… of Equipping Journalists for a Free Press
By Eunice Nnachi
For some journalists, the newsroom is simply a place where stories are written, edited and published. For Comrade Lanre Arogundade, it has become something much bigger — a platform for defending the people behind the stories and strengthening the institutions that make journalism possible.
His recent election as Deputy Convenor of the 13-member Council of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) is therefore more than a new title. It is another chapter in a journey that has taken him from journalism and media development in Nigeria to the centre of global conversations on press freedom, freedom of expression and access to information.
On August 5, 2026, members of the newly constituted 2026–2029 IFEX Council unanimously approved Arogundade as Deputy Convenor. He was also appointed to the organisation’s Governance Committee.
For someone who has spent years working to strengthen journalists and media institutions, the appointment comes at a time when the profession is facing difficult questions: How can journalists remain independent in an environment of political pressure? How can reporters cover sensitive issues safely? How can the media hold power accountable while maintaining professional standards? And, perhaps most importantly, how can journalists remain relevant in an increasingly digital and hostile information environment?
Arogundade’s journey offers part of the answer.
Building journalists, not just stories
As Executive Director of the International Press Centre (IPC), Arogundade has been involved in programmes designed not merely to tell journalists what to report, but to equip them with the knowledge, skills and tools required to report responsibly and effectively.
Through the IPC, journalists have been exposed to training in areas including investigative journalism, conflict-sensitive reporting, elections reporting, digital journalism, fact-checking, media ethics and accountability.
The philosophy behind such interventions is simple but powerful: a strong democracy requires a strong and professional media.
A journalist who understands the law can better recognise when press freedom is being threatened.
A reporter trained in investigative techniques can go beyond official statements and ask questions that matter to citizens.
A journalist equipped with digital tools can navigate the changing media environment while remaining conscious of misinformation, disinformation and verification.
And a reporter who understands conflict-sensitive journalism can tell difficult stories without unnecessarily inflaming tensions.
This is the space where Arogundade’s work has increasingly found meaning.
His leadership at the IPC has placed him at the intersection of journalism, democracy and civic participation — areas that are closely connected. When journalists lack the capacity to investigate, citizens lose access to information. When the media is intimidated, accountability suffers. And when citizens cannot access credible information, democratic participation becomes weaker.
A journey that keeps expanding
Arogundade’s current position did not happen overnight.
His journey through journalism and media development has been built over years of engagement with the Nigerian media landscape and international press freedom networks.
The International Press Centre has become an important vehicle through which he has worked with journalists and media organisations, particularly around strengthening professional journalism and promoting media freedom.
IPC’s work has also extended beyond conventional newsroom training. The organisation has supported journalists to understand the broader responsibilities of the media in a democratic society.
This is particularly important in Nigeria, where journalists routinely operate in complex environments.
Election periods, for instance, can place enormous pressure on reporters. Political actors compete for influence, misinformation spreads rapidly online and journalists may face intimidation or restrictions while trying to cover events.
In such an environment, training becomes more than professional development. It becomes part of the infrastructure of democracy.
A trained journalist is better positioned to verify claims before publication.
A journalist who understands election laws can identify violations.
A reporter who knows how to protect sources can safeguard sensitive information.
And a journalist familiar with ethical standards is better equipped to resist the temptation to publish unverified information simply because it is trending.
These are the kinds of capacities that Arogundade and the IPC have continued to promote.
Preparing journalists for a changing world
The media landscape that Arogundade has worked in has changed dramatically.
The journalist is no longer competing only with another newspaper or television station. News now moves through Facebook, X, TikTok, WhatsApp, YouTube and other digital platforms, often reaching millions of people before traditional media organisations have finished verifying the information.
Artificial intelligence has added another layer to the challenge.
For journalists, the new environment requires more than the traditional ability to write a good story. They must understand verification, digital security, data, multimedia storytelling and the rapidly changing relationship between technology and journalism.
This has made media training increasingly important.
Arogundade’s work has consequently been about preparing journalists not just for the newsroom of today, but for the newsroom that is emerging.
The goal is not to make journalists perfect. It is to make them better equipped to ask questions, investigate claims, recognise manipulation and tell stories that serve the public interest.
From Nigeria to the global table
His election to the IFEX Council in July and subsequent elevation to Deputy Convenor in August takes that work to another level.
IFEX is a global network of more than 100 independent civil society organisations working to defend freedom of expression and journalists’ rights.
The network’s work includes advocacy, research, policy engagement, emergency assistance and international solidarity.
For Arogundade, therefore, the new role provides an opportunity to take lessons from Nigeria into a global conversation — while also bringing international experiences back into the Nigerian media space.
It is a two-way responsibility.
Nigeria’s media freedom challenges are not isolated from what is happening elsewhere. Around the world, journalists face threats, censorship, online harassment, legal restrictions and attempts to undermine independent journalism.
That makes collaboration increasingly important.
Speaking about his appointment, Arogundade described the roles as more than leadership positions.
He said they represented “more responsibility” to help shape the strategic direction of a network whose collective voice has become increasingly important.
That statement perhaps captures the trajectory of his career.
The journey has not been simply about occupying offices. It has been about building capacity and creating structures through which journalists can do their jobs better.
Why the appointment matters
The significance of Arogundade’s new responsibility extends beyond his personal career.
For Nigerian journalists, it places an experienced media advocate from the country in a position where global conversations on press freedom are shaped.
For younger journalists, it demonstrates how professional journalism can evolve into broader work around media development, advocacy and institutional leadership.
For media organisations, it reinforces the importance of investing in people — not only technology and infrastructure.
And for citizens, the work matters because journalism ultimately exists for the public.
Every time a journalist uncovers a hidden fact, challenges an official narrative, verifies a viral claim or gives a voice to someone who might otherwise remain unheard, the public benefits.
That is why training journalists matters.
It is not simply about teaching someone how to write a headline.
It is about strengthening the chain between information, accountability and democracy.
The road ahead
Arogundade now enters his IFEX leadership tenure at a challenging moment for journalism worldwide.
The threats are changing, but the fundamental question remains the same: who will defend the right of journalists to report and citizens to know?
His answer appears to lie in collective action.
He has pledged to work with the IFEX Convenor, fellow Council members and the wider membership to strengthen the network’s impact and respond to threats against free speech, independent journalism and access to information.
His appointment to the Governance Committee adds another layer to that responsibility, giving him a role in strengthening the network’s institutional effectiveness and strategic oversight.
From training journalists in Nigeria to helping shape the direction of a global freedom-of-expression network, Arogundade’s journey reflects how local journalism advocacy can grow into international leadership.
But perhaps the most important part of the story is not the title he now carries.
It is the people he has helped prepare for the difficult work of journalism.
The reporters who learned to investigate instead of merely reproduce statements.
The journalists who discovered new ways to verify information.
The young reporters who gained confidence to ask difficult questions.
The media practitioners who learned that journalism is not simply about being first, but about being right, fair and accountable.
That may ultimately be the lasting measure of his journey.
Because when the training ends and the workshop room empties, what remains is the journalist — walking back into the newsroom with new knowledge, new tools and, hopefully, a stronger determination to serve the public.
And now, from a larger global platform, Lanre Arogundade is set to continue that work.
