As global investigative journalists gather in Zuma’s South Africa…

For the first time since its founding, the Global Investigative Journalism Conference is holding this year in Africa from November 16 to 19. Precisely, in South Africa, at the Wits Science Stadium in Johannesburg.

The conference is organised by the Global Investigative Journalists Network and Wits Journalism programme of the University of Witwatersrand.

Judging by the number of investigative journalists who have arrived from various media organisations in Nigeria whom I’ve met so far, the delegation of journalists from our country, I’ll inform you for free, has been very impressive.

The South African Airways flight that brought me into the country alongside Editor of TheCable, Mr. Taiwo George, touched down at the Oliver Thambo International Airport at 4:36am this morning. Although I feel so tired and in need of some good rest before the welcome ceremony for delegates this evening, I can’t but quickly type this.

Thanks to Cable Newspaper Journalism Foundation (CNJF) and the MacArthur Foundation which were gracious to facilitate the trip and foot the bill of my participation, I am joining more than 1,000 media leaders and professionals, editors, data journalists, and investigative reporters from 100 countries who will be participating in the 10^th edition of the conference which ends on Sunday afternoon.

For corrupt politicians in Nigeria and elsewhere, sorry, there’s no more hiding place. You’ve done enough evil. I see a new group of patriotic, selfless and dedicated journalists who love their country genuinely and will expose your corruption no matter what it takes, springing up more than ever before to demand good governance, accountability and transparency. It will be so difficult for you to continue in your graft and cover-ups, quote me.

For business tycoons and sleazy officials who use tax havens to undermine their country’s financial systems, it’s just a matter of time. Get ready to answer probing questions as the skeletons in your cupboards are further exposed.

For those of us who see journalism as our calling and passion despite its challenges, the conference presents an amazing opportunity of learning and networking. But there’s sure a whole lot to look forward to even for the African public and the global audience.

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, as part of its latest exposé, The Paradise Papers, will be releasing new offshore data from the project at #GIJC17 as a matter of fact. The various corruption scandals trailing South Africa’s President, Jacob Zuma, will also be on discourse.

And the Nobel prize-winning economist, Joseph Stiglitz, will be delivering the keynote address, “Media Power in a Post-Truth World.” The American born-economist, a professor at Columbia University, and a lover of journalists and investigative reporting, will be engaging on the critical role of the press, the evils of demagogues trying to undermine journalism and the importance of investigative reporting. It’s a session I look forward to. I believe Stiglitz’s address will be a major headliner for the conference.

Aside all these, there will also be exciting sessions on new journalism tools and techniques in fighting fake news, dealing with online harassment, innovations in story-telling, including workshops on the growing threat to investigative journalism and the future of data journalism among others.

Of course, AFRICAN MUCKRAKING, a book which is the first collection of investigative and campaigning journalism written by Africans and about Africa, will equally be released during the conference. The work, a collection of 41 investigative stories, covers labour abuses, police brutality, women’s rights, the struggle for democracy and independence, and more.

And finally, there will be the Global Shining Light Awards on Saturday night when winners of the 7th Global Shining Light Awards, drawn from a record 211 projects by journalists in 67 countries, will be announced at a closing gala.

The programme will be hectic, yes, but the gains would be immense.

I just hope that when next the GIJC returns to Africa, Nigeria would have stepped up higher to take its rightful place as the deserving host.

Follow me on twitter: @ofemigan