A journalist at HumAngle Nigeria, Muhammed Akinyemi, was on Saturday awarded the West African Journalist of the Year in the seventh edition of the West African Media Excellence Awards.
Mr Akinyemi, one of the 17 journalists earlier shortlisted for the regional awards, emerged the overall best at an award ceremony in Accra, Ghana, on Saturday night.
The previous 2022 edition of WAMECA was won by Tessy Igomu, head of investigations at Punch Newspapers in Nigeria.
The organisers of the awards, Media Foundation for West Africa, noted that 855 entries were received from journalists in 15 West African countries for the latest 2023 edition.
The Executive Director of MFWA, Sulemana Braimah, stated that the 825 entries were filtered to 100 before, “a three-member jury chose the 17 finalists, and then whittle it down to six winners in six categories. The finalists are winners in their own right.”
At the colourful award ceremony, the winners of the six categories were unveiled.
Mr Akinyemi won the Environmental reporting category with his story titled, ‘All Die Na Die: At The Heart Of Nigeria’s Soot Problem’.
Published in May 2022, Mr Akinyemi’s story detailed how illegal oil activities cause irreparable environmental pollution in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria’s south-south region.
The article, which won the Environmental reporting category with a cash reward of $500, also earned Mr Akinyemi the West African Journalist award and a $2000 cash prize.
Other categories of winners include Gbenga Salau, Guardian Newspaper Nigeria, who won the Business reporting prize; Emmanuel Debrah, Multimedia Group Limited Ghana, clinched the ICT reporting category; the migration reporting prize went to Emmanuel Ayamga, Pulse Ghana; Komla Adom, TV3, Ghana, took away the prize for Human rights category; and the award for Investigative reporting went to Francisca Enchill, Joy News, Ghana.
The six winners received $500 each for their efforts in enterprising reporting.
A Pemium Times report on migration was among the 17 finalists shortlisted for the awards.
