NUCJ President emerges winner of maiden ICIR Award

• Muhyideen Kolawole, a campus journalist from Usman Dan Fodiyo University (UDUS) reports

President of the National Union of Campus Journalists, Nigeria (NUCJ), Ibrahim Adeyemi, has emerged the winner of the maiden International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) Award held at the University of Ibadan.

Ibrahim Adeyemi’s entry, “UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION: Sokoto’s ghost teachers, corrupt school principals stealing FG’s N-Power funds” was shortlisted alongside four others from 12 entries as the best Data/Investigative Journalism reports.

Other shortlisted entries by campus journalists include Alfred Olufemi’s “INVESTIGATION: Offa Poly students groan as school officials, associations impose illegal fees (1)“, Kabir Adejumo’s “SPECIAL REPORT: As Lagos govt fails to implement own law, physically challenged lawyers suffer“, Jamiu Abiodun’s “Kwara communities face threat of epidemics from filthy environment” and another report by Solomon Oladipupo, a campus reporter from the University of Lagos.

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“Not many were able to enter. Many entered what could best pass as features story. So, to have made the top five cut of the final 12 accepted entries, congratulations!” Mr Martins Isaac, the President of the Union of Campus Journalists, University of Ibadan said while unveiling the winners.

Adeyemi pocketed N120, 000 + grant for investigation, the 1st runner-up also pocketed N80, 000 + grant for investigation while the second runner-up pocketed N50, 000 + grant for investigation.

Adeyemi who is a former president of NACJ UDUS, said: “More of a challenge than an award. I feel happy, I feel honoured but I see that I need to do more.

“For the campus journalists, they should keep writing, they shouldn’t lose focus. They shouldn’t think they can’t make it in this job; they can really do it if they are determined,” he encouraged.

Dignitaries at the award include a representative of ICIR, Adekunle Adebajo; foremost undercover journalist, Fisayo Soyombo; journalists with the Nigerian Tribune and The Nation newspapers, Niyi Oyedeji and Abiodun Alao respectively.