City Crime
NAWOJ Deputy Harps On Investigative Journalism
The Deputy National President of Nigeria Women Association of Journalists (NAWOJ), Mrs Lilian Okonkwo-Ogagbu, has called on women journalists to pay more attention to investigative journalism in order to reduce the build up in women trafficking, rape and other forms of abuses against women.
Okonkwo-Ogagbu said this shortly after the swearing- in cum presentation of certificates to the new Rivers State chapter of NAWOJ executive last week in Port Harcourt.
She said NAWOJIANS must not toy with the group’s core mandate of reporting issues that have direct bearing with women, the girl child and children.
The NAWOJ National Deputy leader enjoined her colleagues not to allow themselves to be distracted by other side attractions, but should concentrate on its core assignment.
“Don’t be carried away by other activities. Be the voice for the women, the girl child and the children. This is what NAWOJ is all about and we must pursue the goals to later,” she said.
This she said, could only be achieved through the tools of investigative journalism, thus the need to pay more attention to the practice.
She narrated how she was able to rescue a young girl from Akwa Ibom State who was kept in a secluded place somewhere in Port Harcourt by her abductors who used her for commercial sex venture.
According to her, without the skills of investigative journalism, such feat would have been difficult to achieve due to the circumstances surrounding it.
The woman pen pusher, maintained that the practice would aid in no little means to unravel all negative challenges against the entire female folk and children ranging from prostitution, rape, trafficking among others.
She expressed regrets that some people could still view the females as object of sex and of sorts of inhumane treatment in this jet and computer era.
The Rivers/Delta State combined pen fighter, also called for unity among female journalists, and pointed out that no house divided within itself could stand.
Earlier she had lauded women journalists in the state over what she described as display of maturity during the election as no form of sharp disagreement erupted at any quarter irrespective of their different school of thoughts.
By: King Onunwor