Lagos Voice Editor, David Olatunji, selected for DevReporting Education project

By Matthew Ogunwale

David Olatunji, the Editor of Lagos Voice, has been selected as one of 14 journalists to participate in an investigative storytelling project focused on the education sector in Oyo State, organised by DevReporting.

This initiative, supported by the Malala Fund and implemented in partnership with Education As a Vaccine (EVA), aims to enhance public understanding of transparency, accountability, and gender inclusivity in education planning and financing throughout the state.

Samson Ademola, Programme Manager at DevReporting, noted that the journalists were chosen from a pool of approximately 40 applicants who submitted story pitches on education-related topics.

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“This project seeks to investigate how funding, citizen participation, and gender policies impact learning outcomes and access to quality education, particularly for girls,” Ademola stated.

The selected participants include Bilkis Abdulraheem (Radio Nigeria), Quadri Adejumo (Techparley Africa), Oluwakemi Adelagun (Premium Times), Christiana Alabi-Akande (DevReporting), Juliet Buna (Crest TV), Nchetachi Chukwuajah (The Radar), Fatimah Hamid (Ripples Nigeria), Sodiq Mojibola (DevReporting), Funmi Ogundare (ThisDay), Oluseye Ojo (The Sun), Yomi Okanlawon (Business Metrics), David Olatunji (Lagos Voice), Gbenga Oyetola (Oyomind), and Adedokun Theophilus (African Angle).

Mr Ademola praised the quality of the submissions, highlighting that the successful applicants represent a diverse mix of experienced and emerging journalists who are passionate about education and development reporting.

To launch the project, a virtual briefing session is scheduled for Friday, November 7, where participants will be introduced to the project’s objectives, editorial guidelines, and the support available for field reporting.

Over the three-week duration of the project, the journalists will produce in-depth, evidence-based stories that illuminate issues affecting the quality of education, with a particular focus on the barriers girls face in accessing and completing secondary education.

DevReporting and EVA will provide mentorship and editorial support throughout the process to ensure impactful storytelling that fosters dialogue among policymakers, education stakeholders, the broader public and citizens.

“At DevReporting, we believe journalism should be a bridge between evidence and action. The stories from this project will spark essential conversations on making education financing and planning more inclusive and accountable,” Ademola added.

DevReporting specialised media and cinematic platform dedicated to development reporting, while Education As a Vaccine (EVA) is a non-profit organisation that promotes access to quality education and gender equality. The Malala Fund supports this initiative as part of its mission to ensure that every girl has access to 12 years of free, safe, and quality education.