WOLE SOYINKA CENTRE SEEKS TO INAUGURATE A NETWORK FOR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM IN NIGERIA

By WSCIJ

The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism plans to hold the inaugural workshop for the Nigerian Investigative Journalism Network with the theme: 'Investigative Journalism as a social restorative tool and the need for an enabling environment' on Thursday 10 November, 2011 in Lagos Nigeria.


Ms. Margaret Renn, a senior visiting fellow in Investigative Journalism with the Department of Journalism at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa and an investigative journalist with over 25 years' experience will be the keynote speaker.


Confirmed discussants at the workshop include: Ms. Ibiba DonPedro, the Managing Editor of National Point, an online news publication; Mr. Joeseph Adeyeye, Editor, Punch Newspaper; and Mr. Theophilus Abbah, the Editor of Daily Trust Newspaper.


The objective of the network is to strengthen the role of the media in Nigeria by helping to stimulate the emergence of an enabling environment for journalists, providing access to professional resources and evolving a self-conscious investigative reporters' group.


In the invite letter to Ms. Renn, the Centre Coordinator, Motunrayo Alaka, noted that 'From six years' experience in award giving in all genres of media practice under the Centre's Award for Investigative Reporting initiative, the Centre has discovered a huge need to better enhance and strengthen investigative journalism in the country through the creation of a local network…'


Attendance for the workshop which will be hosted with funding support from the British High Commission will be drawn from past winners of the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting and other journalists with keen interest in investigative reporting around the country.


The workshop is free for registered participants only. Interested journalists may visit the Centre's website – www.wscij.org on or before Monday 7 November for details.