-building in Nigeria.
“Journalists are the eyes and ears of the people, uncovering truths and holding the powerful accountable,” Gorg said. “Journalism is going through challenging times—shrinking budgets, reduced staff, and a demanding 24-hour news cycle. These pressures undermine the capacity for balanced and investigative reporting. However, investigative journalism is critical to democracy; without it, transparency suffers.”
She reiterated the U.S. Mission’s support for initiatives that equip journalists to improve their skills, stating that “democracy dies in darkness”—a motto of The Washington Post—and encouraged reporters to keep shining light on issues affecting governance and society.
The Acting Consul General noted that participants would also benefit from post-training mentorship and feedback, which would empower them to safely report on sensitive issues, especially related to corruption and financial accountability.
“We are proud to support this training and are excited about the profound and impactful stories you will produce. Your feedback is important to us as we continue to learn how to better support journalism in Nigeria,” she added.
Speaking on behalf of the Media Career Development Network (MCDN), Executive Director Lekan Otufodunrin said the bi-monthly clinic is part of a broader plan to train an estimated 150 journalists over the next year. The initiative, he said, is designed to build the next generation of impactful reporters.
“Today’s event marks the beginning of a year-long journey to empower early-career and mid-level journalists. Since announcing this initiative, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. We have nearly 100 entries already, and many more are still coming in, including requests from outside Lagos,” Otufodunrin noted.
He explained that the training, initially planned as an in-person Lagos event, has now been extended to virtual platforms to meet wider demand.
Otufodunrin, a media trainer, also highlighted the organization’s track record of promoting young talent in journalism, citing examples like Toyosi Ogunseye, a former editor at The Punch, now based in the United States as a global media leader.
“This is not our first partnership with the U.S. Consulate. In 2020, we collaborated for a post-election training in Bayelsa and again in 2022 for World Press Freedom Day in Lagos and Port Harcourt. We commend the Consulate’s continued commitment to building journalistic capacity in Nigeria.”
One of the key facilitators at the clinic, Mr. Samson Folarin, Weekend Titles Editor at The Punch newspaper, spoke on the courage required in investigative reporting. He advised young journalists to weigh the implications of their stories, particularly student journalists reporting on sensitive issues within campuses.
“You must be brave but strategic. If a story has the potential to cause conflict with your institution, collaborate with mainstream media that can pursue and publish it. But for issues like student welfare, go ahead and investigate directly,” he advised.
Folarin stressed that investigative journalism is about asking hard questions, exposing wrongdoing, and being ready to face potential backlash—all while maintaining journalistic integrity.
Another major highlight of the session was the presentation of a paper by Kolawole Oluwadare, Deputy Director of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), delivered by Otufodunrin. The paper emphasized the importance of legal frameworks like the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, encouraging journalists to leverage these tools to hold public officials and institutions accountable.
Participants also engaged in open discussions about the practical challenges of investigative collaborations. One of them, Pelumi Bolarinwa of The Cable, raised concerns about inter-organizational collaboration and the difficulty of convincing sources to speak.
Otufodunrin responded that while challenges exist, there are successful models, citing collaborations between Premium Times and The Cable as examples.
“Media collaboration is not just possible; it’s necessary in this era of shrinking resources and growing complexity of issues. Journalists need to look beyond newsroom boundaries to tell stronger, well-researched stories,” he said.
The event ended with renewed energy among participants and calls for more initiatives that equip journalists with the skills and confidence to report on governance, public finance, and anti-corruption.
With the support of the U.S. Consulate and the strategic vision of MCDN, the Journalism Clinic Bi-monthly Session is set to become a consistent platform for grooming principled, skilled, and courageous journalists across Nigeria.
