Victoria Bamas, editor of International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), alongside other 11 female journalists has been selected for 2023 Report Women! Female Reporters’ Leadership Programme (FRLP) fellowship, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) announced.
According to a press statement by WSCIJ’s Executive Director, Motunrayo Alaka, the fifth edition of the fellowship will build the capacities of the female reporters to lead the cause for women as leaders in the newsrooms and expert-sources in news.
Other reporters selected for the training include: Blessing Oladunjoye of BONews Service, Karina Igonikon of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Pidgin, Rivers and Zubaida Baba Ibrahim of HumAngle Media, Abuja.
Among them also are; Ijeoma Okereke-Adagba — Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Abuja, Sarah Ayeku — TVCNews, Lagos and Fortunate Ozo of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Ebonyi, Folashade Ogunrinde — TV360 Nigeria, Lagos, Yemi Olus-Galadima — Making of Champions, Lagos, and Martha Asumata Agas — News Agency of Nigeria, Plateau, Olufisoye Adenitan of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Ondo and Maryam Abdullahi of The Cable Newspaper, Niger.
The selected journalists were shortlisted from 173 valid entries, with three from Zambia, Ghana, and Kenya respectively, said Alaka.
“The champion’s building activity is part of the Report Women! News and Newsroom Engagement project which is designed to engage the management and staff of news media organizations within Nigeria, eventually Africa and beyond to intentionally increase the representation of women in their coverage newsroom leadership and to engage more female experts as sources.
“The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has supported the initiative since 2021. In addition to the training, the fellowship will include a three-month mentorship, virtual share-fairs, and the reporters will undertake investigative stories and leadership projects,” she started.
Some of the resource persons and mentors that will support the reporters’ capacity development are, Stella Din-Jacob, Director of News, TVC Communications, Lagos; Rommy Mom, President, Lawyers Alert; Abiola Afolabi-Akiyode, Executive Director Women Advocacy Research and Development Centre (WARDC) and Motunrayo Alaka, Executive Director/CEO, WSCIJ.
