By Emmanuel Oluwadola
Nigerian journalists and storytellers have been urged to uphold reportorial rigour, storytelling and evidence to bridge the gap between routine reporting and high-impact journalism.
This charge was the focal point of the January 31, 2026 edition of the Centre for Storytelling and Development Initiative (CSDI) monthly webinar, where investigative experts deciphered the intersection of ethics, depth, and accountability in modern-day journalism.
Speaking at the session, an investigative journalist with Premium Times, Folashade Ogunride, highlighted problem identification, story significance, ethical compliance, accountability, evidence and storytelling as major elements of award-winning reports.
Ogunride emphasised that reports aspiring for excellence should stand on three pillars: reportorial rigour, evidence and compelling storytelling.
She noted that impactful and award-winning reports do not merely describe issues but identify the problem, spotlight the victims, and hold to account those responsible.
“Evidence is what separates journalism from mere opinion,” Ogunride stated. She challenged participants to dig beyond the surface and cross-verify facts with multiple sources to uncover hidden truths.
Highlighting the criteria for excellence, she added that award judges further look for story quality and depth, structural clarity, and ethical compliance.
“Don’t approach a story simply because you want to win an award, but be a rigorous reporter first. A good report will naturally find its way to the podium,” she advised.
In his contribution, Theophilus Adedokun, the East/West African Chief Correspondent of African Angle, emphasised that the journey to an award-winning story begins with a single and well-exhausted idea.
Adedokun warned journalists against the distraction of multiple ideas, urging them to focus on one subject until the truth is fully exposed.
He maintained that while not every impactful story wins an award, every award-winning story must have a measurable impact.
“Impact can be slow or groundbreaking, but it must be the motivation. You must present the truth backed by undeniable evidence,” he said.
He further cautioned against professional misconduct, specifically plagiarism, urging reporters to study existing gaps in previous reports and fill them with fresh, cited evidence.
The experts concluded with a call that journalists should remain persistent in their pursuit of accountability, stressing that the quality of work remains the ultimate reward for excellent practices.
