Arise News, Blueprint newspaper, Voice of Nigeria, Techcabal and Titilope Fadare of Premium Times Nigeria were all honoured at the maiden edition of ReportHer Awards as media organisations and journalist who have dedicated their reportage and services to the visibility of women as news sources, guests, and analysts on programmes and reporting nuanced women-angled stories as it relates to social and economic issues the women and girl-child encounter. The awards which was organised by Women Radio (WFM 91.7) and Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Reporting (WSCIJ), held on Saturday, 8 July 2023, at Radisson Blu Ikeja Lagos with the support of United Nations Women and the Government of Canada.
The television category was won by Arise News ahead of Africa Independent Television, which finished as runner-up. Blueprint newspaper emerged winner in the print category ahead of Leadership newspaper, Voice of Nigeria won the radio category while Sparklight FM held their own as runner-up. Techcabal emerged winner ahead of Ripples Nigeria in the digital (online) category and Ene Oshaba with Blueprint newspaper took the runner-up position as Titilope Fadare of Premium Times emerged as the best journalist in Nigeria that interviewed and wrote more women stories and ensured gender-balanced reporting. Runner-ups received certificates of achievement each while the winners received a high-end laptop, plaque and certificate of achievement respectively. In addition, Fadare also won a scholarship courtesy of UN Women to train at the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom.
Toun Okewale Sonaiya, the co-founder of Women Radio 91.7FM, thanked media owners, executives, editors and journalists who break stereotypes in their reportage of Women, especially during the 2023 elections. She said more remains undone to achieve a balanced reportage of men and women in the news as winners were charged not to relent. Okewale Sonaiya announced that the 2024 edition will include photojournalists deliberately committed to increasing female representation and reporting women in the media. Babatunde Okewale, Chairman of Women Radio 91.7, acknowledged the role of the media in the progress made so far in female reportage. He noted that the media’s effort meant increased inclusion of women as he appreciated funders’ support towards the realisation of the ReportHer awards.
During her speech titled Why ReportHer Awards, Motunrayo Alaka, Executive Director/CEO, WSCIJ, noted that the collaborations towards the success of the event was a synergy of minds committed to the cause of development of a nation through equity. Furthermore, she states that the ReportHer Awards was beyond appreciating the media for accurately reporting and representing women and girls, she said it was also an evening to recognise the importance of accurate representation of the dynamic economic and social effects which are peculiar to the lives of women and the girl child, especially the marginalised. Alaka also challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to aim for fifty percent (50%) female representation instead of the proposed 35% as the country awaits the list of ministers and heads of agencies, boards, and parastatals.
Speaking on behalf of UN Women, Beatrice Eyong, country representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, faulted the stereotype and biased representation of women. She thanked media organisations for advancing the rights of women and girls in Nigeria through media visibility as active shapers of perception. Eyong stated that UN Women would continue to address the unfair representation of women as she challenged the media to do more to change the narrative. Kole Shettima, Africa Director of MacArthur Foundation, during his goodwill remarks highlighted the importance of the ReportHer Awards celebrating media organisations and journalists committed to gender and social inclusion.
In her goodwill remarks, Ebere Ifendu, president of the Women in Politics Forum (WIPF), highlighted the challenge women in politics face stemming from stereotyped reportage of women and encouraged more media organisations to be intentional about representing Nigerian women on a global scale. Balarabe Ilelah, Director General National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), commended the initiative and stressed the need for women’s empowerment as part of the developmental process of Nigeria. Ilelah also noted that the award would spur more broadcasters to do more gender-balanced stories as he urged winners to see the award as a call to do more.
Also, Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Executive Director of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), reiterated the importance of women in the country’s development. Olusola Momoh, the vice-chair of Channels Television, represented by Joke Rogers, re-emphasized the importance of supporting the cause of women as immense contributors to nation-building. Wale Olanrewaju, Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists, Ogun State Council, thanked Women Radio for its dedication and amplification of women’s voices and hinted at a future partnership with WFM in Ogun State. Speaking on the need to close the gap in the visibility given to women in leadership, Mufiliat Fijabi, chief executive officer of Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), identified the ReportHer Awards as an initiative worthy of international standards and urged UN Women to replicate the award across Africa.
Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of the International Press Centre (IPC), who spoke on behalf of the award judges, revealed that the selection period was between March 2022 to March 2023. From the 106 entries received, winners were selected based on ethics and professionalism, the social responsibility of journalists on female gender reportage, usage of women as news sources, equal representation of women in everyday stories and the informative nature of the entries. Other judges were Ene Ede, publisher of the Woman Today newspaper; Chinonso Clark, CEO, Lead for Good Africa and Hamzat Lawal, Chief Executive Officer of Connected Development (CODE).
