Ripples Nigeria journalist shortlisted for West Africa Media Excellence Awards

A journalist with Ripples Nigeria, Arinze Chijioke has been shortlisted for the prestigious West Africa Media Excellence Awards, WAMECA.

Chijioke was shortlisted for the award, which is now in its 5th year, alongside 20 other journalists from across Africa.

He was shortlisted for his entry; Special Report… ‘Risking all for a living: Enugu women who transform palm kernel chaff into useful products’. This is a story on small business owners who risk their health to make useful products’ from a waste material.

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) which announced the list of journalists for the 2021 edition of the awards, said this year’s event will be held on Friday, October 22, at the Alisa Hotel, Accra, Ghana and will be graced by media experts, high-level personalities and delegates from sub-regional bodies and civil society groups.

The event is also expected to host West Africa’s foremost media defence lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, as Guest of Honour.

The renowned human rights lawyer will present the award to the overall best journalist in West Africa.

According to MFWA, the 2021 West Africa Media Excellence Awards received 711 entries from 14 countries in West Africa and the body of jury, after a thorough review of the entries shortlisted 21 journalists from five countries.

Read also: How Ripples Centre for Data and Investigative Journalism is changing the practice of journalism in Africa

“All journalists will receive a Certificate of Merit while the ultimate winners will receive plaques, certificates and cash prizes,” it said.

The winners for the various categories including the West African Journalist of the Year will be announced at the Awards event.

All 21 finalists will also be inducted as fellows of the MFWA’s Journalism for Change Network and will be offered regular training opportunities both locally and internationally to enhance their capacity to influence positive change in society through journalism.

MFWA had announced that the theme for this year’s event, “Misinformation, Digital Media Regulation and Journalism in Africa” has been necessitated by the growing number of legislations that tends to strengthen state control over the use of the internet, online communication outlets and digital media platforms including social media platforms.

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