WikkiTimes launches Prof. Pate’s platform to train young graduates on accountability journalism
Mohammed Kaka, Bauchi
In its determination to breed journalists that can hold powers to account, WikkiTimes online Newspaper has hinted its readiness to unveil a platform known as Umaru Pate Accountability Reporting Fellowship.
This was contained in a press release signed and made available to newsmen by the Publisher of the online Newspaper, Haruna Mohammed Salisu yesterday.
“WikkiTimes, an investigative and data journalism outlet founded in 2018 will launch Umaru Pate Accountability Reporting Fellowship”, he said.
According to the publisher, the platform which named after Professor Umaru Pate, the current Vice Chancellor, Federal University Kashere, is aimed at offering six months paid-internship to young graduates in investigative, data and fact-checking journalism.
“In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of Journalism, the fellowship will be launched on 4th January 2023 to mark the professor’s 59th birthdate”, Haruna noted.
Describing Professor Pate as a well-credentialled scholar and academic of international repute, the Publisher added that Pate is the pioneer Dean, of the Faculty of Communication, at Bayero University Kano.
He said, as a Professor of Media and Society and an advocate of investigative journalism, Pate has won several international grants for the Faculty of Communications at BUK.
The Publisher further pointed out that Pate’s contribution includes the modification of the Nigerian Journalism curriculum to address emerging trends in the industry.
The WikkiTimes publisher said “Umaru Pate is one of Nigeria’s finest media scholars who has mentored and selflessly supported hundreds of journalists in Nigeria and beyond”.
According to Haruna, Professor Fate has tutored media scholars and has been at the forefront in advancing the frontiers of media scholarship.
“Inspired by his continuous service to humanity, we are kickstarting a graduate fellowship program where we intend to train graduates who have a demonstrable interest in accountability journalism”, he announced.
“For us at WikkiTimes, there is no better way to celebrate Professor Pate than to launch this kind of program; because we believe that doing so will advance the very principles and values Professor Pate stood for years,” Haruna said.
The publisher added that in the first year of the fellowship, WikkiTimes will recruit six graduates in total, who have completed the compulsory one-year national service and will be mentored by experienced data journalists and fact-checkers for six months.
Haruna explained that the idea of the initiative is to help the fellows access the best mentoring opportunities to enable them to hold power to account in line with the creeds for which Professor Pate stands throughout his career.