Reviving the Lost Glory of Court Reporting: Reflections From My Journalism Journey in Sokoto State.
By Usman Mohammed Binji chairman NUJ Sokoto State council
As someone who began the journalism profession more than two decades ago in Sokoto State, I still vividly remember my first experience covering a tribunal sitting in 2003 alongside a senior reporter. It was one of the most exciting, yet harrowing, moments of my early career.
As a young reporter then, I entered the courtroom with enthusiasm and confidence, believing I was prepared for the assignment. But once the proceedings began, I quickly realized that judicial reporting was far more demanding than ordinary news coverage.
The legal arguments, courtroom exchanges, and terminologies sounded strange and difficult to understand. At several moments, I could hardly follow what the lawyers and judges were discussing. I simply continued writing in my notebook while observing how the senior reporter beside me remained calm, attentive, and focused throughout the proceedings.
What surprised me most came after the sitting.
When we returned to the newsroom, I saw the story the senior reporter eventually wrote from the same proceedings I had struggled to comprehend. The report was clear, balanced, accurate, and professionally structured. It captured the essence of the tribunal in simple language that the public could easily understand.
That moment became one of the biggest lessons of my journalism career.
I was fortunate to learn from experienced and respected journalists at the Sokoto State Media Corporation including Yunusa Tanimu, Faruk Umar, Abdulnasir Sanyinna, Muhammad Sajo Sanyinna,and Samuel Ambiyam.
These were journalists who understood court reporting deeply and approached the profession with seriousness, patience, and discipline. Following them to courtrooms and tribunals became a practical classroom for many of us who were just entering the profession.
They taught us how to take proper notes during proceedings, how to distinguish allegations from facts, how to avoid sensationalism, and how to report judicial matters responsibly without interfering with the course of justice.
In those days, mentorship was a strong part of journalism practice. Younger reporters learned directly from experienced correspondents by accompanying them on assignments, observing their techniques, and receiving corrections after every report.
Court reporting then was regarded as one of the most respected beats in journalism because it demanded accuracy, fairness, balance, patience, and deep understanding of legal processes.
Unfortunately, over the years, that culture gradually declined in many newsrooms. Specialized court correspondents became fewer, mentorship reduced, and many younger journalists no longer had the same opportunities to understudy experienced judicial reporters as we once did.
Today, as Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, I often reflect on those experiences and how they shaped my understanding of professionalism in journalism.
It was largely because of those memories and concerns about the gradual decline of judicial reporting that the NUJ Sokoto State Council organized the one-day workshop on “Accurate Court Reporting: A Pillar of Justice and Public Trust.”
For me, the workshop was not merely another media event. It was a deliberate effort aimed at changing the narrative for the better and reviving the lost culture of responsible and professional court reporting in our newsrooms.
The workshop brought together journalists, legal experts, and media stakeholders to discuss the importance of accuracy, ethics, and professionalism in judicial reporting.
One of the major presentations was delivered by Fatima Umar Dewa, Chief Registrar of the Sharia Court of Appeal Sokoto, on “Understanding the Nigerian Judicial System and Court Procedures.”
Her paper exposed participants to the structure of Nigerian courts, including Magistrate Courts, High Courts, Sharia Courts, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court. She also explained court procedures such as arraignment, trial, judgment, and appeals, while simplifying key legal terminologies journalists must understand in order to report judicial matters accurately.
Another important presentation titled “Ethics and Legal Boundaries in Judicial Reporting” was delivered by Bashir Rabe Mani.
The presentation focused on avoiding contempt of court, understanding defamation risks, respecting the sub judice rule, protecting the identities of minors and vulnerable persons, and balancing public interest with the right to fair hearing.
The third paper, “Accurate Court Reporting and News Writing Techniques,” was presented by Abdallah Elkurebe.
His session focused on practical courtroom reporting skills such as effective note-taking, verification of legal facts, accurate attribution, balanced reporting, and simplifying complex legal language for public understanding.
Listening to these presentations reminded me of the same lessons many of us learned years ago while following senior journalists from courtroom to courtroom.
The workshop recreated, in many ways, the mentorship culture that once existed strongly in journalism practice and gave younger reporters an opportunity to reconnect with the ethics, discipline, and professionalism required in judicial reporting.
I strongly believe that if such initiatives are sustained, they will help revive court reporting in Sokoto State and produce a new generation of journalists who will once again cover judicial proceedings with passion, patience, professionalism, and a deep sense of responsibility to society.
2026-05-09
