The Guardian Newspaper correspondent in Rivers State, Mrs. Ann Godwin, has won Best Leadership Award of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) Female Reporters Leadership Programme (FRLP).
Godwin emerged overall winner from 21 participants selected from 146 applicants. 142 applicants were from Nigeria, and one each from Spain, Uganda, Gambia, and Kenya.
Of the 146 applicants, 21 were selected across 10 states for fellowship, 13 of the selected applicants were picked from broadcast media (radio and television), five from online media and three from the print media.
Four other winners emerged. They are Kimberly Nwachukwu of Nigeria Info, Abuja; Bassey Ita Ikpang of Nigeria Television Authority (NTA); Anita Eboigbe of Human Angle and Titilope Fadare of Premium Times.
Speaking shortly after receiving the award at Maryland, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday, Godwin said after intensive training and mentoring in July 2021, she set up a Step-Up Media Network, a network community of focused female journalists, who are determined to change the narratives through excellence in leadership and Newsroom reporting.
Her story project, tagged ‘How Logistics, Security Agencies Frustrate Justice for Survivors of Sexual and Gender Base Violence (SGBV)’ revealed the challenges, travails of survivors of SGBV cases in getting justice and enabled a survivor, Mrs. Ifeoma Ganago, to receive freedom from the police net and also served as a caution to police officers, who may want to engage in acts that dehumanise women.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of WSCIJ, Motunrayo Alaka, said FRLP has been extremely impactful, noting that results have proven that for four years without stop.
Representative of OSIWA, Mr. Paul Adeleye, said the media remained a beacon of hope to the society and stressed the need to make the profession more strategic by giving more space to female journalists.
Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin and Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, urged the 2021 fellows to ensure sustainability of projects to enable them make more impact on the society.
The Guardian Newspaper