When Speed Trumps Truth: VON’s WAFCON Blunder and the Case for Responsible Journalism
By Matthew Eloyi
In the ever-competitive world of media, the race to “break the news” often tempts even seasoned institutions to sacrifice accuracy on the altar of speed. Unfortunately, that appears to have been the case with Voice of Nigeria’s (VON) embarrassing misstep during the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where Nigeria’s Super Falcons mounted a spectacular comeback to defeat hosts Morocco 3–2 and lift their 10th continental title.
Instead of celebrating this proud national moment, VON made headlines of a different sort, publishing a premature and utterly false report that Nigeria had lost the match, even before the final whistle was blown.
To its credit, VON’s Director General, Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, has issued a detailed and sincere apology, promising reforms and acknowledging both internal lapses and the possibility of external sabotage. While the tone of the statement is commendably measured, the incident itself raises a serious question that must be addressed not just by VON, but by all who operate in the journalistic space: When did being first become more important than being right?
Journalism, at its core, is a public trust. Its primary currency is credibility. Once that is eroded, no amount of retroactive correction can fully restore what has been lost in the eyes of the public. In a time when misinformation spreads at lightning speed, state-owned broadcasters such as VON bear an even greater responsibility to uphold truth, verify facts, and avoid sensationalism. The mistake of falsely announcing Nigeria’s defeat while the match was still ongoing, was not just a minor editorial error. It was a gross dereliction of professional responsibility, and worse, a disservice to millions of Nigerians who look to VON for accurate information, especially during moments of national pride.
The irony is that the Super Falcons were, at that moment, writing one of the most thrilling chapters in Nigerian football history. Instead of amplifying that triumph, VON’s platform projected defeat—a metaphor, perhaps, for what happens when journalistic values are sacrificed for digital clout.
It is encouraging to hear that VON is implementing reforms: creating a Fact-Checking Unit, an Investigative Desk, and a Monitoring and Evaluation Team. These are necessary steps, but they should not be reactive measures to public embarrassment. Rather, they must become institutional habits that define a new standard of professionalism.
More importantly, VON, and all media organisations, must embrace a culture that values accuracy over urgency. Being second and right is always better than being first and wrong. Audiences may forgive a delay; they are far less forgiving of misinformation.
This incident should serve as a cautionary tale, a moment of reckoning not just for VON, but for all newsrooms—public and private. Integrity in journalism cannot be an afterthought. It must be the foundation.
In celebrating the triumph of our Super Falcons, let us also call for the triumph of truth in our media. The world is watching and listening. Let us make sure we are telling the right story.
