Three outstanding Nigerian journalists have been selected for three global media fellowships holding this year.
They are Philip Obaji, Daily Beast Correspondent, Hannah Ajakaiye, who leads FactsMatterNG and Adesola Ikulajolu, a freelance investigative reporter.
Obaji is the inaugural recipient of the Jim Hoge Reporting Fellowship awarded by the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), Ajakaiye, John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships and Ikulajolu, Global Early Childhood Reporting Fellowship
The ICFJ announced on Tuesday that Obaji, who specializes in Russia’s involvement in West Africa, along with Mais Katt, a reporter from Syria known for her coverage of the Syrian War, and Bárbara Poerner, a Brazilian journalist who reports on climate and gender in her country, has been selected for the fellowship designed to help rising news leaders in the U.S. and abroad produce high-quality news and advance their careers.
Through the fellowship with the ICFJ, Obaji, who is currently attending the Berlin Fellowship Program on digital security in Germany, will produce an investigative report about the involvement of Wagner – Russia’s mercenary group – in clashes across West Africa.
The fellows will receive funding and support to pursue three-month reporting projects on pressing global issues.
The inaugural fellowship recipients were selected from the more than 15,000 members of the ICFJ Pamela Howard Forum on Global Crisis Reporting for their dedication to the same high standards that Hoge has upheld his entire career.
Ajakaiye is one of the seven journalism leaders from Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America to Stanford University to be part of the JSK Class of 2023-24.
Beginning in September, the Fellows will pursue a range of innovative ideas that seek to champion press freedom in a world where journalists and independent media are increasingly under attack.
More than 1,000 people from more than 80 countries have participated in journalism fellowships at Stanford since the program first began in 1966.
FactsMatterNG, led by Ajakaiye promotes information integrity by making facts go viral. The project uses humour, eye-catching videos and graphics to share the truth in a way that is as compelling as the fake news that can spread like wildfire on social media.
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Ajakaiye formerly of The Nation Newspaper and an ICFJ Knight TruthBuzz Fellow is an award-winning journalist and data enthusiast with a passion for development and social justice issues.
Ikulajolu was named one of the 15 journalists for the 2023 Global Early Childhood Reporting Fellowship who will undertake projects on the effects of war, disaster, inequality and poverty on young children’s growth and development, and the well-being of their caregivers.
He is the second Nigerian selected for the fellowship since 2017.
The Fellowship, which will run from May through November, is led by journalist, Karen Brown, in collaboration with Irene Caselli, Joanne Silberner and Bob Ortega.
Fellows will receive a stipend of $2,000 USD and coaching and mentorship by senior journalists and will also attend monthly webinars with international experts in the fields of science, education, public health, and journalism.
Ikulajolu is a fellow of the African Data Hub; a fellow of the Open Contract Reporting Fellowship by the International Center for Investigative Reporting (ICIR); a fellow of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA).
“This means a lot to my career path and my consistent push to grow on this line. Looking forward to meeting the team at Dart Centre, Columbia University and fellows,” Ikulajolu said in response to his selection.
