Maria Albert Zirra

As if they were formally orientated to do so, interns in the Adamawa-based television station, ATV Yola, are seen, but not heard in the newsroom. They appear to be left to themselves. Maria Albert Zirra, a reporter with the station, focused on addressing this and many more with her leadership project.

Maria organised a roundtable on 26 October, 2017 for the budding journalists, to initiate them into the practice of journalism, clear their doubts about the profession, heighten their confidence level, and make them gender sensitive in their reportage. The Adamawa State chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ); the Chairperson, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ); the only female editor in ATV Yola; and a few other senior reporters were the resource persons.

Talking of what difference the roundtable has made, Maria said, “It built cordial relationship between the interns and staff of the Corporation. Again, it made the interns become conversant with how things are done in the newsroom. It also made them more comfortable in the newsroom.”

Maria hopes to check on the interns from time to time, even when they resume school, in order to sustain the impacts.