Martha is our Featured Journalist for the Month of September

Martha Asumata Agas is from Sanga local government area of Kaduna state, she has a Bachelor of Science Degree Mass communication, from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, a Post Graduate Diploma in Information Management, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna, a Master’s of Science in Mass Communication, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna, an Intensive Production Certificate, Television College, Jos. Plateau State,

Asumata has been on the job for over ten years and has covered beats ranging from Education, Women and Children, Science and Technology, Industrial Training Fund(ITF), Environment, Health and Government  House among others.

On what inspired her into journalism Martha said “I bumped into journalism and fell in love with it. I wanted to be so many things, an architect, engineer, accountant, lawyer etc but I applied for law in ABU Zaria but at last got Mass communication, so I decided that `what my hand finds, I would do it with all my heart`. I believe that journalism is all about affecting humanity positively through setting agenda to garner appropriate action from stakeholders and it was fulfilling for me to know that my work gives me the platform to champion positive change and propel development. I pride myself as a development journalist.

Her experiences in Journalism she said ‘is beyond writing about personalities but bringing attention to areas that needs utmost attention to be addressed, such as attention to sexual assault on minors, vulnerability of women and children during conflicts, environmental and personal hygiene to prevent diseases and canvassing for good  government policies for the well-being of Nigerians among others. Such reports that generates action on issues, gives me a sense of fulfillment’

Martha said she has had challenges and still have. Sometimes, this challenges include access to information and data, especially from government agencies and officials, house policies, inadequate resources for special reports or follow up on issues and security threats of reporting sensitive issues, but it has made me more determined to perform my obligations and impact lives

The fulfillment of action been taken because of my reports gives me joy and encourages me to do more and this keeps me going and I have no regrets whatsoever.

She attended the following courses

Courses attended

  1. Writing workshop on Communicating Kaduna State Reforms effectively, organized by DFID-SPARC, March 2014.
  2. Workshop on Armed Conflict and International Humanitarian Law for Journalist, organized by International Committee of the Red Cross(ICRC) November, 2014.
  3. Capacity Building workshop, on Gender Sensitive Reporting for Female Journalist in Northern Nigeria, organized by UN Women and UNICEF Nov, 2016
  4. Media Workshop to sensitize Journalist and Develop a Gender-based Violence Reporting Protocol, to Engender Zero Tolerance on Violence Against Women, organized by Women’s Right Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) November, 2016.
  5. Workshop on Gender Equity and Safety/Gender Sensitive Reporting for Women Journalists, organised by Nigeria Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ) in Collaboration with Norwegian Union of Journalist February, 2018.
  6. Africa Check Fact Checking Training, for the 2019 General Elections in Jos, organized by Africa Check in Collaboration with Media Trust limited . Nov, 2018.
  7. Workshop on Common Ground Journalism for Elections, organized by Search for Common Ground on February, 2019.
  8. Africa Conference on Development Journalism Kaduna, organized by the Africa Media Development Foundation(AMDF),November 2019.
  9. Be passionate in your job and do not focus on financial gratifications else you would compromise and always update your skills and add knowledge, sef development is critical to remain relevant in the profession..

Below are links to her stories

  1. https://nnn.com.ng/world-cancer-day-plateau-nma-wants-cancer-centres-established-in-states/
  2. https://nnn.com.ng/plateau-born-innovator-desirous-to-be-thomas-edison-of-our-time/

III.           https://www.africaprimenews.com/2019/09/13/feature/nigeria-plateau-born-innovator-desirous-to-be-thomas-edison-of-our-time-nan-feature/

  1. https://nnn.com.ng/features-checking-high-incidence-of-rape-via-stringent-legislation/
  2. https://www.independent.ng/social-media-fake-news-a-threat-to-journalism-stakeholders/
  3. https://nnn.com.ng/world-environment-day-plateau-commissioner-decries-indiscriminate-dumping-of-waste/

VII.         https://www.premiumtimesng.com/coronavirus/391840-covid-19-plateau-discharges-index-case.html

VIII.        https://portal.nannews.ng/1714188/covid-19-nma-calls-for-stringent-border-control-in-plateau-following-confirmation-of-index-case/

  1. https://nnn.com.ng/democracy-day-jos-residents-want-establishment-of-waste-plants/
  2. https://nnn.com.ng/deforestation-plateau-govt-to-reintroduce-annual-tree-planting/

Author: hannatu mato

The Courage in Journalism is sticking up for the unpopular not the popular

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