The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Channels Media Group, Mr John Momoh (OON); the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Mr Waziri Adio, and 12 journalists will be honoured at the 2018 Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting in Lagos on December 9, 2018.
Coordinator of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Mrs Motunrayo Alaka, announced the plan in a statement.
Mr Momoh, who is also the Chairman of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), will receive the Lifetime Award for Journalistic Excellence.
“He is being recognised for his noteworthy contribution to the development of the Nigerian media,” the statement read.
On his part, Mr Adio will be given the Anti-Corruption Defender Award, “for his public stance against corruption, evidenced by the work he is championing on transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s extractive sector”.
According to the statement, the 12 journalists who are finalists for the award were selected by a Judges’ Board chaired by Professor Umaru Pate of the Faculty of Mass communication at Bayero University Kano.
Selected from 136 entries received, the 12 finalists will be unveiled in the six categories of the award – print, radio, television, photography, online and editorial cartoon.
The WSCIJ will give cash prizes of N200, 000, N100, 000 and N50, 000 each to winners, runners-up and commended works, respectively.
“Additionally, winners will have a plaque and an opportunity to attend an all-expense-paid international study-tour. All finalists will also receive certificates of commendation,” the statement said.
The award presentation event is held annually on December 9, the World Anticorruption Day and eve of the Human Rights Day, to call attention to the significance of the media generally and investigative reporting in particular to attaining good governance, accountability, and social justice, as aspired through the Sustainable Development Goals, while celebrating the reporters at the centre of the mix.
The event, which is open to members of the public, will have reporters, media leaders, journalism students, civil society representatives, private and public sector leaders, diplomatic corps members and such like in attendance.
This year’s edition will take place at the main hall of NECA House, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos,
