Eight staff members of Neptune Prime Network have successfully completed a three-month certificate course in advanced, effective media writing and reporting at the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ), Abuja. The staff members – Aisha Musa Auyo, Maryam Suleiman Abubakar, Cara Gift Luckson, Fa’izatu Aliyu Doma, were sponsored by the management of Neptune Prime, in collaboration with the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) and the MacArthur Foundation, to enhance their skills as media practitioners, being the public watchdog. Others are Sakinat Musa Abubakar, Suleiman Bomai, Abubakar Kado and Hafsat Aliyu Muye.
The training educated the participants, building them to effectively harness the advantages embedded in the journalism profession and positively impact the nation.
This achievement marks a pivotal moment for both the participants and Neptune Prime, further reinforcing its commitment to upholding high standards of journalism. The graduation ceremony, held at IIJ’s headquarters in Jahi, has the Neptune Prime cohort, who excelled in the comprehensive programme that covered advanced journalism practices, media ethics, and the evolving dynamics of modern-day reporting.
She said, “This IIJ training is essential for every practicing and aspiring journalist. It not only provides guidance on the forms of writing but also offers coaching and motivation to help writers refine their skills. “The coaches, course content and delivery method are all exceptional, educative, and practical.” Hajiya Auyo lauded WSCIJ, Dr Hassan Gimba, CEO of Neptune Prime, for the sponsorship and IIJ for the knowledge that will sharpen the skills of the participants in the discharge of their duties. Another staff member, Maryam Suleiman Abubakar, said; “I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to our CEO Dr. Hassan Gimba for providing us with the opportunity to attend this training. “This knowledge is valuable, and I’ve gained all the required skills and expertise that will greatly enhance my performance as a journalist who is accountable to the people. “Thank you for investing in our growth and development. Your support and trust mean a lot, and I’m committed to applying these new skills to deliver exceptional results,” she said.
The newly certified Neptune Prime journalists are expected to leverage their enhanced expertise to further elevate the media outlet’s content, ensuring high-quality reporting that resonates with its growing audience. In an interview, two of the staff, who expressed their feelings about the training, described it as an eye opener, which has sharpened their knowledge about proper journalism practices. Aisha Musa Auyo, the Content Director of Neptune Prime, said the importance of such training can not be overemphasised in the career of both practising and aspiring journalists.
Advising the graduating students, one of the resource persons, Dr Uche Akunebu, encouraged the students to read more and uphold the ethics of the journalism profession. Dr Akunebu assured that he will now read more of Neptune Prime’s reports to see the reflection of the knowledge instilled in the trainees during the 3-month course. He applauded the CEO of Neptune Prime and other sponsors for giving their staff the opportunity to advance their writing and reporting skills by enrolling them in IIJ. He said, “Dr Gimba deserves a standing ovation. He is an upfront leader who prioritise the development of his employees and the advancement of journalism and transparent reporting in Nigeria.” The training taught the journalists professional methods to source for news worthy reports, extract critical information for quality reportage, proper headline casting, editorial and feature writing and application of journalistic tools to produce good stories, among many others.
