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Following a two-day digital skills and fact-checking training conducted by DUBAWA, journalists in Ondo and Edo have started employing newfound skills and tools to tackle misinformation ahead of the forthcoming state gubernatorial elections.
Between March 21 and 26, 2024, DUBAWA, with the support of Google News Initiative, exposed 72 journalists in the two states to various fact-checking tools and how to use them in combating misinformation. The objective of the initiative was to equip journalists for the forthcoming off-cycle elections by providing them with tools to address information disorder effectively.
Mohammed Taoheed, a freelance journalist at the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), expressed his enthusiasm for the Ondo training and emphasised its timeliness and relevance to his career. “The training exposed me to many tools that can be used for fact-checking, election reporting, and digital investigation,” he remarked.
One of the key takeaways for Mr Taoheed was the use of Pinpoint, an artificial intelligence tool that streamlines transcription work, saving him valuable time. He also shared a recent fact-checking experience involving a viral picture of a transgender male, “Bobrisky,” where he debunked the misleading story using the Google Reverse Image search tool.
Afolabi Funmilola, a journalist at Crest FM, Akure, echoed Mr Taoheed’s sentiments. Emphasising the training’s relevance to her role as a journalist, particularly with the approaching Ondo state election, she recounted producing a fact check on a misleading video depicting the abduction of students in Nigeria.
“I was able to produce a fact check on a misleading video depicting the abduction of students in Nigeria. I used reverse image search on the video and I discovered that the video was old and the event did not take place in Nigeria,” Ms Funmilola said. “The training was indeed helpful. It gave me some pointers on how to go about my job as regards fact check, especially with the elections fast approaching.”
Ms Funmilola also wanted to delve deeper into using open-source intelligence tools, indicating a continued commitment to improving her skills.
Rita Enemuru, who works at Stonix News, Edo State, shared her experiences debunking various misinformation after the training. Ms Enemuru has published two fact checks about football legend Jay-Jay Okocha building 100 bungalows for the underprivileged in his hometown and the Federal Government mandating DNA tests for newborn babies in Nigeria.
“In the process of fact-checking, I used Google Reverse Image search to scan the photos of the building, which turned out to be from a different source and belonged to a real estate company,” she said, explaining her methodology.
“I checked Okocha’s social media accounts for clues on the building project but there were none and finally, I reached out to Jay-Jay Okocha on WhatsApp and through phone calls to verify but he responded to neither my messages nor my calls. Apart from that, I also reached out to people in Enugu and Delta State to confirm if there was anything of such but all the persons I reached out to responded in the negative.”
Speaking on the significance of the training, Temilade Onilede, Programme Officer at DUBAWA, highlighted its role in empowering journalists in non-urban communities with essential digital skills.
She said: “This training was an outreach to journalists in non-urban communities who often lack exposure to the latest developments, trends, and tools that can enhance their journalistic work. The initiative arrived at a crucial juncture, coinciding with the upcoming off-cycle elections in these states.”
Adding to Ms Onilede’s remark, Silas Jonathan, one of the facilitators, has also stressed the importance of empowering state journalists with digital skills to combat misinformation during critical periods such as elections.
“It’s crucial to empower state journalists with digital skills to tackle misinformation and disinformation, alongside utilising Google tools for fact-checking. These journalists play a pivotal role in informing the public during the critical period of selecting state leaders for the next four years,” he stated.
