Journalism didn’t just teach me how to write, it taught me how to communicate. It shaped how I ask questions, how I listen, and how I pay attention to what people often leave unsaid, especially through body language.
In June 2025, we were assigned at work to interview female commercial drivers in Lagos. In a space largely dominated by men, their presence alone stood out. The goal was to understand their lived experiences on the job.
One of the women shared her experience of being treated harshly by male agberos. During the interview, one of them approached and almost harassed her. He raised his voice, and she immediately became quiet. I could see the shift in her body language, it said more than her words could in that moment.
Over time, journalism has trained me to listen beyond spoken words. It has taught me to pay attention to hesitation, to unfinished thoughts, and to the emotions that sit between sentences, because that is often where the truth hides.
I’ve learned that a good question doesn’t just extract information; it opens people up. When asked with curiosity rather than judgment, questions move you beyond surface answers into deeper understanding.
Stories lose meaning without emotion, and people are no different. Being sensitive to tone, pace, and feeling allows you to respond to the person, not just their words.
I’ve also become more aware of body language, the eyes, the posture, the subtle shifts in expression. Journalism has trained me to notice when words and body language don’t align, and in everyday life, that awareness helps me understand people more fully and not miss what is truly being communicated.
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