BY USMAN BABAJI, NOVEMBER 23, 2022 | 04:00 PM
Jeff Kelly Lowenstein, a United States-based Investigative journalist, and founder of the Center for Collaborative Investigative Journalism (CCIJ) alongside the Vice-Chancellor of Federal University, Kashere, Professor Umaru Pate among others will address participants at the maiden WikkiTimes’ colloquium scheduled to hold on November 26, 2022, in Gombe State.
The colloquium supported by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability Project (CMEDIA) is funded by the MacArthur Foundation.
Themed ‘News Desert: Sustaining Democracy Through Fearless Grassroot Accountability Journalism’, the event would also buttress on fighting impunity and judicial theft, entrenching good governance through accountability as well as breach of public trust for personal gains.
Kelly who hails from Michigan is also the Padnos/Sarosik Endowed Chair of Civil Discourse at Grand Valley State University. His work has been published in The New Yorker, USA TODAY, and the Center for Public Integrity, among many publications, and has earned national and international recognition.
Kelly’s keynote will be deliberated upon by panellists consisting of Ajibola Amzat, the Africa Editor at CCIJ with headquarters in Michigan, United States. Amzat is the former Managing Editor at the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, ICIR, Abuja.
Other panellists include Victoria Bamas, Editor of The ICIR, Dr Hamid Adamu Muhammad, a chief lecturer at the Department of Mass Communication, Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi State, Abdullateef Abubakar, publisher of Solacebase and Dahiru Garba Muhammed, General Manager, Fombina FM, Yola.
Other panellists include; Abdul Ahmed Burra, spokesman for Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, Olajide Adelana, editor and newsroom mentor, Aloba Adenike, Managing Editor & Program Director at Dataphyte and S.G Idris Esq, WikkiTimes legal adviser.
Professor Pate who doubles as the president, Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) and also a member of the UNESCO Network of Communication Professors would be a co-speaker at the event.
The 2022 colloquium draws audiences and participants from various scopes including media, academia, civil society and the general public.
During the colloquium, WikkiTimes will among other things showcase some of its investigative reports published within the last couple of months.
In the past four years, the online media outlet has published compelling investigative reports that examined government policies and programmes, making an impact at the sub-national level.
The medium in recent times is focusing on grassroots journalism, aimed at holding power to account at the sub-national levels. WikkiTimes has, in the last couple of months trained journalists in investigative and data-driven journalism.
WIKKITIMES
Conflict Reporting is dangerous and risky. Our reporters constantly face life-threatening challenges, sometimes surviving ambushes, kidnap attempts and attacks by the whiskers as they travel and go into communities to get authentic and firsthand information. But we dare it every day, nonetheless, in order to keep you informed of the true situation of the victims, the trends in the conflicts and ultimately help in peace building processes. But these come at huge cost to us. We are therefore appealing to you to help our cause by donating to us through any of the following means. You can also donate working tools, which are even more primary to our work. We thank you sincerely as you help our cause.
Alternatively, you can also email us on
info@yen.ng or message us
via +234 803 931 7767
