In a bid to strengthen the capacity of journalists and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to meet up with the current technological advancement in the digital space, Stallion Times recently trained media practitioners and CSOs in Kogi State on the effective use of Social Media.
The one-day training workshop was supported by the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) and funded by the MacArthur Foundation.
The Editor in Chief of Stallion Times, Isiyaku Ahmed while delivering his welcome address, stated that the event was focused on advancing the capacity of both the media and civil society actors to enable them to build a better society and enhance societal development through the effective use of social media.
He said some of the objectives of the training were for participants to appreciate best practices for creating compelling social media content, to get the best of social media for news and storytelling, and to know how to use it to reach targeted audiences.
“The training was hinged on enabling both media and CSOs to create appealing content that will attract more audience to their social media sites and provoke discussions that will ultimately lead to developmental change in communities.
“We also want to see social media influencers, bloggers, Journalists, and CSOs work together to report issues that will hold the government accountable while good governance and anti-corruption in the state,” he added.
Isa Ali, a Digital Forensic Research Scholar who facilitated the training said Artificial Intelligence (AI) threatens the jobs of many, pointing out that the only way to stay abreast in the digital space is to be up to date with the new digital developments.
“Do not rely on information on social media so as to aid factual reportage of happenings.
“Now is the best time for professional journalists to equip themselves with the required skills to advance their careers because AI is taking the job of many professionals in various sectors and the only way to stand strong is to efficiently learn and utilize what you have learned,” he said.
Ibrahim Obansa, a correspondent with Guardian Newspaper said the training will positively impact his career because it will aid him in fact-checking and debunking fake news, creating engaging content with the use of social media, and ultimately utilizing the wide reach for his reports.
“Social media will aid in spreading my reports faster and to a wide audience and it is beneficial in debunking all forms of misinformation, disinformation, and mal-information,” he said.
On her part, Bosede Michael, the Kogi State Coordinator of 100 Women Lobby Group cum- State Executive of Concerned Women Forum of Nigeria stated that following the workshop, she will create new social media handles for the Women Lobby Group where they will interact with members of the public on their activities.
“We will also use the newly created social media platform in an engaging manner to draw a wider audience to the pages as it will aid the growth of the organization.
“From what I have learned today, it will be easy for me to also delve into the field of journalism,” she joyfully added.
The training which had 40 participants was a part of Stallion Times activities in year 2 of its 3-year Participatory Governance and Media Literacy project dubbed “Get Involved, Dialogue and Improve (G-DRIP)” in Kano and Kogi States.
