A broadcast journalist cum academic, Jamiu Folarin has revealed how spiritual disinformation almost marred his 32 years education journey that reached its peak with successful completion of his Ph.D academic programme at the Department of Mass Communication, Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye
Jamiu recalled the 32 years of education journey to include 6 years of Primary Education - First School Leaving Certificate, 9 years of Secondary School Education - SSCE, another 3 years of his early period acquiring Tertiary Education and earning National Diploma Certificate
He also spent 4 years at the 2nd Tertiary Education where he earned First Degree (B.A.) in Mass Communication and proceeded to the 3rd Tertiary Education, where he spent another
2 years for completion of his Master of Science (M.Sc.) before spending
8 years in 4th Tertiary Education for completion of Ph.D
I have used a combined 32 years of my life in formal education in order to acquire the final degree of Ph.D.
Folarin however narrated how spiritual disinformation nearly derailed his Ph.D sojourn
"Spiritual Disinformation and My Academic Journey: "Spiritual disinformation" is false information spread with spiritual context to derail one’s progress. It is misleading information with the intention of causing harm. It nearly marred my academic pursuit", he revealed
"I will tell you the story of how this spiritual disinformation nearly derailed my Ph.D sojourn"
I finished secondary school education 27 years ago with 7 F9s, 1P (40-49 mark) in English Language, and 1 A in Islamic Studies at Ojoku Grammar School, via Offa, Kwara State.
"A family member took me to a man who claimed to know the future and decipher my destiny. After consulting the oracle or what he termed the supernatural being, the man declared his revelation of my fate"
"It was revealed to me through this divination that your son has nothing to do with formal education", he predicted my future looking through a mirror.
Years later, I defended my Ph.D. thesis, Analysis of Digital Tools for Fact-Checking Information on the 2023 General Election in Nigeria, breaking the supposed "spiritual jinx." With the guidance of my mentor, Dr. Semiu Bello, and the encouragement of others, I persevered.
After eight years of a journey from uncertainty, I finally arrived at the destination with resounding success.
I was uncertain at the starting point just as I was not certain of the destination, after one of my mentors and co-supervisor, Dr. Semiu Bello, arm-twisted me to enroll for this highest degree in 2016, just as he did for my first degree in 2004.
The journey was long, marked by significant challenges, but on the day of my defense, hearing the external examiner, Prof. Olusola Oyewo, and the chairman of the panel, Dr Lanre Akinola, declare, "Congratulations, Dr. Jamiu Folarin," made it all worthwhile. Through it all, I remained thankful to Allah.
It's been an eventful, dramatic and interesting journey with massive support from far and near.
Just as spiritual disinformation nearly marred my attainment of Ph.D, political disinformation nearly marred the conduct of the 2023 general election in Nigeria.
*Overcoming Setbacks:*
I initially believed his words, and accepted this verdict of the man who claimed to know the future and decipher my destiny. The mortal who declared that I lacked the mental capacity to succeed through formal education and suggested I take up an apprenticeship. It took me years to reverse this "prophecy."
After my abysmal performance in my SSCE, I spent another two years searching for what to do until a friend of my father prevailed on him to let me pass my SSCE before learning a trade.
When I was about to be enrolled at Premier Grammar School Abeokuta to retake the SSCE examination, the vice principal advised I should return to SS 2 to prepare well for the exam. Initially, I refused due to ego, but my childhood friend, Ibrahim Muraino, advised me to heed the advice.
I have always been coerced, arm-twisted and later convinced to take critical decisions at important stages of my life. Let me cite three incidents:
1. Choosing Mass Communication: It was not my initiative to study Mass Communication, the daughter of my guardian, Salmat Ibrahim, took the decision for me though against my wish initially.
2. Direct Entry to University: I am still wondering about the magic wand Dr Semiu Bello used to convince me when he insisted that I must get a Direct Entry JAMB form to transit from Polytechnic to University after obtaining the HND form and offered admission.
3. Master's or Marriage: I was in dilemma whether to enroll for a Master’s postgraduate programme or get married which has earned me the appellation of "the man with the two Ms" (Ask Dr. Abdurazaq Ogunmoye which of the two Ms I eventually sacrificed or taken as opportunity cost).
Back to the story - Despite challenges, I progressed through academic ranks. Four years after graduating from secondary school, I passed my SSCE, secured admission to Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) graduating with Upper Credit Division, then proceeded to Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) and came out with Second Class Upper Division, and later pursued postgraduate studies at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and clinched Ph.D. grade. Today, I am a successful journalist, being one of the pioneer staff of the first private radio station in Ogun State (Rockcity 101.9 F.M), and now work as a researcher and lecturer at Crescent University.
