16/11/2025
Inter-Watch Press Trains UDUS Journalists on Effective Opinion Writing.
By Oladimeji kabir
On Saturday 15th November, 2025, Inter-Watch Press at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, trained campus journalists on how to write opinion articles. The training was held on Google Meet and facilitated by Zhunurain Lukman Muritadho, an opinion writer, graduate of Islamic studies in the university and former managing editor of Inter-Watch Press for the 2024/2025 academic session.
The training officially commenced at 5:15 pm, where he explained what opinion writing entails and its impact on society.
In his explanation, he began by defining opinion writing and describing what it involves. He stated “opinion writing is a sector under journalism that expresses a viewpoint on an argument based on fact, logic and conviction” he also added that it is “a form of persuasive writing where the author states their viewpoint on a topic and supports it with reasons, facts and evidence. It is used to convince, not confuse, readers of the writer’s perspective”. The key is to present a clear opinion supported by logical arguments and credible information.” he defined.
He further stated that as a writer, one must present their own viewpoint on any issue, ensuring that the opinion is factual and independent of any form of bias or association. He emphasized that an opinion writer must write to convince readers by building trust through credibility and respecting logic. According to him, opinion writing is not merely putting pen to paper but reasoning persuasively so the reader understands why they should consider the writer’s viewpoint. He further explained.
He also highlighted how to identify a strong opinion piece. The first is having a clear and strong argument, the second is credibility and the third is relevance. In addition, he explained the concept of counterarguments, where a writer acknowledges opposing views and refutes them logically.
He listed some common mistakes in opinion writing, which includes, ranting instead of reasoning, overgeneralization, lack of focus and neglecting opposing views. The training was highly insightful and beneficial to all campus journalists in attendance. It deepened their understanding of how to construct strong, logical and credible opinion pieces. The facilitator's guidance provided practical tools to help writers improve their persuasive abilities and contribute meaningfully to campus and societal discourse. The session ended with renewed motivation among participants to apply the knowledge gained in their writing.
