*Report by Mudasir Opeyemi
Premium Times, The PUNCH, New Telegraph, Daily Trust among others were awarded honors in various categories as the Wole Soyinka Awards for Investigative Reporting held in Lagos on Friday.
Outstanding journalists from the print, radio, television, photo, cartoon and online categories, who focused on themes from regulatory failures, corruption in the public and corporate spheres and human rights abuses in the country went home with various honours.
According to the organisers, this year’s award had Two hundred and eighteen (218) entries out of which thirteen (13) finalists were selected.
Hassan Adebayo of Premium Times won the Overall Award for the 2022 edition.
The award which was in different categories with some insightful stories had many young and middle-aged journalists as awardees for this year’s edition.
In his opening remarks, the Board Chairman of the organization, Prof. Ropo Sekoni tasked the awardees to see the award as a challenge to do more for the country.
Speaking, Motunrayo Alaka, CEO WSCIJ said the organization has awarded 109 finalists, 56 Soyinka Laureates, and 12 investigative journalists of the year.
According to her, the organization had also presented the Lifetime Award for Journalistic Excellence and the Anti-Corruption/Human Rights Defender Awards to twenty-six(26) deserving Nigerians.
She therefore acknowledged the tenacity and of every investigative journalist swimming against the tides to get the work done.
“To every investigative journalist swimming against the tides to get this work done, we acknowledge your tenacity.
“To the community stakeholders who supply useful information, task the media to be better and amplify the work if Investigative journalists; we are because you are. Thank you,” she said
READ ALSO:
- Neymar Scores To Equal Pele Record Of 77 Brazil Goals
- Martinez Rescues Argentina As Netherland Crashes Out of World Cup
- All I Know Is To Chop Life, Not Fraud; D’Banj Says After Release From ICPC Detention
Various Categories and Awardees
TV Category
Zainab Bala of Trust TV and Amadin Uyi were selected for commendation and Runner up respectively while Abdulaziz Abdulaziz of Trust TV was the winner in this category.
Radio Category
Babatunde Okunlola of Diamond FM Ilesha was selected as the Winner
Print Category
Gbenga Salawu of Guardian Newspaper was commended for his story titled ‘How Ghanaian herbal products are manufactured, marketed in Nigeria’ which was about sharp practices by some SMEs that use foreign addresses and telephone numbers on their product labels.
Juliana Francis of the New Telegraph won the award for her story titled ‘For filthy lucre, police truncate defilement, rape cases, deny victim’s justice’
In the Editorial Category, Chukwuemeka Emenike, Assistant Chief Cartoonist at New Telegraph emerged runner-up in the cartoon category. His work depicted a satire of how the status of an individual rather than the offence determines the type of judgement he or she gets in Nigeria.
Victor Asowata of THE WILL emerged winner of the cartoon category of His cartoon illustrated how politicians weaponise poverty to trap the people in a vicious circle as to manipulate elections, while the Nigerian Police Officer who should guard against it looks away.
In the Photo Category, Olatunji Obasa of the PUNCH Newspaper was commended over some pictures of some families of abducted Abuja-Kaduna train victims titled ‘Cry for rescue’
Deji Lambo of PUNCH Newspaper was selected as the winner over his pictures on ‘Poisonous ponmo’ which illustrates How Lagos traders sell cow-skin meat roasted with tyres, plastic pellets to unsuspecting Nigerians.
Online Category
Olanrewaju Oyedeji was commended for his stories on ‘Investigation into Oyo State’s Notebook’ while Folashade Ogunrinde was also selected as Runner up in this category.
Taiwo Hassan Adebayo of Premium Times was selected as the winner in this category over his story ‘Pandora Paper Series’
Honorary Category
Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi was confered with Acting Corruption Human Rights Defender Award
Mrs Stella Din-Jacob was conferred with Lifetime Award for Journalistic Excellence
Taiwo Hassan Adebayo of Premium Times Newspaper won the Nigerian Investigative Journalist of the Year.
Speaking shortly after the award, Adebayo described the award as “energizer” for him to do more work that engenders accountability in Nigeria.
“The award is a testimony to highest level of professionalism and highest level of journalistic excellence. You have to be highly professional and ethical. Embark on a story that will hold the power holders in every category accountable and responsible.
He said his primary motivation for journalism is to ask questions in order for him to expose wrong doings whether in business, politics or public sector.
He urged the youths in the country to raise their level of discipline and remain focused in their activities for them to hold the power holders to accounts.
“If the power holders whether in government or business sector know that they are being watched,they are likely to act more responsibly and accountably. So,all of us as young people we have raise our capacity to hold government accountable and we have the opportunity because of the social media,”he said
Winners of the WSAIR2022 received a Plaque, Certificate, a Laptop, N200,000 and will also embark on international trip.
Runner-ups also received a certificate of commendation, a smart phone and N100,000 while commended works received a certificate of commendation, a hard drive and N50,000.