Investigative journalism took a leap as the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism honoured
journalists and others at the award presentation ceremony of the Wole
Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting on world anti-corruption day – 9
December. The event held at the NECA Hall, Ikeja, Lagos.
Professor Ropo Sekoni, the WSCIJ Board Chair opened the meeting. He
spoke to the importance of investigative journalism in Nigeria, stressing the
criticality of support for existing initiatives.
In her speech, Ms. Ibim Semenitari, Rivers State Commissioner for
Information, who represented the Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon Rotimi Ameachi
mentioned that the Rivers State government chose to support the award in
recognition of its contribution to investigative journalism in the country.
According to her, “if the people will benefit from democracy then the media
must be on the side of the people and continue to act as watchdog to the
government.”
Representing the British High Commissioner Dr. Andrew Pacock, Mr Robert
Fitzpatrick, the Commission’s Political and Press Officer, said the media will
forever play a role in holding the powerful to account be it in government or
in business. He emphasised that the British High Commission was pleased to be
associated with the Centre and its award programme through its support of the
online category.
Chairman of the 2013 WSAIR Judges’ Board and Dean of the School of
Journalism, Lagos State University, Professor Lai Oso, presented the judges’
observations on the entries for 2013. He highlighted the failings of many
entries received and called on the media to do better investigative reporting
even as he charged the Centre to embark on intensive training programmes.
The Lifetime Award for Journalistic Excellence was presented to veteran
journalist, Amma Ogan. In her acceptance comment, she expressed her pleasure at
the honour of being recognised and appreciated by the Centre. Solumfeechi, Dr
Chidi Odinkalu’s ten year old daughter who received the Anti-Corruption
Defender Award presented by Prof Wole Soyinka on behalf of the human rights
advocate, also read his acceptance speech to the audience.
Ade Adesemoju of the Punch Newspaper with his story, Court where alleged offenders are rushed to jail;
Emmanuel Ogala of Premium Times with his entry Jonathan awards $40 million contract to Israeli company to
monitor computer, Internet communication by Nigerians; and Ayoola
Kassim of Channels Television with the piece The Ikeja police college
received commendation certificates for their efforts.
The Local Government category was won by Bassey Udo and Ini Ekott of
Premium Times with their story - How FCT officials steal houses, lands from Abuja indigenes in
huge resettlement fraud and Nigeria’s misplaced talents, Asukwo Bassey’s witty drawing
published in Business Day Newspaper won in the cartoon category.
The Virginity Test, a 13-series work by Temitayo Famutimi of
Punch Newspaper emerged winner in the Print category while Segun Elijah was
runner-up in the same category with his entry titled The Poachers
Called Keepers published in National Standard Magazine.
The duo of Ruona Agbroko-Meyer and Ini Ekott emerged winner in the
Online category with their story How Nigeria Squanders Millions on Generators its Foreign Missions
don’t Need while Tobore Ovuorie went home with the runner-up prize in
the category with her story - Gravely ill patients die queuing to see Nigeria’s few specialist
doctors.
The Punch Newspaper’s Stanley Ogidi was a star indeed as his entries, A School in the
Heart of Lagos and Two Bridges, One City were declared runner-up and
winner in the Photojournalism category.
Aderonke Ogunleye of Premium Times won her part won the Sports category
with her 2-part piece titled How Nigeria’s sports commission officials enriched selves, and
cheat paralympians.
The 2013 WSCIJ-Nigerian Investigative Reporter of the Year, which is the
overall prize of the award programme, went to the team of Ruona Agbroko-Meyer
and Ini Ekott for their outstanding story - How Nigeria Squanders Millions on Generators its Foreign
Missions don’t Need.
The winners received an award plaque, a backup
computer hard drive and a cash prize of One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100, 000)
each. The runners-up were given a cash prize of N50, 000 (Fifty Thousand Naira
Only) and a backup computer hard drive each. The overall winners also took home
framed plaques and an additional N50, 000. All finalists received a
commendation certificate.
Prof Wole Soyinka in his keynote address urged the
Centre and its supporters to keep up the fight. He however prayed for the grace
for continuation in the fight against corruption. According to him, the menace
of corruption and impunity always fight back. After him, Ms. Toyin Akinniyi, a
programme officer with the Centre gave the vote of thanks.
The award presentation event which had over three
hundred people in attendance featured media practitioners, lawyers, teachers
and students of journalism; leaders of the civil society, political officers,
members of the diplomatic corps, as well as representatives of corporate
institutions.
Full citations of the winning works are available on the Centre’s
website www.wscij.org
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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. It has so far rewarded 65 finalists out of which there are 36 ‘Soyinka
Laureates’ and 29 runners-up. It has also honoured 4 investigative journalists
of the year and 12 honorary awards recipients.
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.
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