Scrutiny at the subnational level can be closer home, and the backlash can be quick and significant

… Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism recounts lessons from its three-year C-MEDIA project
… The project generated 401 impactful news stories

After three years of working with 26 partners, the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) is ending this November the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development, Inclusivity and Accountability (C-Media) Project from which it derived many lessons.

Among them, Mrs Motunrayo Alaka, Director of WSCIJ, told BusinessDay that media scrutiny has more impact closer to the grassroots. She stated, “Scrutiny at the subnational level can be closer home, and the backlash can be quick and significant: We have recorded cases of attacks on our partners for holding power to account at the subnational level. For instance, Haruna Mohammed, the publisher of WikkiTimes and their colleague Idris Kamal were held by officers of the Bauchi State Police Command and subsequently charged to court for a report ‘How Bauchi APC Chairman died after a series of threats’, which they published in May 2022.”

She shared other lessons

• There is an accountability gap at the subnational level: Many communities need a media platform to reach out to their representatives on basic amenities needs. Through town halls and radio shows, some partners have confirmed that the media is the voice of the voiceless. They have empowered residents to scrutinise government activities. For example, through Albarka FM’s Good Governance and Accountability radio programme, Kwara communities call in and make demands from their representatives. Ikengaonline virtual Radio /town hall also allows residents in the five Southeastern states to voice their opinions on governance and accountability issues.

• Capacity development is needed at the subnational level. Our experience with the C-MEDIA Project has reinforced the importance of continuous capacity development for media and journalists in state and local government. Subnational newsrooms often need more skills and resources for impactful investigative reporting. By equipping journalists at these levels with the necessary tools, training, and support, we have strengthened their ability to produce in-depth stories that hold local and state governments accountable.

• Some issues will remain unreported without support for reporters: Some stories carried out by reporters under the C-MEDIA project would have gone unreported if the reporters had not been supported. A senior reporter from one of the media houses supported by WSCIJ had noted that the bureaucracy securing funds for investigations in the organisation sometimes meant they had to spend out of pocket, limiting the number of investigative stories they produced.

• Impactful investigations require collaboration with relevant stakeholders: It has become increasingly evident that effective investigations at the subnational level require the cooperation of all stakeholders, state and non-state. This includes but is not limited to civil society organisations, journalists, government, and regulatory bodies.

• Institutional capacity development takes time, and partners’ progress varies. WSCIJ supports partners in building the capacity to run their organisations ethically and sustainably. Partners are at various stages of the progress chart. Some have been dragging, some are learning slowly, and others are learning quickly. Similarly, we reviewed the 401 stories produced by the partners the previous year, organised a meeting to share feedback, and conducted a two-day training session on investigative journalism. However, some stories still require more investigation.

WSCIJ affirms that the C-MEDIA project helped to expose and fill a gap in Nigeria’s media substructure. “Over the years, our media monitoring at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) revealed that the mainstream media in Nigeria is mainly concentrated on the federal government. As such, the news and newsrooms are significantly about the government at the centre, and the demand for accountability is relatively high there.

Therefore, there is a need for that level of scrutiny at the state and local government levels.

“Recognising this gap, WSCIJ launched the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development, Inclusivity and Accountability (CMEDIA) Project—also known as The Collaborative Media Project—in 2022, with support from the MacArthur Foundation. The project aims to strengthen and empower independent media to fulfil its constitutional responsibility of holding power accountable across all tiers of government—federal, state, and local. Beyond promoting transparency and accountability, the initiative also drives a civic space that is robust enough to engage and activate a viable citizenry’s need for good governance and social justice.”

WSCIJ has tall hopes and big dreams. “WSCIJ dreams of a just, inclusive, transparent, and accountable Nigeria, stimulated by an ethical and sustainable media sector. To achieve this, we leverage investigative and accountability journalism to expose corruption, regulatory failures, and human rights violations through capacity development, rewarding best practices, knowledge creation, research, advocacy, and collaboration with key stakeholders.”

Will it continue?

Yes, the C-MEDIA Project will continue; it has been designed to outlive its initial funding cycle. At WSCIJ, we create initiatives with sustainability in mind, ensuring they remain relevant even beyond specific funding periods. For instance, we have a Report Women! Programme, which we have sustained for 10 years in and out of funding. We will host the 19th edition of our flagship programme, the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting, on Monday, 9 December. We have hosted this since 2005. Our annual lecture has also been held for 16 years and counting. Above all, the need for local reporting persists. This means that media organisations require ongoing support to ensure sustainability.

Impact on the media and communities

The CMEDIA Project influenced governance, policy changes and actions across various states and sectors, including media, education, healthcare, and social welfare. I will share some specific examples of the changes recorded in the press and the communities. I will start with the media.

Impact on the media

Trained journalists on local reporting: Along with our 26 partners on the C-MEDIA Project, we have trained over 2,936 journalists on investigative and subnational reporting.

Created three investigative journalism desks: We supported The Nation Newspaper, TVC Communications and Harmony FM to develop investigative journalism desks.

Positioned media and media support organisations for sustainability: We have developed partner organisations’ institutional capacity and accountability at the local, state and private sector levels, clearly positioning the partners for long-term growth. Notably, 17 organisations (65%) are implementing their first projects, while the remaining nine, previously completed projects, have further built on their experiences. Regarding staffing, 11 organisations reported an increase, reflecting the broader organisational growth under C-MEDIA. Twenty of the partners completed audited financial accounts for 2022/2023.

Helped partners scale: Our intervention through the C-MEDIA Project enabled our partners to grow. Ikengaonline transitioned from a one-person blog to a fully operational website serving the Southeast. At the same time, the African Foundation for Young Media Professionals (AFYMP) emerged as a leader in early career media capacity development, expanding its network.

Impact on communities

Our stories have generated more than 50 responses in Nigeria and affected communities. Let me share some:

• Following a Daily Nigerian undercover report, the Federal Government suspended the accreditation of degree certificates from Benin and Togo Republics.

• Within 48 hours of FIJ’s release of the story, the Lagos State government sealed the orphanage building for violation of Child Rights Law and made the arrest. Also, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has taken custody of the baby purchased from the orphanage. The Anambra branch of the orphanage was also sealed. Twenty children, including a newborn baby, were recovered from the premises.
• Through its engagement with critical stakeholders, Frontfoot Media contributed to the nomination and eventual appointment of the Auditor-General for Lagos State, an undermined office.

• Benue State Government commissioned an investigation into Pure BioTech Company’s disposal method four months after Safer-Media Initiative reported the illicit discharge of waste into water in the Benue community. The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency sealed the premises four days later.

• A lawmaker representing Ilorin West and Asa Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives donated a solar-powered borehole to the Ago Oja community a few weeks after the Albarka FM programme radio.

• Eight months after the Africa Foundation For Young Media Professionals (AFYMP) story on bad roads in parts of Ikeja, Lagos State, the government commenced reconstruction of at least 25 roads.

• Following Dataphyte’s story, which revealed that the Nigerian Railway Corporation’s N900 million e-ticketing portal was non-functional, the booking portal was improved, and passengers can now book train tickets online.

• An investigation into questionable contract awards in Ekiti state triggered citizen outrage, which led to the contractor’s registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) becoming searchable in the CAC’s database.

The Ekiti State Bureau of Public Procurement issued a statement regarding the investigated contract awards.

• The Kano State Government allocated 49 per cent of its 2023 budget to education after a Stallion Times report showed that students were learning in poor conditions.