Nigerian Lecturers Spearhead Solutions Journalism Initiatives to Drive Positive Storytelling
The initiatives will kick off with the establishment of the Solutions Journalism Educators Network (SJEN) on Saturday, March 23, 2024.The SJEN is comprised of media, communication, and journalism educators dedicated to advocating for solutions-focused storytelling in West Africa.
AKACHI NOEL 
A group of Nigerian lecturers has announced plans to launch a series of initiatives aimed at promoting solutions journalism and positive storytelling approaches in Africa.
The initiatives will kick off with the establishment of the Solutions Journalism Educators Network (SJEN) on Saturday, March 23, 2024.The SJEN is comprised of media, communication, and journalism educators dedicated to advocating for solutions-focused storytelling in West Africa.
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According to Rasheed Adebiyi, a lecturer at Fountain University's Mass Communication department, Professor Dele Odunlami, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, will deliver the keynote address. Professor Odunlami, a former broadcast journalist turned academic, will address the theme "Advancing Roadmap to Sustainable Intake of Solutions Journalism (SoJo) in the Nigerian Higher Education Ecosystem."
Distinguished guests at the launch include Francine Huff, Director of Journalism Schools Partnership at the Solutions Journalism Network in New York, and Dr. Tunde Akanni, Associate Professor and Director of the Digital Media Research Centre at Lagos State University, Ojo, who will chair the panel session.
The panel will discuss the importance of integrating solutions journalism into journalism education, strategies for implementation, and the role of academic institutions in fostering sustainable solutions journalism practices.
Rasheed Adebiyi and Jamiu Folarin, Co-Conveners of the Network, expressed their excitement about introducing SJEN, aiming to equip media educators with the necessary tools to nurture a new generation of journalists committed to impactful storytelling and societal change.
The network plans to organize Solutions Journalism Educators Meetups, academic conferences, and engage in collaborative efforts with industry leaders to further promote solutions journalism in academic discourses and practice.
