By: Habeeb Adisa
In its quest to fight misinformation and ensure digital rights FactCheckAfrica an initiative of the Brain Builders Youths Development Initiatives, BBYDI hosted a one-day Fact-Checking Training & Digital Rights Conference on 24th July 2024 at the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti.
The event supported by FactChecknet and Poynter, saw media and technology experts, academics, civic leaders, and over 1000 students gather at the venue.
The conference started with opening remarks by the Rector of the institution, Engr. Dr. John Temitope Alake, represented by the Deputy Rector, of Administration, Dr. Michael Olabowale Akinola, urged the students to pay rapt attention to the lessons from the event, he also extended his commendations to the organisers, BBYDI’s FactCheckAfrica and the Department of Mass Communication on equipping young minds with knowledge and tools in driving AI-mediated media practice, at the particular time.
The key speakers at the event include the Dean of the Business Studies, the Head of the Department of Mass Communication, Dr. Adebayo Oguntuase, and Hon. Adesoji Gabriel, SSA New Media to the Ekiti State Governor.
Speakers at the conference reiterated the need to create an avenue for deepening knowledge of fact-checking and digital rights in an age plagued by misinformation.
Olasupo Abideen, Global Director of BBYDI and Convener of FactCheckAfrica pledged the group’s resolve towards taking the fight against misinformation to all youths in Nigeria and equipping them with the core skills of fact-checking.
Dr Adebola Adeniyi-Agbaje, General Manager of ProgressFM, in her keynote address, stated that the world is experiencing increased cases of fake news, which requires more infrastructures like #MyAiFactChecker to ensure standard and verified information.
She explained the news coverage across Nigeria with the acronym NEWS: North, East, West, and South.
Also at the event, the panel session x-rayed, in a critical but strategic approach, how inclusive media leadership could help to effectively fight back against gendered disinformation.
The panellists also called for the “fact-checking” component to be added to the Mass Communication curriculum for more equipped students.
The move is part of FactCheckAfrica’s continuous efforts geared toward equipping young Nigerians with very paramount skills on how to become ethical media practitioners in the shaping of an African truthful reporting future.
FactcheckAfrica also took the students through different sessions on Introduction to Digital Literacy Basic Fact-Checking Skills, by Mr Muhameed Ibraheem Mustapha and Distinguishing Misinformation Typologies by Mr. Mustapha Lawal.
These sessions provided participants with insights into the fundamentals of fact-checking and strategies for verifying information from all sources.
