From nearly quitting journalism to leading innovative media projects and making a mark on the global stage, four fellows of the Report Women! Female Reporters Leadership Programme (FRLP) Fellowship have shared how the fellowship has marked the turning point in their careers.
Speaking at a session titled “What I did with my Report Women FRLP Fellowship” during the FRLP training in Lagos, Juliana Francis, 2017 Fellow; Goodness Adaoyiche, 2018 Fellow; Magdalene Michael, 2021 Fellow; and Sarah Ayeku, 2023 Fellow, recounted how the fellowship helped them find purpose, build leadership capacity and spark meaningful change both in and beyond the newsroom.
For Magdalene Michael, now a Communications Strategist at the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service under the World Food Programme, the fellowship was a launchpad to a global humanitarian career. “It was from there I started eyeing the UN,” she said. “I developed strategic goals, built my skills in storytelling, branding, photography, and eventually transitioned from journalism to the humanitarian sector.” She also reflected on her grassroots education programme for displaced children in Borno State, which used radio to break cultural barriers to girls’ education.
Goodness Adaoyiche, now News Editor at TheCable, said the fellowship redefined her self-perception. “Before the fellowship, I saw myself as just a reporter,” she said. “FRLP helped me see myself as a leader, someone capable of occupying top newsroom positions.” She encouraged the female journalists to highlight their achievements and advocate for themselves. In her words, “No one will tell your story better than you.”
“I was ready to leave the profession, but the fellowship helped me rediscover my purpose.” Sarah Ayeku, TVCNews Senior Correspondent, said during her contribution. She shared how the fellowship revived her passion for journalism when she was at the brink of quitting. Her leadership project, Future Media 2.0, focused on mentoring young women into the newsroom. She stressed the importance of having women in top editorial roles, noting how it promotes a supportive environment and drives gender-inclusive storytelling.
On her part, Juliana Francis, publisher of Security News Alert, spoke about her journey through personal trials. The fellowship, she said, gave her the clarity to start her own media outfit and a blog that now mentors journalism interns. “After the training, I found my voice and purpose,” she said. Her passion for investigative reporting led her to register her media outfit and expand her platform to include issues like youth involvement in crime, human trafficking, and gender-based violence.
Across all four stories, a recurring theme was the sisterhood and support system promoted by the fellowship. The fellows lauded the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) for building a lifelong network that continues to nurture and propel fellows long after the training ends.
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