JOURNALISM- The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) has selected twelve female journalists for the champion building edition of its 2023 Report Women! Female Reporters’ Leadership Programme (FRLP) fellowship.
In a press release signed by the WSCIJ Executive Director, Mrs. Motunrayo Alaka, the Center disclosed that the fifth edition of the fellowship will build the capacities of the female reporters to lead the cause for women as leaders in the newsrooms and expert-sources in news.
The 12 reporters are Blessing Oladunjoye of BONews Service, Karina Igonikon of the British Broadcasting Corporation, Pidgin, Rivers, Zubaida Baba Ibrahim – HumAngle Media, Abuja, Ijeoma Okereke-Adagba – Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Abuja, Sarah Ayeku – TVCNews, Lagos and Fortunate Ozo of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Ebonyi.
Others are Folashade Ogunrinde – TV360 Nigeria, Lagos, Bamas Victoria – International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Abuja, Yemi Olus-Galadima – Making of Champions, Lagos, and Martha Asumata Agas – News Agency of Nigeria, Plateau, Olufisoye Adenitan of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Ondo and Maryam Abdullahi of The Cable Newspaper, Niger.
The selected journalists were shortlisted from 173 valid entries, with three from Zambia, Ghana, and Kenya respectively.
The statement reads in part that, “the Champion’s building activity is part of the Report Women! News and Newsroom Engagement project which is designed to engage the management and staff of news media organisations within Nigeria and eventually Africa and beyond to intentionally increase the representation of women in their coverage newsroom leadership and to engage more female experts as sources.
“The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has supported the initiative since 2021.
In addition to the training, the fellowship will include a three-month mentorship, virtual share-fairs, and the reporters will undertake investigative stories and leadership projects.”
Some of the resource persons and mentors that will support the reporters capacity development are, Stella Din-Jacob, Director of News, TVC Communications, Lagos; Rommy Mom, President, Lawyers Alert; Abiola Afolabi-Akiyode, Executive Director Women Advocacy Research and Development Centre (WARDC) and Motunrayo Alaka, Executive Director/CEO, WSCIJ.
