By Hamzat Ameenat Aderayo
In an effort to equip the next generation of journalists with essential skills, the Communication Students' Association at Lagos State University, in collaboration with 5W's Media, organized a comprehensive training session focused on fact-checking, combating fake news, and upholding media ethics.
The training event took place at the Arcade Conference Room, Lagos State University, on Wednesday, November 8, 2023. Its primary objective was to educate budding journalists on identifying fake news, the art of fact-checking, and the critical importance of maintaining journalistic ethics.
A diverse group of over 30 student journalists from various faculties across the university actively participated in the training and received certifications.
Bayo Wahab, News Editor at Pulse.NG, set the tone for the event by emphasizing the essence of "news" as factual and verifiable information. He underlined the idea that anything false cannot be categorized as news, as news should represent factual reporting of events. Wahab also shared insights into recognizing false information and practical tips for detecting misinformation, commonly known as fake news.
Calen Ijioma, Executive Director of Roundcheck, explained in detail the intricate concept of fact-checking and the various tools available for verifying the authenticity of information. Ijioma explained that fact-checking is a meticulous process that involves verifying information using diverse approaches and publicly accessible sources. He stressed the significance of adhering to specific rules, such as consulting multiple sources and relying on peer-reviewed journals when fact-checking.
Additionally, Mr Olumide Omobitan, a lecturer from the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, shed light on the critical subject of media ethics and its application in journalism. Omobitan emphasized the importance of upholding ethical standards in media practice and cautioned against using headlines to incite violence. He also shared valuable insights into maintaining journalistic ethics while reporting.
In an interview with ACJ LASU, The convener who doubles as the General Secretary of COSA and the Editor-in-chief of 5Ws Media shared the motive behind the training.
He said: " This training was born out of my flair to make an impact. I attended a training earlier this year on Fact Checking organized by African Check and it was a value-packed session. This was while I felt it would be nice to also bring in professionals on the field to teach our members about Fact-checking as well."
The convener of the training, who also serves as the General Secretary of COSA and the Editor-in-Chief of 5Ws Media, Bello Wasiu Adedayo, shared the motivation behind the initiative. He expressed a personal commitment to making a positive impact and revealed that the idea for the training stemmed from his own enriching experience at a Fact-Checking event organized by African Check earlier in the year.
He said: " This training was born out of my flair to make an impact. I attended a training earlier this year on Fact Checking organized by African Check and it was a value-packed session. This was while I felt it would be nice to also bring in professionals on the field to teach our members about Fact-checking as well."
One of the participants, Oyatokun Boluwatife, a 200-level Mass Communication student, expressed gratitude for the eye-opening experience the training provided. Boluwatife, who aspires to become a journalist, acknowledged that the event filled gaps in her knowledge that classroom lessons often overlook. She praised the organizers for their efforts and the invaluable lessons learned.
Another participant, Ashiru Abibat, described the training as one of the most insightful free workshops she had ever attended. Abibat said: " This has got to be one of the most insightful free workshops I have attended.
We even got certified! All thanks to the host and organizers of this event! God bless you all. I had very little idea of how fact-checking works before this event.
Safe to say I might as well establish a fact-checking school tonight from the much useful information I got from all the speakers today. All in all, My knowledge bank has been topped. I’m looking forward to putting all that I have learned to good use."
The training also drew the participation of journalists from various media organizations within LASU, including LASU Life, LASU Talk, LASU Conscience, and ACJ LASU, among others.
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