GNA Graduates First 30 Certified Citizen Reporters in Ile-Ife, Marks New Era of Citizen-Driven Governance

The Great Nigerian Assembly (GNA) has recorded a major milestone in the implementation of its Coverage Area Administrator (CAA) Governance Model with the graduation of the first cohort of 30 Certified Citizen Reporters (CCRs)in the Ife Local Government Areas.

The historic graduation ceremony, held on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at IONA House, Iloro, Ile-Ife, brought together members of the GNA CAA Governance Committee, community leaders, professionals, programme facilitators and other stakeholders committed to strengthening citizen participation and grassroots development.

His Imperial Majesty, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, D.Litt, CFR, Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife and Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, Chairman of the GNA-CAA Advisory Council for Ife Local Governments.

His Imperial Majesty, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, D.Litt, CFR, Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife and Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, serves as Chairman of the GNA-CAA Advisory Council for Ife Local Governments.

The graduation represents the transition of the pioneer CCRs from intensive training and certification into active community service, where they will observe, document, verify and report the condition of public infrastructure, services and development activities within their communities.

One of the pioneer Certified Citizen Reporters after the graduation ceremony at IONA House, Iloro, Ile-Ife.

More importantly, the CCR initiative seeks to transform everyday community observations into credible, structured and verifiable information capable of supporting constructive engagement among citizens, political office holders, community leaders, development organisations and other stakeholders.

A New Beginning for Citizen-Driven Governance

Speaking at the ceremony, the Executive Director of the Great Nigerian Assembly, GN (Dr.) Kayode Elusoji, described the graduation as much more than the presentation of certificates.

He said it represented the beginning of the practical implementation of a governance framework designed to bring citizens closer to the development process and create a structured channel through which community needs, infrastructure conditions and development achievements can be responsibly documented.

Elusoji emphasized that the GNA CAA Governance Model is non-political, non-governmental, non-religious and people-driven, with its focus firmly placed on constructive relationships, transparency, accountability and sustainable grassroots development.

He reminded the graduates that certification comes with significant responsibility, stressing that a Certified Citizen Reporter must operate with accuracy, fairness, neutrality, evidence and accountability.

He expressed gratitude to Almighty God for the successful completion of the training and graduation programme and acknowledged the individuals and organisations whose contributions made the milestone possible.

Special appreciation was extended to His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife and Chairman of the Advisory Council, for his support and commitment to the initiative.

Elusoji also recognised CPI Technologies Inc., the technology engine behind the GNA CAA Governance platform, as well as the GNA Global Board of Trustees, Advisory Council, Infrastructure Team and other contributors who have invested their expertise, resources and time in developing the initiative.

The IONA membership and Executive, led by Hon. Wole Awofisayo, were also acknowledged for making the venue available and supporting the successful hosting of the ceremony.

Committee Leaders Charge Graduates to Make a Difference

The ceremony featured keynote addresses and words of encouragement from members of the Ife CAA Governance leadership.

GN (Prince) Johnson Oluwafunso Adetayo, Chairman of the Ife Central LG CAA Committee, congratulated the graduates and encouraged them to recognise the significance of the responsibility entrusted to them.

In his address, he challenged the pioneer CCRs to demonstrate integrity, discipline and commitment as they move from the classroom into their communities, reminding them that their credibility will depend on the quality, accuracy and objectivity of their work.

The Vice-Chairman of the Ife Central LG CAA Committee, GN Michael Ojo, also addressed the graduates, encouraging them to put their training into practice and become responsible agents of positive community engagement.

Also present was GN (Prof.) Adeola Ologbenla-Shobola, who described the occasion as “a new beginning,” highlighting the significance of creating a generation of trained citizens equipped to contribute meaningfully to community development and accountability.

Speaking in the same vein, GN (Sooko) Adeleke Odewade congratulated the graduates and urged them to live up to the expectations placed upon them as members of the pioneering cohort.

He encouraged them to approach their responsibilities with seriousness and to demonstrate through their conduct the value of the professional training they had received.

Members of the GNA CAA Governance Committee and other organisers at the graduation ceremony of the pioneer Certified Citizen Reporters in Ile-Ife.

CCRs Must Become a Bridge Between Communities and Stakeholders

In his charge to the graduates, GN (Prince) Adetokunbo Adeniji underscored one of the central philosophies of the Certified Citizen Reporter programme: the CCR must serve as a constructive bridge between the community, political office holders and other development stakeholders.

He urged the graduates to see themselves not merely as reporters of problems but as important participants in a structured process that makes credible community information visible to those capable of responding.

Through accurate documentation, responsible reporting and constructive engagement, he said, CCRs can help bring community needs to the attention of relevant stakeholders while equally documenting positive interventions and development achievements.

This approach reflects the broader philosophy of the GNA CAA Governance Model: building relationships rather than confrontation, promoting evidence rather than speculation, and creating channels through which citizens and leaders can work toward visible and sustainable community development.

Another pioneer Certified Citizen Reporter during the graduation ceremony in Ile-Ife.

Building the Next Generation of Digital Journalists

The Editor-in-Chief of GNA News & TV also attended the ceremony and used the opportunity to introduce the graduates to opportunities for further professional development through the Certified Digital Journalist programme.

