WSCIJ 2023: 12 female journalists inducted into fellowship programme

The Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) has inducted 12 journalists into the champions-building edition of the Report Women fellowship programme.

The 5th edition of the induction and award ceremony held on Monday in Lagos.

The Report Women is a female reporters leadership programme focused on mentoring and equipping female journalists with leadership skills and opportunities in their respective organisations.

The 12 journalists underwent six months of training and also produced investigative stories and leadership projects.

Three of the journalists won awards in different categories.

Blessing Oladunjoye, publisher of BONews, won the overall best with her story on the ills of surrogacy in Nigeria; while Sarah, reporter with TVC News; and Folashade Ogunrinde, won runner-up and second runner-up awards.

Maryam Abdullahi, a reporter with TheCable, was one of the journalists inducted.

Speaking after the induction ceremony, Motunrayo Alaka, executive director of WSCIJ, said the inducted fellows are leaders who are going to do bigger things.

“They are leaders, they made it happen for themselves,” she said.

“We gave them moral support and mentors and by themselves, they did it and we know that these are qualities needed in a leader, somebody who can think on their own what to do to make things better.

“We also see an opportunity to expand beyond Nigeria and to Africa and globally because these are issues women all over the world are facing in their newsrooms and female journalists are particularly affected by issues of safety.

“If they are not leading and they do not have the confidence or the voice to come out, the harassment will continue. Of course, you are aware there are issues of harassment in the news for female journalists.”

On his part, Ralph Akinfeleye, former head of mass communication, University of Lagos, said the stories and topics examined by the reporters should capture the attention of government.

“WSCIJ induction award is key to information processing and development of this country,” he said.

“I am so glad I came and I am so glad that the topics treated were relevant and need to be projected and sent to the government.”

He encouraged female journalists to contribute to national development through the media, adding that information is important to any sustainable democracy and government.