Damilola Banjo of Sahara Reporters has won the 2020 Nigerian Investigative Journalist of the Year Award given by the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ).
Banjo also emerged winner of the online category with her report on the anti-cultism unit of the police. The two part report was tagged, ‘Justice for Sale: Inside Lagos Anti-Cultism ‘Illegal’ Detention Centre.’
The award, which was held at the NECA House, Ikeja, Lagos State, on Wednesday 9th of December 2020, was themed, ‘Masked but not silenced.’
In her remarks, Executive Director of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Motunrayo Alaka, said in this era, journalism had become more difficult to practise.
She said, “The truth is constantly besieged from all sides. Journalists and news media originations are attacked daily by public office holders, organised peddlers of misinformation and citizens alike.
“Our predicament has been further complicated by the pandemic, the #EndSARS protests and the vandalism that followed both incident, with losses too many to recount, including the death of a budding journalist, Pelumi Onifade, of Gboah TV, who died while in the custody of officers attached to the Lagos Task Force.
“Journalism has been masked by these issues. Yet, we’re not silenced. Despite the many woes of the media, this has been a great year for reporters and news organisations alike. The media took the responsibility to report the pandemic extensively and debunk fake news around it.”
The Chairman, 2020 Judges Board, Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy, applauded the works of the eight shortlisted journalists.
Ogwezzy stated that the reports showed quality, courage, thoroughness and depth.
She explained that more than 188 works were assessed by the panel of judges, adding that the radio category was not awarded this year because the quality of the works submitted was not excellent enough.
Samson Folarin of The Punch was pronounced winner of the print category of the award, clinching the prize for the second year in a roll.
Ibrahim Adeyemi, a freelance reporter with Buisness Day Newspaper, was the first runner-up in the print category and was also commended.
Victor Asowata, another freelance cartoonist with The PUNCH, was applauded for a cartoon depicting how Nigerian professionals and doctors were fleeing the country for Canada.
Taiwo Adebayo of Premium Times was the first runner-up for the online category, while Habib Oladapo of Sahara Reporters was commended in the category.
Bukola Samuel-Sowemimo of Television Continental won the broadcast category, where she was the only nominee.
Daily Trust photojournalist, Ikechukwu Ibe, was commended for his photo showing a soldier harassing a resident.
For 2020, the winners were each given N200,000, a laptop, a certificate and a plaque.
The runners-up were each given N100,000, a certificate and a wrapped gift, while those commended were given N50,000 each with a certificate.
Human rights activist, Femi Falana, as well as founding member and pioneer Associate Editor of The Guardian Newspaper, Lade Bonuola, received the Human Rights Defender Awards and Lifetime Awards, respectively.
Speaking in a chat with TheNewsGuru. Bonuola expressed joy receiving the Lifetime award.
“I am so overwhelmed.I thank the organizers for honouring me.I wasn’t expecting anything of this sort.It is particularly exciting for me as it has come as a crowning on my 50 years journalism career.What can beat that?When you think of the name that is connected with it, I must be floating, I must be flying in the skies.I feel honoured”.
The PUNCH won the Best Investigative Media Organisation Award , while online news medium, Premium Times, and The SUN were first and second runners-up, respectively.