A Nigerian Journalist and a legal practitioner, Muhammed Akinyemi, was last night adjudged West African Journalist of the year 2023 at the seventh edition of the West African Media Excellence Awards (WAMECA).
The HumAngle investigative reporter Akinyemi also won the environmental reporting with his story titled, “All Die Na Die: At The Heart Of Nigeria’s Soot Problem.”
HumAngle Media Foundation is the non-profit arm dedicated to advocacy and capacity building on conflict reporting and peace journalism.
Published in May 2022, Akinyemi’s story painstakingly 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 Akinyemi the West African journalist award and a $2000 cash prize.
Other categories of winners were: Gbenga Salau (Guardian Newspaper Nigeria) who won the Business reporting prize; Emmanuel Debrah (Multimedia Group Limited Ghana) clinched the ICT reporting category; 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..
Story by Ruth Abla Adjorlolo
