By Jumoke Ariyo
Over 40 journalist in Edo State have been trained on digital skills and fact checking tools to combat fake news and disinformation in the state and Nigeria at large, ahead of the state governorship poll in September.
The two days training, organized by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), and DUBAWA, which took place at the Edo Heritage Hotel, Benin City, had in attendance journalists from print, electronic and online medium across the state and other states.
Speaking on “election reporting, fact-checking and observer network: leverage and lessons, the Deputy Director, Accountability Programme of CJID, Mboho Eno, who spoke for the Director of Programme, Akintunde Babatunde, said the place of election observer and journalist in elections cannot be over emphasized.
According to him, the organization has trained over 5000 journalists across the West African sub region, with ongoing projects in more than 10 African countries.
On her part, the Programme Officer, Dubawa Nigeria, Temilade Onilede, maintained that fact-checking is a major role in stopping the spread of misinformation and disinformation in the society. She added that it provides clear, and professionally rigorously vetted information to consumers.
A cross section of trainees posited that they have benefited immensely from the training adding that henceforth, they will put all the tools learnt to good use in their daily journalism activities.
Other speakers were Lois Ugbede, who spoke via zoom on the theme: (Understanding information disorder); Silas Jonathan (Google tools for fact-checking and digital verification skills and tools), Lateef Sanni; (digital safety and security for journalists), Temilade Onilede (fact-checking steps and methodology) and Mboho Eno (Elections reporting, fact-checking and observer networks: Levarage and lessons for upcoming elections).