He encouraged the new CCRs not to regard their current certification as the end of their learning journey, but rather as a foundation upon which they could continue to build their communication, digital journalism and professional reporting skills.

The graduates were encouraged to pursue additional training and certification that would further strengthen their capacity to document and communicate developments within their communities professionally.

GN Azeez Akande was also present at the venue to provide support and encouragement to the graduates as they completed this important stage of the programme.

The event was coordinated by GN (Barr.) Festus Olaobaju and GN Bosun Awofisayo, whose efforts contributed to the successful organisation and delivery of the graduation ceremony.

Graduates Pledge Accuracy, Fairness and Responsibility

One of the highlights of the ceremony was the enthusiasm demonstrated by the graduates themselves.

The pioneer CCRs collectively expressed their readiness to put the knowledge and skills acquired during their training into practice and pledged to live up to the standards expected of Certified Citizen Reporters.

They committed themselves to accurate, unbiased and responsible reporting of community infrastructure and development, recognising that the credibility of the entire programme will depend significantly on the integrity of their work.

The graduates also recognised the importance of producing reports that can attract the attention of appropriate stakeholders and encourage prompt, constructive responses to genuine community needs.

Their responsibility is not simply to identify what is wrong. CCRs are expected to document what exists, what works, what requires attention, what has improved and what interventions have been made, creating a credible record of community development over time.

One of the pioneer Certified Citizen Reporters receives a certificate during the graduation ceremony at IONA House, Iloro, Ile-Ife.

Field Operations Begin

With the graduation successfully concluded, attention now moves to the next critical phase: field operations and infrastructure documentation across the Ife LGs.

The trained CCRs will begin observing, capturing and documenting public infrastructure and other relevant community developments according to established GNA reporting and verification standards.

Verified records will progressively become visible on the global GNA CAA Governance platform, creating an evolving evidence-based picture of infrastructure conditions and development activities within participating communities.

The fieldwork represents the practical test of the training received by the pioneer reporters and an important stage in demonstrating how technology, trained citizens and structured community participation can work together.

October 10 Inauguration Becomes the Next Major Milestone

Following the successful graduation, preparations are also intensifying for the October 10, 2026 inauguration of the GNA CAA Governance structures in the Ife LGs.

The next phase will include the formal full registration of members on the new GNA CAA Governance App, completion of the various governance structures, and documentation of members through photographs and professional profiles for publication by GNA News.

Structures being prepared for inauguration include the CAA Committees, Advisory Council, Special Development Committees, Ward Manager Committees, Pacesetters and other supporting components of the CAA Governance Model.

The October 10 inauguration is expected to bring these different structures together into an integrated community-driven governance framework, with the Certified Citizen Reporters providing an important grassroots information and documentation component.

The 30 Pioneer Certified Citizen Reporters

The members of the historic first graduating cohort are:

Adebayo Odeyemi
Adebayo Stanley
Adefioye Ayobami Joseph
Adefioye Nurudeen Adesakin
Adedoyin Adebayo Micheal
Adetogun Mobolaji
Adewole Adeolu Adewusi
Adewole Sherifdeen Adeyemi
Adeyemo Adefemi
Ariyo Oyeniyi Sunday
Arowoogun Ajoke
Badiora Timilehin
Deborah Adebayo
Efunsanmi Oluwasemilogo Joseph
EniObanke Adedoyin
Fayemi IfeOluwa
Fayombo Olatunji
Lincoln Olayode
Makinde IyanuOluwa
Oladimeji Abimbola Samuel
Oladimeji Saheed
Oladipo Adesewa Victoria
Olayode Segun
Omotosho Taiwo
Omotosho Tumininu
Opeyemi Oladipo
Owoyomi Adebanke Victoria
Oyesanmi Ibrahim Oyekayode
Rafiu Oyebamiji
Temitope Stephen Adebayo

The pioneer cohort of 30 Certified Citizen Reporters of the Great Nigerian Assembly after their graduation ceremony in Ile-Ife.

From Ile-Ife to Nigeria's 774 Local Government Areas

While the immediate focus is on successful implementation in the Ife LGs, the GNA CAA Governance Model is designed with a broader national vision.

GNA is encouraging interested communities across Nigeria to learn from the Ife implementation and explore participation through GNA members, registered non-statutory Record of Performance participants, community organisations and organised township and diaspora associations connected to their respective Local Government Areas.

The objective is to establish a structured mechanism through which citizens can participate constructively in community development without becoming an extension of any political party, government administration or religious organisation.

For the GNA, the graduation of the first 30 Certified Citizen Reporters therefore represents more than the completion of a training programme. It is the activation of the human component of a wider governance infrastructure built around citizen participation, credible information, accountability, constructive engagement and measurable community development.

As the pioneer CCRs move into the field and preparations accelerate toward the October 10 inauguration, Ile-Ife has become the starting point for what the organisation hopes will develop into a replicable citizen-driven governance framework across Nigeria.

Congratulating the graduates and everyone who contributed to the milestone, GN (Dr.) Kayode Elusoji summed up the transition from celebration to action:

“Today, we celebrate a major milestone. Tomorrow, the real work continues. Our responsibility is to turn training into service, information into action, and citizen participation into visible community development. October 10 is our next major destination.”