As part of our MacArthur Foundation funded project to strengthen public audit practices and accountability at the state level in Nigeria, Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLSI) is pleased to announce the selected Fellows of its inaugural Public Audit Media Fellowship Program (Cohort 1 & 2).
PLSI recognizes that inadequate citizen participation in Nigerian public audit process and insufficient civic engagement with public officials using audit data has remained a fundamental impediment to fostering public accountability at subnational level in Nigeria.
Through a highly competitive application process, 10 journalists across Anambra, Delta, Ekiti, Kaduna and Yobe States were selected out of the total 126 applications received, and would be trained on how to use public audit information combined with creative communication and data-driven storytelling skills to investigate, report, and expose corruption on the management of public resources at the subnational level.
PLSI is a civic-tech organization that works to strengthen public audit practices, civic participation and public accountability leveraging evidence-based research and policy strategies to improve service delivery to Nigerians.
Over time, state legislatures have been largely ineffectual in publishing their resolutions on the reports and recommendations of the Auditors-General, hindering efforts to timely follow up with the implementation of the resolutions, enhance accountability, curb fiscal abuses and punish corruption. Resolutions of the legislatures on many findings from past audit reports of state and local governments in Nigeria have remained undisclosed and unresolved, and, anti-corruption agencies have not been acting on them as they should. This has allowed executive agencies in various states to persist in corrupt practices and a lack of accountability in managing public resources.
PLSI’s Public Audit Media Fellowship aims to change the narrative. This program will provide the fellows (independent media actors) with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to analyze annual audit reports of these state governments, track efficiency and effectiveness in public resources management, as well as investigate such issues to expose and report potential or acts of corruption for possible sanction by relevant authorities. 20 investigative stories will be produced by the media fellowship and will be published through the respective media outlets where the fellows work.
Fellows will be immersed in an intensive learning experience for four weeks, as the program kicks off with three weeks of virtual training, followed by a one-day in-person training session in Abuja, Nigeria and thereafter deployment of fellows to their respective states for investigations.
Learn more about our selected fellows below:
1. Kehinde Ogunyale
Kehinde Ogunyale is a data journalist with The International Centre for Investigative Reporting. He tells his stories by gathering and analysing data to hold the government into account and amplifies these reports with data visualizations and infographics. Kehinde has mentored and trained over 150 journalists in data reporting, gathering, visualization and infographic design. He works with newsrooms to set up a data infographics desk. He has participated in several journalism fellowships, nominated for awards and facilitated training for journalists. Kehinde also has experience as a climate journalist, conflict journalist, business journalist, solution journalist and fact checker.
2. AbdulGaniyu Alabi
AbdulGaniyu Alabi is a distinguished journalist with The Guardian, stationed in Kaduna. He has a degree in Mass Communication and over 5 years of professional experience. AbdulGaniyu’s expertise lies in ICT and public accountability-related issues, reflecting his deep interest and dedication to these subjects. Through his work, he illuminates the intersection of technology and society, ensuring that the public remains well-informed about crucial matters. With a passion for uncovering the truth and promoting accountability, AbdulGaniyu continues to make significant contributions to the journalistic landscape.
3. Precious Ewuji
Precious Ewuji is a journalist with over 3 years of track record of experience in covering gender-related issues and social injustice. She is very passionate about the female gender and loves to write compelling stories about them. Currently, she’s an ambassador to TheirWorld, a global organisation that fosters education. In 2022, she was selected, alongside 49 others as a delegate for the Future News Worldwide Conference, organized by the British Council. She just completed a year-long writing fellowship at African Liberty. She works as an Editor for the Solutions Paper and ROUNDCHECK.
4. Stanley Ugagbe
Stanley Ugagbe is an investigative journalist with Secret Reporters where he focused on accountability reporting and exposing contract racketeering by public office holders. He has over 7 years of experience reporting corruption issues in both national and subnational governments with the aim of influencing policy changes for effective anti-corruption measures and social equity. Stanley holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from the University of Benin.
5. Okechukwu Onuegbu
Onuegbu, an award-winning investigative journalist who has practised with several Mainstream and New Media, is reporting from Awka, Anambra State capital as the Correspondent of Blueprint Newspaper. He is also a budding scholar and creative writer with many researched articles, prose and poetry to his credit. Onuegbu is interested on development journalism, especially climate change, fact-checking, education, criminal justice and anti-corruption, politics, democracy and good governance. He also has good knowledge of Blogging and WordPress development/designing, machine learning/artificial intelligence, social media marketing and content creation. Onuegbu holds National Diploma, Bachelor and Master in Mass Communication.
6. Peace Oladipo
Peace Oladipo is a journalist with a blazing passion for sustainable development, solution journalism, and investigative reporting. Her experience in journalism started when she was an undergraduate at Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, she consistently reported happenings on and outside campus. She currently serves as a U-monitor with Udeme, where she focuses on reporting subnational accountability and transparency issues. Furthermore, she is a 2023 writing fellow with African Liberty, a platform dedicated to liberty advocacy. Her work has been featured on respected platforms such as Premium Times, ICIR, Ripples Nigeria, and Prime Progress.
7. Mohammed Abubakar
Mohammed Abubakar is a media practitioner with over ten years of experience reporting for Daily Independent Newspaper, Damaturu, Yobe State where he focused on transparency and accountability reporting including tracking and reporting issues of budgetary allocations on social contracts in Yobe State. He is also a tutor and work as a freelance reporter for Associated Press (AP); an international global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Muhammed holds a bachelor’s degree in English and is motivated by his passion to leverage investigative reporting to advance accountability and good governance in Nigeria.
8. Tetsoma Neyin
Tetsoma Neyin is an Experienced Journalist and Human Resource Officer with 5+ years’ experience. She is energetic, highly creative and self-motivated with a strong passion for working in a fast and challenging work environment. She Possesses strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills that are beneficial for coordinating events, fundraising and working with diverse populations. Tetsoma holds a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics and Communication Studies from University of Port Harcourt and she is motivated by strengthening anti-corruption measures to enhance accountable democratic governance in Nigeria.
9. Duku Joel
Duku Igbahemba Joel is a trained conflict and war reporter with 17 years of experience as the Borno and Yobe State correspondent for The Nation Newspaper. His reports focused on insecurity, humanitarian budget tracking and accountability issues of both the National and Subnational governments in the Northeast region. His story on “Discrepancies in red cross food intervention” exposed the diversion of food palliatives meant for the displayed Nigerians in Yobe State by some government officials and ICRC Staffs. Joel holds a degree in Law and his motivated by the passion to inform, inspire, and contribute towards understanding the world’s challenges.
10. Ikenna Obianeri
Ikenna Obianeri works as a correspondent with The Punch Newspaper in Anambra State. He holds a first degree in Mass Communication with a National Diploma in Business Studies from Lagos State Polytechnic. Ikenna is motivated by strengthening anti-corruption measures to enhance accountable democratic governance in Nigeria.
