For three days, from 24 to 26 March, our team had the privilege of being part of the CJID Campus Journalist Clinic 2026 held at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile‑Ife. Organised by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) under its Campus Reporter initiative and sponsored by the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the clinic brought together over 40 student journalists from OAU, Osun State University, and Fountain University.
Thanks to Taiwo Fatola (Alpha Tee) , who alerted us about the programme, we didn’t miss this golden opportunity to sharpen our skills alongside passionate campus reporters from across Osun State.
The agenda was packed with sessions that touched every aspect of modern journalism. Idris Akinbajo, Managing Editor of Premium Times, opened with a powerful session on journalism ethics. “As campus reporters, you are the first line of defence against misinformation in your university communities,” he reminded us. “Without ethics, you lose credibility – and credibility is all we have.”
We also gained hands‑on experience in:
– Investigative reporting – with practical tools from Mr Akinbajo and Kabir Adejumo (Senior Researcher, GGA)-
–Data‑driven storytelling – facilitated by Victor Ejechi of The Cable
– Fact‑checking – led by Lois Ugbede, Editor of Dubawa
– Multimedia and safety – with Gbolahan Ogunsolu, Osaruonamen Ibizugbe, and others.
Busola Ajibola, Deputy Director of CJID’s Journalism Programme, opened our eyes to the importance of integrating gender and disability perspectives in reporting, stressing that “accountability reporting is incomplete if it does not represent everyone.”
Voices from the Clinic
The clinic wasn’t just about listening; it was about connecting. Elizabeth, a Mass Communication student from Fountain University, captured what many of us felt: “I learned how to write stories, how to report and tell news effectively, gained different perspectives on campus reporting, and improved my networking and communication skills by interacting with journalists from other campuses.”
Taiwo Fatola, the very person who alerted us, also shared his experience. As a medical student, he showed that journalism is for everyone. “The biggest problems I have faced so far operating as a campus journalist is attack on press freedom,” he said. “We work in an environment where they don’t want to hear you say anything negative about the system, even on issues that were not due to them.” He noted that the session by Kabir Adejumo gave him practical ways to “overcome the hurdle and stay out of trouble as a student journalist.”
Ezekiel from OAU’s Department of Broadcast Journalism found the investigative reporting and fact‑checking sessions especially impactful.We are deeply grateful to CJID and the Royal Norwegian Embassy for making this training possible. Special thanks to the entire CJID team—Busola Ajibola, Osaruonamen Ibizugbe and all the facilitators who gave their time and expertise.
The clinic ended with group story pitches and certificates, but for us, it’s only the beginning.
We’re already applying our new skills in our reporting and looking forward to publishing our stories on the Campus Reporter platform.
Watch this space—and if you ever get a chance to attend a CJID programme, don’t hesitate.
This blog post was written by the OSUMSA NewsAgency team based on our participation in the CJID Campus Journalist Clinic 2026.
