By Obiabin Onukwugha
The programme tagged “Improving Capacity of Women to become Expert Sources for News”, was Supported by the Wole Soyinke Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), under its Report Women Programme being funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Day one of the Programme was a virtual training moderated by the News Manager, Cool FM/Wazobia Info, Port Harcourt, Chioma Ezenwafor and had over 50 participants.
Four key speakers spoke on topics that challenged female journalists in being more committed and intentional from being the reporter to the reported – news source. They also provided insight on how female journalists can get to the top of their careers.
Taking the lead, former Commissioner for information in Rivers State, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, while speaking on the topic: “Becoming an Expert Source for News; How can to improve visibility and impact on Gender Base Issues’ highlighted gender imbalance as one of the key impediments to women as news sources. She emphasized that female journalists must be intentional in using women as news sources.
She also underscored the need for female journalists to key into the changing trend in journalism by promoting their work on social media.
Semenitari, a former Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), added that female journalists must be fresh and innovative, honest and accessible, to make a mark in their career and become news sources.
In her Address, Executive Director of SWIJ, Ann Godwin, said the gap between the male and female gender had remained glaring. According to her, there are lots of issues affecting women, ranging from poor health facilities to educational system which government has neglected.
While speaking on ‘ Gender Mainstreaming, Why Step-Up Conversation’ She regretted the inadequate women participation in the Nigerian political sphere, especially at the national assembly that has hampered the passage of the Gender Equality Bill.
Godwin, who is an award- winning investigative Journalist and the Chief Correspondent of Guardian newspaper in Rivers State, called on female journalists to keep pushing themselves and be active and vibrant, saying, “In this era,there is no waiting season, keep pushing yourself through”
She said the birthing of SWIJ was propelled by the need for female journalists in Rivers State to be more vibrant and able to measure up with their counterparts across Nigeria and beyond. She added that the best way to go ahead is to get started.
Also, the Executive Director, Media Career Development Network, Lekan Otufodunrin, while speaking on the topic: “How Journalists can enhance their Career and Professional Opportunities”, said most female journalists are not able to differentiate between their job and career.
Otufodunrin, who is also a mentor to Ann Godwin, posited that women must have career goals to make impact. He said growing from a reporter to taking up big assignments that leads to fellowships and awards must be intentional.
He provided some steps to be taken by journalists who want to make a mark to include; setting career goals, acquiring skills in Artificial intelligence (AI), Social media, relevant trainings and utilization of knowledge acquired through trainings.
Furthermore, Economic and Business Analyst, Ignatius Chukwu, spoke on the main theme of the programme, “Improving Capacity of Women to become Expert Sources for News”. He said journalism is moving to the female but that most female journalists are not prepared to take the lead.
Chukwu, who also publishes Silvernews, said women despite knowing more than their male counterparts most times don’t want to speak because of perceived mischief.
He highlighted building trust as key to having female news sources. He recommended pre-interview sessions for female sources as one of the keys to building trust.
He also emphasised the need to accommodate what he described as the unofficial voices while engaging women. He added that women are more sincere and passionate in their responses than the male folk. He thanked Godwin for organising the programme, describing the topic as apt.
The Day two programme, held at the Quantum Business School, Sani Abacha Road.
It had a University Don, Professor Godwin Okon as Keynote Speaker. He spoke on the topic; “Facilitating the implementation of Gender Policies within the Newsroom and Organisations.”
Presenting the paper, Okon said despite Nigeria being signatory to gender equality UN proclamations, women participation in political and decision making bodies have remained a far cry.
He called on the federal government to shift from formulating to implementing policies that promote gender equality, especially the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 5), which provides for 40 percent participation of women in decision making.
He, also regretted that despite women making giant marks in the media and corporate world, the mass media has failed to celebrate such icons, thus allowing continued male domination and focusing more on politics.
Okon, the Director of Research and Development, and lecturer at the Department of Mass Communication, Rivers State University, also highlighted stereotype as one of the greatest propeller of gender inequality.
In proffering solutions, the University Don called on the need for women especially those in the media to hold the government accountable in the implementation of gender equality policies. He also called on the coalition of female professionals to make themselves seen and visible, cascade the mantra of breed without greed by celebrating female icons, and also mainstream and take bold steps to make a difference.
The President/Founder, Advancing Women in Business, Port Harcourt, Josephine Itonyo, in her presentation, harped on the need for women to deliberately build capacity in order to make impacts in the society.
Itonyo, warned that if female journalists fail to equip themselves with modern journalism practice as dictated by modern technology, they will become obsolete with time.
Earlier, Broadcast Journalist and Entrepreneur, Dr. Ijeoma Tubosia, challenged female journalists on the need for self development.
Tubosia, who spoke on the topic, “Growing Personal Capacity in the current Economic Realities in Nigeria”, harped on the need for women to properly position themselves for recommendation through educative programmes. She said women must be conscious in self development and have retirement plans in order to avoid unnecessary domestic violence and challenges that come with old age.
By doing this, Tubosia recommended that female journalists should strive for multiple sources of income to live up to the present economic realities.
She mentioned some secrets to multiple sources of income as; making up your mind, deciding on the business to do, research, creating a nitch for yourself, getting a mentor, steadfastness and the God factor, amongst others.
She thanked Ann Godwin for her dedication to pushing female journalists towards self actualization in Rivers State.
Highpoint of the programme was a training on how to write a captivating bio, by the host, Ann Godwin.
