By Raheem Anifa
In a society where women are often discouraged from pursuing careers in male-dominated fields, Muhammad Habibat Sani, a 500-Level Law student at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, has faced intense ridicule and backlash for her bold decision to become a journalist.
Habibat’s passion for journalism is driven by her conviction that the profession should be open to all, regardless of gender. However, her pursuit of this liberal idea has come at a steep cost, where she has faced a series of abuse, threats, and public embarrassment, simply for daring to defy traditional gender stereotypes and pursuing a career that defy societal programming. Journalism.
“There was a time I wrote a piece like that on the SUG matter then when there were issues. I wrote a piece about it and it was a kind of investigation; image illustration, so, then I was in class and I heard some people saying: who did this? They never knew I was the one, so they were discussing that girl must be stupid and they might beat her up,” she told Digest.
Habibat recounted the numerous backlash she had faced over making uncovering stories, particularly from those who appear at the center of her stories, which of course avail her to stirring confront remarks.
“I hear comments from people like, so this person writing this is a female. We have even dealt with a male so hers will not be that difficult to deal with. Sometimes, this really gets me scared but due to one or two motivations, I just continue,” she said
Sex before speech: Fatima Idera’s Story
For Fatima Idera, a student of Ajasin University Akungba Akoko Ondo State (AAUA) her ordeal as a female journalist took on a very disturbing narrative. She remembered the indignity she was subjected to when a source demanded mating with her just to obtain vital information.
“Reflecting the major challenges faced as a female journalist, I remembered how I was nearly forced to have sexual intercourse with a source before he could speak to me which I rejected, advancing a bribe with money to get him to speak,” she said.
Fatima could not help but to wonder if being a female journalist is a crime. She was quite all the more disturbed how interviewing a source comes with a promiscuous compromise, apparently indicating that females are treated as subject of vulnerability.
“I was not weighed down by the attitudes we get generally from men because I have experienced several bullies from them. I have also lost count of how many times that I was told journalism is not for females. Yet, I remain resolved and steadfast to my resolution. Just that I pray people should find reasonable and good sources to speak to for their report to fly,” she advised.
More Ordeal
Miriam Omede, was another female journalist from Prince Abubakar Audu University Ayingba who said that she equally faced similar challenges but her own was not to gender vulnerability.
“Honestly, I have not faced any challenge specifically because of my gender. Most challenges I have faced are the general issues experienced by journalists both male and female” she said.
Despite facing numerous challenges, Miriam noted that being a female journalist has not hindered her ability to obtain statements from sources. However, she shared disturbing accounts of the sexist remarks and stereotypes that female journalists often encounter, and offered insightful suggestions on how to combat this pervasive issue.
“I have heard stories of female journalists who have faced some challenges due to their gender such ad discrimination, abuse, (especially verbally) and unnecessary hardship,” She told our reporter.
“I would advise that more initiatives be set up to address the peculiar challenges faced by female journalists and newsrooms should set up mechanisms to address the challenges faced by female journalists and provide training, legal aid and psychological support.”
Henry Adelegan Jesunimofe, a student of Redeemer’s University, reflected the challenges encountered and embraced it as part of her journey that paved the way for her success in field journalism. She instead had a suggestion that provides an enabling environment for female journalists to thrive.
“I think that our government needs to be more constitutional. The environment needs to be saver. The same way I can carry my camera in other countries very freely is not the same way I will carry my camera in Nigeria. I am already scared. There are already issues in the country that just need to be addressed to make it a more conducive environment,” she stated.
I always have difficulty interviewing a male source—Meikudi Asiat.
Meikudi Asiat, a female campus journalist at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, shared her experiences, attributing the challenges she faced to the reluctance of male sources to engage in interviews. According to Asiat, men often prove to be rigid and inflexible, making it difficult for her to obtain quotes and insights for her stories.
“When you want to interview a source and the source is male, immediately he sees you having been the victim, he won’t respond well to you. They would ignore and don’t give you the regard as a journalist,” she lamented.
