I-79 Media Consults to train 20 campus journalists on environmental reporting

By Precious Ewuji — I-79 Media Consults, one of Nigeria’s leading media training hubs is set to train twenty (20) campus journalists and recent graduates on environmental reporting.

The programme participants will be trained for three days on how to report environmental crimes in Nigeria with focus on the southern part of the country.

Tagged “Environmental Crime Reporting in Southern Nigeria: Issues and Perspectives,” the training is slated for Thursday, March 17 to Saturday, March 19, 2022.

The participants of the training were selected after about 3-4 weeks of application submission and review process from the about 50 entries received.

The training forms part of the Rewriting the Narratives of Environmental Crimes in Nigeria project which aims to intensify efforts in mainstreaming reports about environmental crimes, climate change, and biodiversity in Nigeria.

Upon completion of the training, each participant will be supported to carry out a long-form report on environmental crime in their immediate environment.

According to I-79 Media Consults, the programme, which will create an enabling environment for campus journalists – who have limited access to media opportunities – to develop skills in environmental crime reporting, is supported by the Environmental Reporting Collective (ERC). The ERC is a network of journalists in countries including Abuja, Bangkok, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Kathmandu, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Guangzhou, New Delhi, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, Toronto, Yangon, and Zürich.

The participants will be trained and edited and their works edited by an array of environmental journalists in the country.

Below are the participants and their projects:

Mariam Hamzat is a content writer and journalist with an interest in tech, sustainable development, the environment, and social justice. Her story focuses on conservation in Oyo State, Nigeria.

Roland Bayode is a creative and passionate writer who has acquired extensive knowledge in the field through media training and personal learning engagement courses. His story focuses on deforestation in Lagos State, Nigeria.

Oluwadamilola Roleola is the incumbent Editor-in-Chief of “The Intellectuals.” He possesses strong work ethic and experience as a campus journalist. His story focuses on cement dust pollution in Ogun State, Nigeria.

Quadri Yahya is an energetic and hardworking journalist with three years of experience in investigative reporting, fact-checking, feature writing and general reporting. His story is focused on pollution in Ogun State, Nigeria.

Abdulrasheed Hammad is an avid reader, a passionate writer and an award-winning journalist. His story focuses on illegal mining in Kwara State, Nigeria.

Tobi Odeyinka is a student of Communication and Language Arts at the University of Ibadan. He doubles as the Editor-in-Chief of the institution’s Union of Campus Journalists. His story focuses on indiscriminate waste disposal in Ogun and Oyo States, Nigeria.

Faith Alofe is a student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) who has a keen interest in journalism (print and broadcast). Her story focuses on poisonous gas pollution in Osun State, Nigeria.

Abibat Gbemisola Tijani is a writer and journalist who has a passion for learning. Her story focuses on illegal charcoal production in Ogun state, Nigeria.

Fawaz Adebisi is a hardworking journalist with two years of experience and knowledge in feature writing, investigative and general reporting. His story focuses on illegal poaching in Ogun State, Nigeria.

Gbadegesin David Adeyanju is a student who believes in making positive changes through journalism in his environment. His story focuses on open defecation in Oyo State, Nigeria.

Wisdom Onwunmelu is a 500-level Soil Science student at Alex Ekwueme Federal University in Ebonyi State. His story focuses on water and sanitation in Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

Hikmah Tiamiyu currently studies Animal Science at the University of Ibadan. She is passionate about telling stories that impact changes. Her story focuses on climate change in Oyo State, Nigeria.

Abdulwasiu Olokooba is an award-winning multimedia journalist and a digital rights advocate trained by Paradigm Initiative. His story focuses on illegal mining in Ekiti State, Nigeria.

Kehinde Ogunyale is a field freelance investigative and data journalist. He is a fellow with Civic Hive and African Investigative Journalism Conference (AIJC) and was nominated for the 2020 Africa Fact-Checking Awards. His story focuses on illegal logging in Cross River State, Nigeria.

Farida Omolola Ogundairo works as a reporter with Platform Times. Her story focuses on conservation and illegal logging in Ogun State, Nigeria.

Oluwatosin Adewumi studied Mass Communication at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta Ogun State. Her story focuses on oil spill, flooding, and fish subsidy in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

Kowiyat Adepoju is currently the Editor of Press Club MAPOLY and is passionate about journalism as a profession. Her story focuses on the effect of indiscriminate waste disposal in Ogun State.

Peace Oladipo is a journalist currently serving under the Union of Campus Journalists (UCJ), FUOYE chapter. Her story focuses on deforestation in Ekiti State, Nigeria.

Abdulrahman Adebayo is a freelance journalist based in Ibadan, Nigeria. His story focuses on the cost of gas and deforestation in Oyo State, Nigeria.

Misturah Olatunji is an intern with Platform Times newspaper. Her story focuses on oil bunkering in Ogun State, Nigeria.