By Bashirat Durojaye
A four-day journalism training program was planned by the Center for Journalism Innovation Development (CJID) for mass communication students and campus journalists at Usmanu Danfodiyo University in Sokoto.
As part of the registration procedures, prospective applicants were required to prepare and submit a 100-word piece on the subject of “The importance of the press in democracy.”
At first, I was not moved despite coming across the flier almost everywhere, until my coursemate and her friend asked about my opinion on the training. I was convinced by them and realized it was a privilege that should not be missed as well as it would be a valuable opportunity for me as a Mass communication student. Later in the evening, I applied for the training using a write up of 100 words on ‘The importance of the press in democracy.’
After applying, I waited patiently to be selected for the training, checking both my mails as well as the CJID site with the hope that I was selected. Fortunately and unfortunately, I was selected but I couldn’t attend the training as my GB-Whatsapp failed me.
Unlike other regular WhatsApp, GB-whatsapp has unique features, cut across viewing deleted messages or status, ghost viewing and many more, so the problem associated with using GB Whatsapp is inevitable when it comes to updating the App or unexpected malfunctioning.
Unknown to me, the admin of the CJID training had already tried adding me to the group but my privacy settings of WhatsApp which I set to only my contact can add me to a group did not allow her to carry out the process. I wasn’t online the moment they sent me the link to join the training group as I was one of the selected participants for the training.
I tried to login but my GB-Whatsapp was malfunctioning and I don’t have access to my chat until after four hours of trying, by the time I get to see the group link that was earlier sent to me to join the CJID training, I tap to join the group but the invitation link had already expired.
I reached out to the number that sent the group invitation link and requested that she send me a new link to join the group but I was told that she already tried adding me before sending the link to me, and my failure to join the group on time the slot was given to someone else but gave me words of hope that another opportunity will surely comes around again.
I regret using GB-Whatsapp and blame myself for not using the normal type of WhatsApp as my GB-Whatsapp led me to missing a training opportunity that was supposed to expose me to the practical aspect of my field.