Aside from my personal research and verification that refute the claim of the acclaimed seer of the future, the regular appellation of Professor and doctor to my name even before I enroll for a Ph.D programme further oppose the vision of the man.
He later reflected on how the last 8 years of the 32 years started
"The last eight years have been particularly transformative. Barely two years after my leave of absence from full journalism practice in favour of the academics, my supervisor, Professor Dele Odunlami, identified a research gap that that reignited my interest in journalism as I interrogated the phenomenon of political disinformation, media technology, "fake news" and fact-checking"
"The 2018 conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) in Asaba, Delta State further cemented what my supervisors asked me to do. I will never forget how the presentation of Mr. Dapo Olorunyomi and Mr. Joshua Olufemi further propelled my thoughts to interrogate the intersection of media technology, political communication and fact-checking"
"Aside from the gaps identified in interrogating these issues in Global South, the significance of my explorative research is evidence."
"The significance would be well understood with two popular phrases during the election:
He equally shared personal experiences in the process of Electronic Uploading and Transmission of Result on Server"
"It's really fulfilling for me to analyse how fact-checking organisations in Nigeria adopted digital tools for fact-checking claims before, during and after the 2023 general election in Nigeria."
Key Findings and Contributions: Key findings of my study centered on the innovative solutions provided by the fact-checking organisations - using digital and non-digital tools - to flatten the curve of political disinformation in the election.
There are definitely challenges, top of which is the exponential spread of misinformation during the election compared to the capacity of the organisations with little support from the social media platforms predominantly used to weaponise political communication.
This throws up the challenge of exploring the opportunities provided by technology (as Weapon of Mass Development not Destruction) to combat political disinformation at scale especially with the world of Artificial Intelligence - in what we referred to as digital or automated fact-checking.
Though this study established that the adoption of digital tools has influence on fact-checking information on 2023 general election, the fact-checking organisations also employed varied non-digital tools - especially age-long journalism verification process - in fact-checking claims.
With the development of two models from my Ph.D thesis (H-Y-B-R-I-P-O-L-I-N and RIFO) there are a lot of insights in the findings of this study for stakeholders to leverage on in combating political disinformation in this digital age to enhance the quality and credibility of elections in Africa.
*IT'S NOT A PRODUCT OF MY SINGULAR EFFORT*
I received profound support from numerous local and international organisations. My research and journalism skills were further refined through four fellowships in four years, beginning with Dubawa Research Fact-Checking Fellowship in 2020, Solutions Journalism Africa Initiative Fellowship in 2021, Paradigm Initiative Fellowship, and BudgIT GovSpend Media Fellowship in 2023.
I must also acknowledge the scholarship from the University of Lagos Muslim Alumni (UMA) during the second year of my Ph.D programme.
The scholarships received from Solutions Journalism Network,(SJN), International Fact Checking Network (IFCN), and Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) facilitated my travels to the United States of America and Norway which offered me the unique opportunity to expand my network and enhance the quality of my thesis.
I also benefited from numerous in-persons (Lagos and Abuja) and online training, seminars, workshops, and conferences facilitated by various organisations.
And not to forget the exceptional support from Olabisi Onabanjo University and the Crescent University that provided the platforms for the realisation of this Ph.D. Professor Emeritus Kamaldeen BALOGUN, Dr Ibrahim Odusanya, Dr Lanre Akinola, Dr Odule-Atewolara, Dr Samson Bello, Dr Kola Adesina, Dr Ganiyu Okunnu and Mrs Bolanle Ismail, and host of others who always cover my back during the programme.
I must also mention those who make exceptional sacrifices for me to achieve this feat, especially my wife and kids. I hope to make up for this.
To my close and long distance friends, colleagues and associates whose relationship went sore due to the marriage with my Ph.D in the last eight years. My unreserved apologies to the many assignments I suspended, neglected, abandoned or rejected all in the name of this marriage of convenience with this Ph.D.
I will never forget the opportunity provided by late Professor Lai Oso who offered me an opportunity to contribute a chapter in a book which should have fetched me over N0.5 million. I could not meet many deadlines given to me.
I never realised the import of the counsel of Prof. Odunlami and the caution in the book given to me by Dr. Ayo Odetoyinbo - "How Not To Get A Ph.D" - until people begIn to attribute spiritual cause to high number of years I have spent on this Ph.D programme. This is when the Echo Chamber begins to manifest in the way some people frame the non-completion of my Ph.D in record time. Could the man who said I am not destined for formal education be right?
This final degree is extremely and exceptionally jealous. As you are married to it, no accommodation of concubines, side chicks, mistress or even another wife or wives in the name of commitments. I thought I could eat my cake and have it. Omo, the thing resisted big time. So, I appreciate all my acquaintances' understanding during this period.
