Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism

Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism
Name	Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism
Formation	2005
Founder	Wole Soyinka
Type	Non-profit
Headquarters	Lagos, Nigeria
Region served	Nigeria, West Africa
Language	English

Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism

The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism is a Lagos-based non-profit organization focused on investigative reporting, public accountability, and press freedom. Founded in 2005 with the involvement of Wole Soyinka, the centre operates within the Nigerian media landscape alongside institutions such as the Daily Trust, The Guardian (Nigeria), ThisDay and international actors like Reuters, BBC News, and The New York Times. It engages with regional bodies including the Economic Community of West African States and interacts with global networks such as the Investigative Reporters and Editors and the Committee to Protect Journalists.

History

The centre was established in 2005 amid a period of heightened attention to press freedom following events involving figures like Olusegun Obasanjo and responses from organizations such as Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch. Early collaborations included workshops with the Nigerian Union of Journalists and training supported by media outlets such as Channels Television and Arise News. Over time it became part of a broader ecosystem with links to universities including the University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, and international partners like Columbia University, London School of Economics, and the University of California, Berkeley.

Mission and Objectives

The centre’s stated mission emphasizes investigative journalism, human rights, and anti-corruption reporting, aligning it with anti-corruption institutions such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and advocacy groups like Transparency International. Objectives include building capacity for reporters from outlets like Punch (Nigeria), Vanguard (Nigeria), Premium Times, and Sahara Reporters; promoting legal literacy referencing laws like the Freedom of Information Act (Nigeria); and defending press freedom in contexts involving actors such as Muhammadu Buhari and judicial bodies like the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Programs and Training

Programmatically, the centre runs fellowships, investigative bootcamps, and legal-defense clinics that draw participants from media organizations such as TheCable, Daily Post (Nigeria), Independent (Nigeria), and student media at institutions including University of Ibadan and Ahmadu Bello University. Training modules have included data journalism partnerships with groups like Data Journalism UK, collaborations with International Center for Journalists and capacity-building with regional outlets such as The Namibian and Daily Nation. Specialized programs addressed beats involving oil and gas reporting referencing Shell (corporation), Chevron Corporation, and the Niger Delta, as well as financial investigations touching on banks such as Zenith Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, and regulatory entities like the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Investigations and Impact

Investigations supported or published by the centre have examined public procurement, extractive industries, and human-rights abuses, intersecting with reportage by Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism, Sahara Reporters, and international media like Al Jazeera and The Washington Post. Findings have informed advocacy by bodies such as Transparency International, prompted responses from agencies including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and sparked debates in forums like the National Assembly (Nigeria). Coverage topics have intersected with notable events and personalities including Boko Haram, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, and policy discussions during administrations such as Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari.

Partnerships and Funding

The centre’s partners have included international foundations and institutions like the Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations, MacArthur Foundation, and the European Union. Media partnerships extend to BBC Media Action, DW Akademie, and investigative networks such as the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and African Investigative Journalism Conference. Funding relationships have at times aligned the centre with development agencies such as United Nations Development Programme and bilateral donors like the United States Agency for International Development, while engaging auditors and legal advisers from firms akin to the International Bar Association.

Governance and Leadership

Governance has featured a board and executive team drawing on figures from journalism, academia, and civil society, interacting with institutions like Nigerian Bar Association, Institute for Journalism in Nigeria, and universities such as University of Lagos. Leadership has coordinated with media organizations including Arise TV, Channels Television, and online platforms like TheCable to recruit fellows and trainers. Advisory links have brought in expertise associated with international bodies such as Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Criticism and Controversies

Critiques have focused on funding transparency, editorial independence, and political alignment, echoing debates involving outlets like Premium Times, Sahara Reporters, and regulatory scrutiny comparable to controversies around Nigerian Communications Commission decisions. Some controversies paralleled tensions in Nigerian media involving personalities such as Nnamdi Kanu and responses from security agencies, with critics questioning relationships to donors including Open Society Foundations and implications for perceived neutrality. Legal challenges and public controversies reflected wider disputes in the Nigerian public sphere involving the National Assembly (Nigeria), State Security Service (Nigeria), and civil-society coalitions.

Category:Organizations based in Lagos Category:Investigative journalism organizations