PREMIUM TIMES editor-in-chief completes PhD on collaborative journalism

Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times, Musikilu Mojeed.

The Editor-in-Chief of Nigeria’s leading investigative newsroom, PREMIUM TIMES, Musikilu Mojeed, has successfully defended his doctoral thesis at Baze University, Abuja, after four years of research into collaborative journalism.

Mr Mojeed recently completed his defence at the university’s Department of Mass Communication, according to a post by his lead supervisor, Abiodun Adeniyi, a professor of mass communication and Vice-Chancellor of Baze University.

His research is titled “Collaborative Dynamics in Investigative Journalism: An Evaluation of Partnerships in Selected Nigerian Newsrooms.”

Mr Mojeed enrolled in the PhD programme four years ago to examine collaborative journalism and its implications for the future of the profession.

The supervisor, Mr Adeniyi, commended Mr Mojeed’s professional conduct, saying he was among the journalists who rejected the practice of accepting brown envelopes in the course of their work. At PREMIUM TIMES, which Mr Mojeed leads, accepting gratification is seriously frowned upon and is a dismissable offence.

Mr Mojeed is a multiple award-winning investigative journalist who has led several collaborative investigations, including PREMIUM TIMES’ reporting of the Panama Papers, for which he was a joint winner of the Pulitzer Prize, one of journalism’s most prestigious honours.

Last year, Mr Mojeed spoke on the future of collaborative investigative journalism at the International Press Institute (IPI) World Congress and Media Innovation Festival in Vienna, Austria.

He is also the co-founder of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID). He chairs the Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI).

Mr Mojeed is a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), a Knight Fellow at Stanford (2012) and Ford Foundation Fellow at CUNY (2009).

He has served as a judge for global journalism awards, including UNESCO’s World Press Freedom Awards and the Fetisov Journalism Awards.

He has also been honoured with the Global Shining Light Award, FAIR’s Editor’s Courage Award, the Wole Soyinka Investigative Reporting Awards, and Global Editor’s Network’s Data Journalism Award.

Mr Mojeed is a trustee of the Global Media Campaign to End Female Genital Mutilation and was on the board of the Forum for African Investigative Reporters. He sits on the board of Africa Check, and he is a member of the US-based Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE).

Mr Mojeed holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts from the University of Uyo and a Master’s Degree in Journalism from the Graduate School of Journalism, the City University of New York.