It was later that I also understood the caution of one of my benefactors. As I climbed the ladder of my profession and academic growth, Dr Ganiyat Tijani-Adenle. counselled: "As you navigate this terrain beware of depression". As I pursue this Ph.D project, I have my own doses of depression, I had to contend with. Though I had to later expunge this from the acknowledgement part of my thesis to due to wonderful counsel of the reviewers, I would like to recall it here:
“In conclusion, I express my appreciation to everyone who played a part, in any capacity, in helping me complete this journey - a journey often humorously referred to as "Permanent Head Damage (PhD). I am immensely grateful to have emerged from the metaphorical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Mass Communication Department, Faculty of Social Sciences and Postgraduate School of Olabisi Onabanjo University, alive and sufficiently healed. Alhamdu Llahi!”
I must confess here that I am partly responsible for doubling the years I was supposed to use on my Ph.D programme (traditionally four years),. Though there are institutional and systemic delays, my supervisors do all they could to defray the externalities variables.
Even if I was allowed to retain the seven pages of the acknowledgements in my thesis, it would not have been enough to mention and appreciate all of those who supported me in the sojourn towards attaining this final degree, especially the many friends and family who financially bailed me out at the critical moment of my final defense. Just to borrow part of the words used to conclude the final two pages acknowledgements part of my thesis:
"I extend my deepest gratitude to all, and I humbly ask for the understanding of those I may have inadvertently overlooked in this expression of thanks (an oversight of the heart rather than the mind). If I were to attempt to fully acknowledge the extent of support I received during this Ph.D journey, it might require another eight years to compose a 400-page appreciation, which mirrored the lifespan of this thesis, to do justice to the contributions made."
These high levels of support contributed to the successful completion of my Ph.D thesis with value addition to the media ecosystem, political landscape, my colleagues in the academics, students and mentees.
*MANIFESTED IMPACT*
The impact of these engagements led to mainstreaming Fact-Checking, Media Literacy and Solutions Journalism in media practice and academics through special trainings for journalists and educators as well as curricula development through the review midwives by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in her new Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standard (CCMAS).
The journey of this Ph.D also gave birth to many collaborations and projects chief among was the establishment of Centre for Research, Development, Media and Society (CEREDEMS) with which we carried out different projects on Information Disorder and #ENDSARS protests as well as special project on the monitoring of presidential campaigns ahead of the 2023 general election. Dr Muhammad Jamiu Mustapha, Dr Rasheed Adebiyi and Mr Mutiu Iyanda and other team members did wonderful job.
I also feel fulfilled to be a member of the International Media Literacy Group and co-convener of the Solutions Journalism Educators Network (SJEN).
It is also in the course of this sojourn I returned to my root as a board member of Rockcity F M Strategic Board of Public Affairs.
And to cap it all, just two weeks ago, as a board member, I received the exciting news of the approval of the “Religion Journalism Foundation" by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, and the issuance of certificate by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) after one year of long walk to its registration. The founder, Innocent Eteng of Prime Progress, will be announcing the details soon.
I dedicate this feat to victims of Spiritual cum Political Disinformation.
So, you can see the results of the support you provided through those kind words, prayers, words of encouragement, care, financial support, mentorship, referrals, and good wishes. You? Yes, I am referring to YOU!
And to you. Despite the envy, backbiting, backsliding, blackmail, badmouthing, trailing, cherry picking, taunting and gaslighting, here I am, I made it. You? Yes, I am pointing at you.
Don't mind me, this is what this Ph.D transforms me to - a philosopher - critical - assuming - resilience - daring, adventurous, and bold.
It took me sometime to realize that I was not really insane as I was continuously mocked for expressing views alien to arguments in discussions and debates. It was later I realised that is how philosophers are profiled.
This Ph.D sojourn Forces me to build premises in all arguments, dissect the variables and present the facts in a critical and assertive way. The same approach I adopted gave me the array of opportunities and network.
*WHAT NEXT?*
As you rejoice with the attainment of my Ph.Dusted, join me in the next sojourn of sustaining and expanding the frontiers of political communication, fact-checking, solutions journalism, and technological advancement in Africa.
With the continued supports of my supervisors and mentors, I'm hopeful to be commission to conduct the research on "Integrating Academic Research with Fact-Checking Practices to Combat Political Disinformation and Hate Speech in Nigeria: A Strategic Framework"
This is the story of my Ph.D sojourn. Just a tip of the iceberg. This is my story. This is my life
SUCCESS is all about adding value to one's life, SIGNIFICANCE is all about adding value to other people's life.
The beat continues!
Jamiu Folarin, Ph.D.
Journalist by calling, researcher by choice.
October 3, 2024
No comments:
Post a Comment