Juliet Buna, a Broadcast Journalist at Crest 91.1 FM in Ibadan, Oyo State, has been honored with the Election Reporting Project award from the West Africa Broadcast and Media Academy, WABMA.
Miss Juliet, a graduate of Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, achieved victory in the ‘Broadcast Category’ of the WABMA Political Reporting Project on Friday, hosted at the American Corner in Ikeja, Lagos.
Her award-winning story, titled ‘Harassed to defeat,’ focused on women in politics and was broadcasted on Crest 91.1FM, Ibadan, where she serves as a reporter and editor.
Juliet’s winning story, which includes a scholarship, was also part of the African Women in Media (AWiM) Women in Politics Fellowship for 2023.
Ken Ike, the project lead of WABMA, emphasized that the Election Reporting Award is groundbreaking and intends to inspire other journalists to engage in comprehensive election reporting.
He stated, ‘This event underscores the enduring significance of political journalism in safeguarding our democracy’s health. It serves as a reminder that a reporter’s role goes beyond merely reporting events; it also involves acting as a check and balance on power.’
Amanda Roach Brown, Deputy Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Consulate General Lagos, extended her congratulations to Juliet and fellow awardees, urging them to continue their impactful election reporting in Nigeria.
She remarked, ‘The election reporting program that concluded today is a continuation of our longstanding support and engagement with the Nigerian media. Over the years, the U.S. Mission has sponsored training programs for numerous Nigerian journalists, covering topics such as media fact-checking, investigative journalism, and media ethics, while also enhancing reporting on various subjects, including health, elections, defense, and national security.’
Other awardees at the event included Ekemini Udo from the Southern Examiner Newspaper and Redemption FM, Akwa Ibom, who secured the award in the print and online media category, and Oba Adeoye from Arise News, who triumphed in the photo and video journalism category.
This award ceremony marked the conclusion of the Political Reporting Project, which commenced in 2022.
During the project in 2022, Miss Buna served as a reporter with the Ondo State Radiovision Corporation (OSRC) in Akure.