Makinde's Operation Zero Potholes scores 0 in Two Major Roads by Olusola Oludiran

2021

Makinde’s Operation Zero Potholes scores 0 in Two Major Roads by Olusola Oludiran

Country/area: Nigeria

Organisation: Dataphyte

Organisation size: Small

Publication date: 10 Dec 2020

Credit: Olusola Oludiran

Project description:

The story is an expose of how the Oyo State government has left some main roads in Ibadan the state Capital, even though the government has claims to focus on eradicating potholes problems in the state.

The story further dwells on how the road users have been groaning because of the bad state of their road and a searchlight should be beamed into government spending as far as road constructions are concerned

Impact reached:

Since information is the bedrock of all policies and decisions any governments make, the story through its data presentation has opened the Oyo state resident eyes to ask questions of accountability and transparency. More so the project still remains one of the top stories published by the media organisation for the year 2020.

Techniques/technologies used:

Interrogation of open data was the first technique used to generate the story idea. beyomnd, an investigation which required field interrogation was used by the reporter to solidify the story

What was the hardest part of this project?

As much as the interrogation of the Open data was pivotal in this project, the field investigation was the hardest. The reporter spent more than two days to gather people’s voices after visiting the part of Ibadan the Oyo state capital where potholes are prevalent.

What can others learn from this project?

Meticulous data interrogation. All journalists should continue to embrace the implementation of data in generating stories ideas meticulously for ample information to society.

Field Investigation. Journalists must continue to see field investigation as one of the best ways to generate balance news without bias and favouritism.

Humanising of Stories. There has been a major criticism to Data Reports of being vacant of human representation. This story is an eye-opener to Journalists, especially the Data Journalists to humanise their Data reports to carry people along in the narrative. No story exists outside human beings after all.