Nigeria: Foundation tasks media on issues affecting people at grassroots
By Justina Auta
The Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF) an NGO, has urged media practitioners to focus more on issues affecting people at the grassroots for possible solutions to their challenges.
Mr Iliya Kure, Executive Director, AMDF, made the call in a statement on Thursday ahead of the ‘2021 AMDF Journalist of the Year Award’ scheduled to hold in December.
He said the award was to recognise outstanding journalists for their immense contributions to in-depth development in African media space.
Kure said that the panel of judges for the award, led by Mr Joseph Edegbo, Managing Editor of Africa Prime News indicated three finalists for the award.
“After assessing all the entries, I can, on behalf of the panel of judges, say that the three finalists have professionally demonstrated skills in their stories by going deep in writing issue-based development stories.
“We encourage other journalists to emulate them and focus on issues that are important and affect the lives of people at the grassroots,” he said.
The award recipients are: Gwamkat Gwamzhi of Radio Nigeria Highland FM Jos; Justina Asishana of The Nations Newspapers; and Joseph Olaoluwa of Punch Newspapers.
“Also, an honorary lifetime award for journalistic excellence will be presented to distinguished media veteran, Malam Ishaka Aliyu, the Principal Partner of Shaka Media Limited Abuja, for his immeasurable contribution to the promotion of development journalism in Nigeria,” he said.
Kure added that the board of AMDF would use the award ceremony to present “Courage in Journalism Award” to Sikiru Obarayese of Daily Post Nigeria.
“This award is presented to journalists who have demonstrated courage by going extra miles, among all odds, to source for stories,” he said.
The AMDF Journalist of the Year Award was first introduced in 2016 to promote the culture of in-depth development journalism in the African media space. (NAN)