DW-Radio Reporter Emerges Winner To Cover Nigerian Haemophilia Conference

By Longtong Ibrahim

Kaduna (Nigeria) – Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF) has announced Ibrahima Yakubu of Deutsche Welle Radio (DW-Radio) as winner of the contest for journalist to attend and cover the 10th Annual Haemophilia Foundation of Nigeria Conference holding in Benin-City, South-south Nigeria.

The contest which was open to journalists in Kaduna provided them the opportunity to submit five published stories to qualify.

AMDF Coordinator, Iliya Kure while explaining the processes of the selection said, the essence of the competition was to further strengthen the existing relationship that has been established between the media and the HFN.

He said, an advert was placed on the AMDF website and Facebook Page, which showcased a call for entries from professional journalists to submit stories published between 1st April and 14th of September 2015 to qualify them for sponsorship to cover the 2015 HFN Conference.

He said, “The format required were; for Print/online – a hardcopy of newspaper or a web link of publication of five stories; for Radio – an MP3 files of five audio reports; and for television – a five report entries of MP4 format was required.”

“Four journalists entered the competition; two were qualified, while the other two were disqualified because they sent their entries to a wrong email address.

Both the winner and Andrew Mshellia of Nagarta radio submitted five audio file stories, but Andrew Mshellia submitted two of his reports in “amr” format, which disqualified him, making Ibrahima Yakubu the winner to cover the 2015 national hemophilia conference,” he pointed out.

In his remarks, National Secretary of Hemophilia Foundation of Nigeria, Victor Adegbesan expressed appreciation to the media for supporting the HFN cause on creating awareness on the bleeding disorder and congratulated the winner for his success.

He further assured journalists of a continued partnership, stating that, it is their hope in 2016, to provide more avenue to other journalist to travel and cover the 2016 conference; adding that, the organization would transport the winner to Benin City, take care of his accommodation and feeding.

In his remarks, winner of the contest, Ibrahima Yakubu, thanked the Foundation for the opportunity it has provided him to cover the 2015 hemophilia conference, calling on them not only to use the media for sensitisation, but partner with traditional rulers, so as to sensitise adherents of their religions and create more awareness on the bleeding conditions in their various communities.

Hemophilia is a bleeding disorder where a person’s blood does not have enough clotting factor (a protein in the blood that controls bleeding), making an individual bleeds for longer time than normal.

When haemophiliacs bleed, the missing factors are infused into their body through the vein – this helps their blood develop the ability to clot and stop the bleeding.

AMDF is a non profit organisation committed to media development in Africa. Its major activities are centred on media Training, Research, Advocacy, Innovation and Co-ordination.