Orodata Science is thrilled to announce recipients and the start of the second cohort of the ADH Community Journalism Fellowship programme.

The 3-month program’s objective is to improve media capacity to advance news coverage of under-reported issues in local communities across Nigeria using technology, focusing on potential solutions with lasting impact on effective public service delivery, grassroots development, and improving the quality of life.

The premier fellowship is a conscientious, interactive learning and development experience empowering participants with new knowledge on Data Analytics for journalism, Geospatial analysis and remote sensing, Community project tracking and more.  The fellowship also offers an opportunity for peer-to-peer learning, access to a larger network of professionals, and facilitated mentoring.

“With every cohort, the fellowship is building up the capacity of local newsrooms to report efficiently using evidence backed by data.  By building the skills of these exceptional individuals who often work in constrained circumstances, we want to help enhance their work towards the strengthening of their communities,” said the Fellowship Global Lead Blaise Aboh. “With these new skills, fellows can employ new forms of digital storytelling to ensure that their stories are amplified, reach new audiences, and stay afloat long enough for decision-makers to pay attention.”

The programme’s first cohort of 8 fellows, 4 male, and 4 female, have gone on to produce great pieces of work, which today have been amplified to reach over 2 million people, and have propelled the government to act on findings.

Each cohort is selected through a rigorous process, and from a large applicant pool. Candidates pitch their story idea emphasizing how it relates to the thematic area of the programme, and decisions are made based on the pitches that meet up the program’s selection criteria. Applicants interested in participating in the 3rd cohort should get ready for another call in two months.

The ADH Community Journalism Fellowship (ACJF) is an initiative of Orodata Science as it continues to deliver on its promise to enable equitable access to information and knowledge towards solutions that impact the lives of millions. The program is supported by Africa Data Hub, a reputable and up-to-date source for data on the African continent which promotes quality access to information, and data-driven journalism to facilitate evidence-based decision-making.

Meet the ADH Community Journalism Fellows!

Fasilat Oluwuyi

Fasilat Oluwuyi is a Freelance Journalist based in Nigeria with over five years of experience working in print, and online media. Her wealth of experience spanned editing, writing, and content creation.

She is an experienced Reporter with a demonstrated history of working in the media production industry. Skilled in Magazines, Editing, Journalism, Media Relations, and Digital Media. Strong media and communication professional with a National Diploma, Higher National Diploma focused in Mass Communications from Mashood Abiola Polytechnic Abeokuta.

Blessing Oladunjoye

Blessing Oladunjoye is an award-winning journalist and Publisher of BONews Service, a development news platform that leverages technology to promote issues of women, persons with disabilities, and children.

Blessing is based in Lagos; Nigeria and her work revolves around gender and social inclusion. In March 2022, she received an Impact Award from the European Union in Nigeria, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to advancing rights and access to justice for women with disabilities, through inclusive journalism. She is one of the 2022 Solutions Journalism African Fellows of the Solutions Journalism Network where she reports initiatives that are addressing social issues.

Daniel Adaji

Daniel Adaji is a Journalist, a Researcher, and Data Analyst with The Insight. He holds a Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Agriculture Makurdi and has attended several pieces of training and workshops related to the new media. He is a member of several professional bodies including the Nigerian Factcheckers’ Coalition. As a journalist, he has done and published several human-angle stories cutting across health, gender, climate change, agriculture, and finance. Daniel has authored and contributed to research articles both in local and international academic journals.

Daniel works on the investigation and FactCheck desk of The Insight and he has brought several innovations that have helped move the News platform beyond traditional media.

Nkechi Macaulay

Nkechi Macaulay is a seasoned multimedia journalist with over 13 years of experience from the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, adolescent reproductive health rights advocate trained by Marie Stopes international with a particular focus on men’s and boys’ reproductive health rights.

She is also the founder of Boyslivesmatter Foundation, an organization designed to create awareness of the sexual abuse of Boychild and to educate boys on comprehensive sexuality education.

She is also a sexual harassment workplace trainer in the media and churches. She helps create sexual harassment policies, enabling a platform for staff to air their grievances, and offering access to seek counseling from a behavioral therapist.

Ugonna Agu

Ugonna Is a graduate of Mass Communication from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. She has been working with Radio Nigeria as a reporter for 10 years now and counting, reporting on the paramilitary, and has an interest in investigative journalism as it concerns Gender base.

She has undergone various pieces of training in both online and real-time with different media organizations including Reuters institute and the light center of journalism in America.

Patrick Obia

Patrick Obia is an investigative journalist, a photojournalist, a cinematographer, a video editor, and also an assistant editor with Cross River Watch. He has been a fellow with the Civil Media Lab, and a Bachelor’s degree holder in Mass Communication from the University of Cross River state.

NTIEDO EKOTT

Ntiedo holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Economics and a Bachelor of Science in Statistics from the University of Uyo and the University of Port Harcourt respectively.

He is a researcher with over five years of experience in data journalism, research, and project management, and a journalist at the Center for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), formerly Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism. He works at the Agricultural Development desk of the organization. He anchor’s CJID’s weekly newsletter titled “Agric Digits”, which provides a quick summary of important figures from the Nigerian agricultural sector.

Elijah Akoji

Elijah is a graduate of Mass Communication from Bayero University Kano, with over 4 years of experience in investigative reporting on open contract reporting (OCR) with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Climate reporting, and also the Grassroots News Project in the North West and some part of the North East.

Elijah has been a freelance investigative journalist for a couple of media houses in Nigeria and has a focus area on reporting on budget review, procurement fraud, issues of climate change, and helping create awareness in rural and grassroots orientation.