Group Trains Journalists on Investigative Reporting, Emphasizes Ethics

By Ikeugonna Eleke

A group, Ikenga Media and Cultural Awareness Initiative (IMCAI), has held a one-day training on Investigative reporting for journalists in Anambra State.

Coordinator of the group and co-publisher of Ikengaonline Media, Mr Chido Onumah, in his opening remarks, said the essence of the training was to bring journalists up to speed about ways they could hold authorities accountable through their reports and also churn out incisive stories.

The training which was sponsored by MacArthur Foundation, with Support from the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Reporting, Onumah said, had been held in other states of the South East, with Anambra being the last.

Foremost professor of Mass Communication, Prof Chinyere Okunna, who was also in attendance, charged journalists to continue to remain the hope and mouthpiece of the people.

She said: ‘It is not for nothing that the press has continued to be known as the Fourth Estate of the Realm. Practitioners must take back from politicians their role as agenda setters.’

Resource persons for the training, a lecturer with Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Dr Henry Duru; and veteran journalist, Uzo Maxim Uzoatu; who spoke on ”Fundamentals of Investigative Journalism and Ethical Issues in News Reporting” took the trainees through the rudiments of the various aspects of the profession.