MIIA Wraps Up Maiden Training Series with High Praise and Strong Impact

<em> Amos Mcroy Osifo </em>

The Media Integrity Initiative Africa (MIIA) has successfully concluded its April 2025 Training Series, the first in its quarterly capacity-building calendar for the year.

With over 190 initial registrations and 150 participants admitted into the official MIIA 2025 WhatsApp group, the training lived up to its billing as a transformative learning experience for emerging and practising media professionals.

Held virtually over two Saturdays – 12th and 19th April 2025 – the sessions covered essential themes for 21st-century media workers, led by highly respected industry veterans.

Day 1 (Saturday, 12 April 2025):

Writing for Digital Media – Dr. Tony Onyima, FNGE

Crisis Communication and Management – Alex Ogundadegbe

Day 2 (Saturday, 19 April 2025):

The Art of Effective Presentation – Tokunbo Ojekunle

Photography: The Critical Minimum – Dr. Adeboye Ola

The sessions were described by participants as “insightful,” “engaging,” “game-changing,” and “wholesome.”

Attendees expressed gratitude for the depth of knowledge shared and the calibre of facilitators. Below are some reflections from participants:

“MIIA April 2025 Cohorts exceeded expectations. Toks Ojekunle’s Effective Communications session was game-changing for me. Highly recommended,” Jolly Egbodo said.

“I especially enjoyed the Crisis Communication and Management session because as a student journalist looking to transition into PR, it was wholesome. I look forward to more cohorts,” said Divinegrace Ogbodo.

“Dr. Adeboye Ola brought the essence of photography to life. His session was very relatable. Truly, pictures speak!” said Tope Orororo.

“The inaugural training programme has been very beneficial and impactful. Kudos to the MIIA team for a job well done,” Afolabi Faramade said.

“Thanks so much for the opportunity afforded us to hone our academic and professional competences. The training was very expertise driven and insightful,” said Olalekan Olagunju from Crawford University.

“The MIIA Cohorts is now a class of shared ideals. What we learnt – you cannot get at Harvard or Stanford. My eternal gratitude for this great opportunity,” said Adamu Ayuba from Bauchi, Nigeria.

“Receiving the Certificate of Participation is more than just a recognition – it’s a reminder of the importance of continuous learning and the role we each have to play in strengthening media integrity across Africa,” Johnmac Chidiebere Clement said.

“I must confess the training was informative and educative. I learnt a lot and I am truly grateful for this wonderful opportunity,” Amos McRoy stated.

Participants from across the country have called for more engagement, with some recommending advanced modules, hands-on sessions, and even tokenised participation fees to support future trainings.

The initiative’s commitment to freely accessible, world-class training remains firm.

As shared by Femi Akintunde-Johnson, MIIA Coordinator: “We are deeply inspired by the overwhelming response to the inaugural training. MIIA is not just a project – it’s a movement towards media excellence, accountability, and transformation across Africa.”

The next training series is tentatively scheduled for July 2025, with registration opening in June.

MIIA encourages interested media workers, students, and communication professionals to stay connected via the official channels.