Asiat however emphasized the importance of achieving gender balance in storytelling, advocating for the inclusion of both male and female perspectives whenever possible. But she said that her problem was just that interviewing male sources was made challenging to her, owing to the fact that they seem unapproachable or unwilling to respond.
Expert Shares Insights
Speaking with the News Digest press, Iretomiwa Dele Yusuf, Project Officer, for Center for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) Campus Reporter desk, believes that both male and female campus journalists face one common issue which is interviewing sources, but female campus journalists face more issues, where people feel like female shouldn’t be in the field of journalism because the job is strictly meant for the male counterparts.
“Many journalists, regardless of gender, face challenges when interviewing sources, as some individuals are hesitant to share their views publicly,” Iretomiwa noted. “However, female campus journalists face an additional layer of bias, as societal expectations often dictate that women should not pursue careers in journalism. This stereotype not only undermines the credibility of female journalists but also contributes to the lack of recognition and attention they receive for their work, compared to their male counterparts.”
She further implored that the government and the CSOs NGO contribution should be to encourage females to apply for opportunities in different sectors and also organize trainees for capable females so as to train other females and inspire them to reach the apex.
“The government and CSOs NGO can contribute by encouraging females to apply for opportunities in different sectors where there is limited access to females like in engineering, technology and the likes. When a call for application comes out, priorities should be given to gender balance intellectually. Where the opportunity for hundred people, ensure that fifty females get opportunity to that workshop grant, storytelling and the likes. That would ensure gender balance in governance making sure that even in political parties from the SUG, females should be highly encouraged to apply. An opportunity should be given to capable females. Also, to ensure that there are more capable females to train more females to inspire and mentor them to reach the highest height,” she reiterated.
“Female campus journalists should not be limited by whatever it is they are facing. They can keep pushing. There are very few accomplished female journalists out there which means that they have a lot of space to shine if they want to go into the profession. So, the advice is they should keep pushing and keep going. They should apply for opportunities for female campus journalists. Campus reporters have a lot of opportunities for female campus journalists. They should apply and not be lazy in their work because they are no longer competing against their peers. They are also competing against gender issues. So they need to be very distinctive in their work and do it excellently so they can be noticed,” she advised.
Another expert, Mariam Abdullahi, a reporter for The Cable also believes that female journalists experience harassment like discrimination and tables how the challenges can be curbed
“Female journalists experience challenges ranging from harassment and discrimination due to their gender. African society is a male dominated environment which further contributes to the inferior notion attached to the work and achievements of women in the media and other political and social systems. These issues can be addressed when the society starts to prioritize the need for a substantial legal protection network, security measures, and confidential reporting systems”.
“The small number of women in leadership roles also contributes significantly to the lag. Although, a little achievement have been made in recent time as there are more women in the media now as compared to the nineties”
She further stated the issue of gender based violence victims and concluded that many survivors would remain silent to protect themselves from the shame which is not a good approach.
“On the issue of gender-based violence (GBV) victims and survivors. African culture made speaking about GBV issues a permanent stigma on survivors. Some who have publicly discussed it in order to get justice have been shamed and stigmatized in the process. Many survivors would rather remain silent to protect themselves from the shame which is not a good approach
“As a journalist, there are many ways to get survivors to break the silence… Encourage them and assure them that their identities are strictly protected from the public. Supporting victims with empowerment programmes helps to break the “silence culture.”
Female journalists frequently face targeted abuse and threats, deterring them from speaking up on crucial issues. Society loses valuable perspectives and critical reporting when women are intimidated, harassed, or excluded. More advocacy is needed for gender equality in the workplace and every aspect of life. Female journalists should also prioritize mentoring and supporting upcoming female reporters.
She concluded by advising female campus journalists to remain focus and never back down even though journalism is demanding
“My advice to upcoming female journalists is to remain focused. Journalism is demanding but perseverance and passion will set you apart. Protect yourselves from digital threats and immerse yourself in any mentorship conversations. Build strong networks and contribute positively to changing the narratives of women in the media.”