By Motunrayo Alaka
BENSON
IDONIJE, BALARABE MUSA, OTHERS FOR WOLE SOYINKA AWARD IN ABEOKUTA
Leading
broadcast historian and music critic, Benson Idonije, and one time governor of
Kaduna State, Balarabe Musa, have been named for honorary awards for the 2012
Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting (WSAIR) by the award committee.
In choosing
Benson Idonije for the life-time award for media excellence, the committee paid
homage to his life’s work in media history, stressing his special imprint in
bringing the meaning of events, personages and institutions in our broadcast
corridor to clarity and purpose.
Balarabe Musa
on the other hand was nominated for the anti-corruption defender award, to
speak to his moral example in governance and his stout crusade against
corruption at the risk of life, position and career.
The merit
award as decided by the Judges’ board headed by Professor Lai Oso, Dean, Lagos
State School of Communication, had earlier submitted the list of 17 finalists
spread across various categories. They are: Anthony Akaeze – Newswatch, Seun
Akioye – Nigerian Compass, Tobore Ovuore – National Mirror, Ini Ekott – Premium
Times, Muyiwa Lucas – Tell, Abimbola Thomas – The Guardian, Eunice
Ayo-Aderele – Punch, Yinka Adeparusi – National Mirror, Erapi Gabriel –
The Sun, Olatunji Obasa – Punch, Asukwo Etim – Business Day, Arukaino Umokoro -
Tell, Seun Okinbaloye – Channels, Albert Chigozie Ohams –The Sun, Ayodeji
Adeyemi – Tell, Idris Akinbajo – Premium Times and Theophilus Abbah – Daily
Trust.
Winners,
runners-up and commended works will be announced at a public award presentation
ceremony scheduled for Sunday, December 9, 2012, at the Hubert Ogunde Hall of
the Cultural Centre in Kuto, Abeokuta, Ogun State, from 2-5pm. The Ogun State
Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun will be the Chief Host.
Admittance to
the event is open to members of the public.
ABOUT
THE AWARD
The Wole
Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting was first held in October, 2005 to
encourage the development of an investigative tradition in the Nigerian media
through rigorous scrutiny of human rights violations, regulatory failures and
corruption in the public and corporate sectors of the nation’s life and has so
far rewarded 43 finalists.
ABOUT
THE CENTRE
The WOLE
SOYINKA CENTRE FOR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM (WSCIJ) is a non-governmental
organisation with a vision to stimulate the emergence of a socially just
community defined by the ethics of inclusion, transparency and accountability
through support to journalists. Initially known as the Wole Soyinka
Investigative Reporting Award (WSIRA), the change in name became necessary in
2008 to reflect the intentions of the coordinators to embrace a more robust
line of activities that have greater capacity for engendering the right values
of investigative journalism in the Nigerian media. The Centre is named after
Professor Wole Soyinka in recognition of his life-long work in support of the
freedom of expression, freedom to hold opinion, and freedom to impart them
without fear or favour and without hindrance or interference.
Motunrayo
Alaka is the Coordinator, WOLE SOYINKA CENTRE FOR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
(WSCIJ).
She can
be reach at 08028302436, 07029226323 or motunrayo@wscij.org
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