Multiple award-winning journalists and co-host of the renowned Happy Morning Show, Fati Shaibu Ali shares her experience and knowledge as an investigative journalist, as part of the World Press Freedom Day celebration on GMABC networks.
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Speaking on the Show, she observed that putting together an investigative piece can be a very tough task depending on the type of story you set out to do, because the stories differ.
“Sometimes, you have to disguise yourself to get some information or to get into some issue just so you can get firsthand information on it. There’s also the type that requires you ask questions and review documents to arrive at a certain conclusion”, she educated.
According to her, investigative works that require wearing a disguise are usually very dangerous because your life could be in danger, when you are uncovered.
Sharing her experience from an investigative piece she did on prostitution, she revealed that the nature of the job required that she pose as one of the women plying the trade.
Fati Shaibu Ali unveiled, “When I joined their camp as a prostitute to put together this story, I got some customers and at a point, one customer even attempted to rape me and I had to quickly make something up to stop him”.
“I told him that I am not alone in this and that my pimp was just around the corner watching us. Know that he’s a muscular man so if you make him angry and he enters this car, whatever he does to you will not be my problem “, she continued.
Fati furthered by saying, “with something like this, as you have entered the camp of these sex workers, if they blow your cover and find out you’re not one of them but you’re only asking questions about their profession for your story, they could beat you to death and when the story comes out, that will be the dangerous aspect of it”.
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Alternatively, she said someone could also open up about being a sex worker and offer to share any needed information about the profession, and with that there will be no need to go in any form of disguise.
The ace journalist revealed however, that in some cases, it is very difficult to find someone who is willing to open up especially if it is for a TV documentary, since that involves visual evidence. Thus, implying that with such investigative pieces, it is only best to go in a disguise.
Fati concluded that investigative journalism is not in the least bit easy, and comes with lots of bribe offers to drop a story, and even goes as far as receiving death threats.
In accordance to this and the Press Freedom Day Celebration, she commended all investigative journalists and journalists in general, for risking their lives for the love of the job.
By: Maureen Dedei Quaye