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Mayowa Tijani
Born
Oluwamayowa Tijani

October 31
Oyo, Oyo State, Nigeria
CitizenshipNigeria
EducationUniversity of Ibadan (B.Tech) Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos; University of Sussex, Brighton, UK.
OccupationJournalist
Years active2012–Present
OrganizationTheCable
Known forReporting
WebsiteThe Mayowa Tijani on Twitter

Oluwamayowa Tijani is a Nigerian journalist, public speaker, fact-checker and the editor-at-large of TheCable.[1] In 2023, he led the development of Nigeria's first disability and inclusion news app, TheCable DINA.[2] He's a graduate of the University of Ibadan, Ibadan; the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos; and holds a master's degree in media Practice for Development and Social Change from the University of Sussex[3]—via the UK government Chevening scholarship.

Early life and education

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Tijani was born in Oyo Town, Oyo State, but started his education at Makurdi International School in the Benue State Capital. Most of his primary education was at Air Force Primary Schools in Ilorin, Kwara State and Ibadan, Oyo State. He had his secondary education at the Air Force Comprehensive School, Ibadan, from 2001 to 2007. He attended Nigeria's Premier University, the University of Ibadan, graduating with a degree in Food Technology in 2014. By 2015, he enrolled at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) for a post-graduate diploma in Print Journalism. In 2017, he was awarded a British Government Chevening Scholarship to study for a master's degree in media Practice for Development and Social Change at the University of Sussex in Brighton UK, where he graduated in 2018.[4] Along with regular education, he also studied Financial Journalism through the Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa (BMIA), taught by the University of Lagos, Gordon Institute of Business Science, University of Pretoria, and the Lagos Business School.[5]

Career

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His journey into mainstream journalism in Nigeria started when he joined TheCable newspaper in August 2014 as a graduate intern, rising through the ranks to become the newspaper's first business and development editor as of October 2018.[6] In 2015, Tijani was selected as one of the few journalists from Africa to be trained by the United Nations Millennium Campaign as a media ambassador for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By 2016, he won the best team award at the Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa (BMIA).[6] His work in journalism and advocacy led him to become a finalist for The Future Awards Africa Prize for excellence in journalism and the Thomson Foundation Young Journalist of the Year in 2017.[7]

Tijani has attended and reported on numerous international development events, including the World Bank/IMF meetings, the Gates Foundation's Goalkeepers Summit, and the Commonwealth Head of Government Forum (CHOGM).[8] His reports from CHOGM 2018 in the United Kingdom were particularly impactful, inspiring the #LazyNigerianYouth hashtag and subsequent national movement.[9]

In December 2018, Tijani conducted Nigeria's first-ever live fact check during an electoral debate.[5][10] He won the second prize at Africa's Best Fact-Checking Awards in Johannesburg in 2019.[11][12]

He joined Global News Agency, AFP in 2019, leading its fact-checking operations in West Africa, publishing more than 200 fact-checks on a broad range of issues from politics to health. In 2020, he was one of only three Nigerian journalists certified by the World Trade Organization (WTO) to provide coverage in the selection process for the director-general of the organisation, which saw Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala clinch the position.[13] In 2022, he left AFP to join Twitter’s first team in Africa, domiciled in Accra, Ghana, where he supported efforts against misinformation, disinformation and hate speech on the social network, especially across elections in Kenya and Nigeria.

Tijani joined the Centre for Democracy and Development as a consultant in December 2022, leading Nigeria's first Social Media War Room to tackle information disorder before, during, and after the 2023 elections. He shared his insights on the elections with the Reuters Institute of Journalism at the University of Oxford.[14]

Throughout his career, Mayowa has reported on and interviewed prominent global figures, including Bill Gates, the co-founder of the trillion-dollar company Microsoft.[15]

Honours and awards

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References

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  1. ^ "About Us". TheCable. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  2. ^ "This app from TheCable makes news accessible to people with disabilities in Nigeria". International Journalists' Network. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  3. ^ "Mayowa Tijani". Refined NG. March 24, 2022. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  4. ^ TheCable (2017-08-07). "TheCable's Tijani Mayowa wins Chevening scholarship". TheCable. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  5. ^ a b "Fake or Fact? Disinformation & (New) Media in Nigeria - Goethe-Institut Nigeria". @GI_weltweit. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  6. ^ a b "Emerging talent: Young Journalist finalists revealed Sara Loane". Thomson Foundation. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  7. ^ Chima, Chidi (2018-04-23). "BACK STORY: Mayowa Tijani, the young journalist whose report inspired #LazyYouth revolt". TheCable. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  8. ^ TheCable (2017-04-18). "Follow TheCable for updates on World Bank/IMF meetings in Washington". TheCable. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  9. ^ Tijani, Mayowa (2018-05-03). "Meet the 'lazy' Nigerian youths who absolved us at CHOGM 2018". TheCable. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  10. ^ Consults, I.-79 Media (2020-02-14). "How I led first 'live fact check' of presidential debate in Nigeria ― Mayowa Tijani » I-79 Media Consults". I-79 Media Consults. Retrieved 2024-08-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ AFP.com (2021-10-12). "AFP Lagos fact-checker awarded at pan-African conference". AFP.com. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  12. ^ "African Fact-Checking Awards". Africa Check. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  13. ^ Tijani, Mayowa (2021-02-15). "TIMELINE: From Buhari's nomination to Biden's endorsement -- how Okonjo-Iweala became first female WTO DG". TheCable. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  14. ^ ""We can't do this alone": Nigerian fact-checkers teamed up to debunk politicians' false claims at this year's election | Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism". reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  15. ^ Tijani, Mayowa (2020-09-16). "EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Bill Gates on polio, COVID-19 vaccine, conspiracy theories -- and Nigeria's fuel subsidy". TheCable. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  16. ^ Edema, Grace (2024-03-14). "US envoy proffers solutions to global challenges". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  17. ^ "Awardees – RAYLF". raylf.org. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  18. ^ Pledge, The (2021-06-02). "Ooni Honours Hon. Stella Okotete, Olagunju, Omojuwa, Others". The Pledge. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  19. ^ Nigeria, U. S. Mission (2024-03-14). "U.S. Consul General Will Stevens' Remarks at the Launch of the Future of Work in Africa Report". U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  20. ^ "African Fact-Checking Awards". Africa Check. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  21. ^ "Avance Media | Profiles: 2019 100 Most Influential Young Nigerians". Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  22. ^ TheCable (2017-08-07). "TheCable's Tijani Mayowa wins Chevening scholarship". TheCable. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  23. ^ "Emerging talent: Young Journalist finalists revealed | Sara Loane". Thomson Foundation. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  24. ^ "The Future Awards Africa 2017 Nominees". The Future Awards Africa. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
  25. ^ "UI students win prizes". The Nation. August 29, 2013.
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