* Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
I enjoyed my stay in London with Thomson Reuters Foundation during the "Business and Financial News Reporting" course in early March. Roger & Richard were fantastic instructors and I particularly enjoyed conversations with my colleagues, Alfredo, Ahmad, Anton, Bishnu, Gabriella, Minh Te, Moinuddin, Pak, Yihan, Teecee and Tajudeen.
The course gave me insight into financial and business news reporting. I enjoyed the trip to London Metal Exchange (LME) and was intrigued with the seriousness at the exchange, as well as the charged atmosphere during each trading session.
A transaction that will determine the fate of the world’s commodities takes only five minutes! It’s fascinating. The face-to-face-bargaining adds to the joy of the winners and the disappointment of the losers on the exchange floor.
Thank you’s
I want to thank Keith, who presented the Video Press Conference from Geneva with great honesty. Thank you to David for taking us around the Thomson Reuters news room. Richard’s talk on gathering stories on energy and commodities was quite detailed and I learnt a lot. Thank you to Monique; I hope she will keep up the great work she’s doing for the Foundation.
Tracy and Belen also made my week worthwhile. I loved the first and last day’s treats, the boat ride and the pictures. I am very grateful.
I will not fail to mention the hospitality of Thomson Reuters staff. All the nods and smiles from the great workers we met along the way were appreciated. Watching them work reinforced my belief that hard work pays off.
The beverage area is something else! With all the assorted teas, coffee, milk, cups and ‘spoons,’ I enjoyed every cup at the relaxation area overlooking Canary Wharf.
Memories
Mihn Te: I had to hold his hand whenever we left the Thomson Reuters building or I would have lost him in the crowd.
Alfredo: He was always ready to say ‘I’m sorry. Please forgive me,with a big smile.
Ahmad: I remember us saying, “Am I serious?”
Anton: I will always cherish those smoke breaks I took with him outside the building and I’ll always remember the trip to Piccadilly. I smile whenever I remember him saying, “Are you sure we are on the right track? I have the map.”
Bishnu: He is a trustworthy guy. I remember he was always joking and smiling with Moinuddin.
All the ladies on the course - Gabriela, Yihan, Teecee and Pak - were great and a delight to be around.
Roger: I could never stop running to meet with his stride. He was full of energy, which makes me wonder about his age. With Richard, you need to make sure all your new skills sink in.
And to my organisation, News Agency of Nigeria, that made this possible, thank you very much indeed. I pray other staff will enjoy the same treat. What I learnt will always reflect in my writing.
I just want to give a heartfelt thank you to the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
