The awareness campaign for the screening of DevReporting’s investigative documentary, ‘LG Billions in the Dark’, has gained fresh support from corporate, professional and academic stakeholders, following a series of engagements by the media organisation ahead of the event.

Scheduled for Thursday, 29 October, at the Faculty of Arts Theatre, University of Lagos, the 3-in-1 event will feature the screening of the documentary, the unveiling of the organisation’s non-profit arm, Development Reporting Africa Foundation (DRAF), and a fundraiser to support its activities.

The project is being implemented in partnership with the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development CJID through its Local Media Sustainability Fund (LMSF), with support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy.

Earlier in September, the event’s awareness campaign was flagged off at UNILAG, where the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Folasade Ogunsola, a professor of medical microbiology, and other members of the university management expressed their willingness to host and attend the event.

Since then, the DevReporting team has continued to engage stakeholders across different sectors, briefing them on the planned screening and the organisation’s broader work in development and accountability journalism.

“We are screening a documentary titled ‘LG Billions in the Dark’. What led to that is that we realised that all eyes are on the federal and state government. Whereas, there is so much happening at the grassroots level,” DevReporting Team Lead, Mojeed Alabi, said.

He explained that the documentary examines the crisis surrounding local government autonomy in Osun State, South-west Nigeria, using the state as a lens to examine wider challenges affecting local governments across the country.

Fagbohun calls for personal accountability, collective responsibility

Last week, the awareness campaign moved to engagements with former Lagos State University (LASU) Vice Chancellor, Olanrewaju Fagbohun, a professor of environmental law, and human rights lawyer, Jiti Ogunye (SAN), among other stakeholders.

Mr Fagbohun expressed appreciation for the engagement and said he was honoured to be part of the project.

He spoke about the origins of his relationship with DevReporting’s Editor-in-Chief/Team Lead, which he traced to constructive reporting and balanced analysis. While Mr Fagbohun expressed pride in Mr Alabi’s work, he said he was proud to be associated with the organisation.

“Accountability starts from your room when nobody is looking at you,” he stated.

Speaking on local government accountability, he cited the example of a local government chairman in his estate in Kosofe Local Government Area who constructed and tarred roads, fulfilling what he considered the responsibilities of the local government, despite the neglect of the roads by a previous administration.

He emphasised the need for collective responsibility in national development, urging Nigerians to join hands in building the country rather than turning away from the challenges confronting it.

Ogunye urges sustained commitment to development

The awareness campaign subsequently moved to the office of human rights lawyer, Jiti Ogunye (SAN), who expressed appreciation to the team for considering him worthy of the invitation and for carrying him along in what he described as an important initiative.

He urged the team to sustain its commitment to social transformation, saying the pursuit of a better society requires perseverance and collective effort. “We must continue to ignite the flicker of hope until it becomes an inferno that can burn out all obstacles standing in the way of our development,” he said.

According to him, the struggle for liberation, liberty and ingenuity is a continuous process, with each generation responsible for passing the baton to the next.

He said if the present generation could sustain that responsibility, it would have fulfilled its destiny.

Mr Ogunye also spoke about his current engagement with a group examining issues of accountability, drawing attention to the relationship between democracy, development and service delivery.

“What is democracy without development and service delivery from the government that can enhance citizens’ lives and dignity?” he asked.

He described the work surrounding local government accountability as both challenging and crucial, stressing that it requires sustained effort and a commitment that extends beyond the present generation.

Mr Ogunye further contrasted infrastructure development under military and civilian administrations, citing the construction of bridges as an example. He argued that infrastructure development should be driven by necessity and its relevance to the needs of the people.

Emphasising the centrality of development to everyday life, he noted that how people eat, live and conduct their daily activities is shaped by social development. He pledged his full support and commitment to the initiative, expressing pride in being associated with the project.

Uphold journalism core purpose – Akosile urges journalists

The DevReporting team also engaged Gbenga Akosile, Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Government on Media, who expressed appreciation for the initiative and said he was proud to be associated with the project.

Mr Akosile commended the integrity of Mr Alabi, while reflecting on what he described as a growing challenge in journalism. “Journalists today want to be the news, rather than report the news,” he said.

According to him, the DevReporting project reflects the essence of journalism by tracing development issues to their roots and examining them within their proper context.

He commended the team for pursuing an initiative that, in his view, aligns with the fundamental purpose of journalism and pledged his support for the project.

NLC chair backs documentary, calls for stronger local government oversight

The awareness campaign also received support from organised labour, with the Chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Lagos State Council, Funmi Sessi, describing DevReporting’s documentary as timely and important to the country’s development.

Mrs Sessi welcomed the DevReporting team to the NLC Secretariat, where she was formally invited to the event. She commended the team lead, Mojeed Alabi for his commitment to quality reporting, particularly on education, as well as his ability to balance government demands with the concerns of citizens. She also praised his doggedness and resilience.

She highlighted the role of organised labour in advocating financial autonomy for local governments, stressing that local governments, as the tier of government closest to the people, should be prioritised to ensure citizens benefit from the dividends of democracy.

Mrs Sessi called for stronger oversight of local government activities, including a dedicated institution to monitor their operations. Referring to reports that the EFCC would begin scrutinising local government activities, she described the move as “long overdue” and also called for greater scrutiny of banks and accountability under the law.

According to her, the documentary could serve as a wake-up call for communities to demand accountability for allocations received by their local governments and assess the quality of governance and service delivery. She described the project as timely, necessary and appropriate, particularly given the country’s current circumstances, and pledged the NLC’s full support.

Mrs Sessi also linked effective local government administration to the challenge of urban congestion in Lagos, noting that many people relocate to the state in search of better services and opportunities. “If the local governments are in good shape, Lagos State will not be congested,” she said, stressing that effective service delivery across the country could reduce the pressure on Lagos.

Others who have also shown interest include Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of International Press Centre (IPC); Lekan Alabi, Partner, Lekan Alabi Chambers; and Idris Alabi, Partner, Adetoyese Alabi and Co.

Corporate leaders back accountability journalism

The campaign extended to the corporate sector, where the Head of Corporate Communications at Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, commended DevReporting’s approach to journalism and expressed his willingness to identify with the initiative.

Mr Chiejina said the media landscape provided opportunities to address several issues and praised young journalists who were willing to move beyond conventional approaches to reporting.

“With this environment, there are so many things you can address. I like when young men go beyond the normal thing they do. So, we will identify with you,” he said, assuring the team of his attendance at the event.

Similarly, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Integrated Indigo Limited, Bolaji Abimbola, commended DevReporting for beaming its searchlight on local governments.

Mr Abimbola described local government as a critical tier of government that must be held accountable because of its closeness to the grassroots.

According to him, the performance of local governments has direct implications for the country’s development. “If they don’t perform, the country will be in trouble,” he said.

He urged local governments to compete and play to their strengths, while also exploring ways to generate revenue beyond federal allocations.

Academics emphasise role of accountability journalism

The campaign also received support from academics, with Ismail Ibraheem, Chairman of UNILAG Consult and board member of the African Engineering and Technology Network (AFRETEC), stressing the need to equip citizens, particularly students, with the knowledge and skills to hold the government accountable.

Mr Ibraheem, a professor of journalism and communication studies, commended DevReporting for what he described as an effort to reawaken the spirit of accountability. “I am looking forward to what this can turn out to be in the next couple of years,” he said.

Lukumon Adeoti, a professor of applied geoscience at the University of Lagos, also commended the DevReporting team for its work and pledged to attend and support the initiative.