Organisation empowers Gombe Islamic clerics with fact-checking skills
By Hajara Leman
A Non-Governmental Organisation Alkalanci, has begun a two-day workshop aimed at combating misinformation and promoting media literacy among Islamic clerics in Gombe.
The Editor of Alkalanci, Alhassan Bala, said at the opening of the workshop on Wednesday that the event brought together influential religious leaders to strengthen their capacity to identify and curb the spread of misinformation in communities.
Bala emphasised the critical role Islamic clerics played in shaping public opinion, noting that their sermons and teachings carried significant weight among followers.
He added that “over the next two days, participants will be introduced to simple, practical tools and techniques to verify information, whether text, images or videos.
“Beyond tools, our broader goal is to build a culture of critical thinking, where individuals are encouraged to pause, reflect and confirm before sharing information.”
He expressed optimism that the training would drastically reduce the spread of falsehoods at the source and help to build communities where misinformation could easily be detected.
In his goodwill message, the National President of Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhassan Yahaya, commended the organisers for providing religious clerics with valuable, first-hand knowledge on how to distinguish fake and authentic news.
He said such workshop would equip the target audience with the necessary skills to verify information before speaking on any issue.
According to him, this will help to promote responsible communication and reduce the spread of misinformation.
He urged participants to make effective use of the knowledge gained to positively change the narrative in their communities.
In his speech, the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu III, said as religious leaders, people trusted them for guidance, making it important that the information they shared was correct and verified.
Represented by Alhaji Abubakar Ismaila, the Dan Amanar Gombe, the emir said “Islam teaches us to always seek the truth and confirm any information before sharing it.
“The workshop is important because it will help us to learn how to identify false information and avoid spreading it.
“By doing this, you protect your community and promote honesty and peace.
“I thank the organisers of this initiative and encourage all participants to use what they have learned to check fake news.
“Let us always promote truth in our teachings and daily lives. By doing so, we can help build a better and more united society.”
The theme of the workshop was “Combating False Narratives and Promoting Media and Information Literacy: Building Resilient Communities Through Fact-Checking.”
The organisation presented awards to the Emir of Gombe, the NUJ national president, and the general manager of Gombe Media Corporation in recognition of their various contributions to supporting fact checking .
