ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) on Friday rewarded journalists for their out standing reports through investigative journalism in Nigeria.
This is as the centre lamented the quality of democracy experienced in Nigeria, due to threat posed to accountability journalism.
The Executive Director of WSCIJ, Mrs. Motunrayo Alaka, in her address, urged the awardees and other journalists to be more investigative in their practice in order to hold the government accountable and tackle corruption.
She stated this on day two of a Two-Day Amplify In-depth Media (AIM) Conference and 17th Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting (WSAIR), in Lagos on Friday, 9 December, 2022.
Voiceofnaija.ng reports that the centre rewarded 109 finalists as well as 12 for investigative journalism.
Also, the centre presented the Excellence and the Anti-Corruption Human Rights Defenders Awards to 26 deserving Nigerians.
The overall winner of the 2022 award was Hassan Adebayo of the Premium Times, who received a laptop, N200,000 cash and sponsorship for an international trip.
Meanwhile, out of the total number of 218 journalists who applied for the award, WSCIJ shortlisted 13 for the 2022, three from the Television category, one from the Radio category, two for Newspaper, two Editorial Cartoon, two Photojournalists two and three Online.
Speaking further, Alaka noted that the event which was organized by the centre and supported by MacArthur Foundation was targeted at providing a platform for the global audience to reflect on the state of democracy.
The Executive Director of WSCIJ said it was organized, also, to reflect on the media profession and the practice of investigative journalism, and to decide on strategies to amplify the importance of works done by investigative reporters in Nigeria and Africa.
She noted that despite the numerous challenges faced by journalists, many of them had succeeded in holding citizens and the government accountable.
Alaka commended journalists who, through investigative reportage, amplify the voices of the marginalized in society as well as those who made every effort to win the Wole Soyinka 2022 award.
According to her, the centre has made it a duty to reward phenomenal works and encourage the culture of investigative journalism.
She said: “The cost of accountability journalism became even higher since 2020 as journalists faced the raging pandemic to get the stories despite unfavorable laws, the shutdown of many government Institutions to reporters, job lay-offs, limited resources, and possibility of getting sick of dying.
“To every investigative journalist swimming against the tides to get this work done, we acknowledge your tenacity. We also acknowledge the sacrifice of the community stakeholders who supplied needed information.”
On her part, the Chairman of the Board of Judges 2022 Wole Soyinka Award, Prof Abigail Ndisika stressed on the need for the media to hold the government and the citizens to account.
Ndisika, a lecturer at the Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos, stressed on the major threats posed by disinformation to the society, especially during the elections.
She encouraged journalists to build up needed skills to curb the challenges or threats they faced in society.
The Professor of Mass Communication also urged journalists to report more stories about women, people with disabilities and those in the hinterland.