Veteran cartoonist and 14 journalists would stand to be honored when the 16th edition of Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) Reporting presentation holds December 9, 2021.
The annual event, scheduled for the NECA House, Lagos, is held annually to coincide with the World Anti-Corruption Day and eve of Human Rights Day.
It acknowledges best practices in investigative journalism and calls attention to its significance for attaining good governance, accountability, and social justice.
Josiah Ajiboye, popularly known as Josy Ajiboye, veteran cartoonist and painter, the CLEEN Foundation, and 14 journalists are the practitioners to be honored at the event.
The Executive Director of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, WSCIJ, Motunrayo Alaka said in his press release that Ajiboye, would be decorated with the Lifetime Award for Journalistic Excellence for his remarkably consistent professional exertions in form of timeless witty cartoons.
The release said his works, particularly in his years at Daily Times, which spoke to social-economic and political issues that bordered on social justice, kept the government on its toes as Nigeria struggled through the military era and they remain relevant even today.
He added that CLEEN Foundation would be honored with the Human Rights specialty of the Anti-Corruption Defender Award for its over two decades of work promoting public safety, security, and accessible justice in Nigeria, especially around improving human rights and accountability mechanisms within the Nigeria Police Force.
The award also underscores the great contribution of the late Innocent Chukwuma, CLEEN Foundation Founder, who strategically built the organisation to defend the rights of Nigerians to security, the release noted.
Shortlisted as finalists cut across the print, online, photo, cartoon, television, and radio categories, nine of whose stories focused on Nigeria’s fragile security apparatus, covering extrajudicial killings, brutality by persons in uniform, human rights abuse, armed banditry as well as insurgency.
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The finalists are Abiodun Omotosho of Nigerian Pilot, Benedict Uwalaka of Daily Trust,Ibrahim Adeyemi of Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), Kelechukwu Ogu of Rhythm 93.7 FM, Kunle Adebajo of HumAngle, Mary Abayomi-Fatile of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Olatunji Obasa of Punch, Olukunle Akinrinade of The Nation, Omolabake Fasogbon of ThisDay, Sharon Ijasan of TVC News, Taiwo Adebayo of Premium Times, Tessy Igomu of Punch, Victor Asowata of The Will and Zainab Sanni of Agidigbo FM.
