By Oluwatomisin Amokeoja
A Senior Producer for Cable News Network (CNN) Africa, Bukola Adebayo, has made the list of journalists selected for 2020-21 class of Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University.
In an announcement by the foundation, Adebayo was one of the 16 Nieman Fellows selected for its 83rd class, including investigative reporters, science journalists, editors, television and radio producers, a critic, a columnist and newsroom executives working across all media platforms.
During the one year fellowship, Adebayo is studying the “media coverage shaping narratives that expose sexual harassment and gender inequality in Africa, where the #MeToo movement has been struggling to find its footing.”
She has a decade experience reporting on politics, health, social justice issues across Africa for many reputable medium platforms including CNN, where she presently works as a senior producer with the digital bureau in Lagos, Nigeria.
Adebayo was named the Science Journalist of the Year for her work on the sale of blood among Nigerian youths by Nigerian Academy of science in 2013.
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Her investigation of a 2018 sex-for-grades scandal at a Nigerian university contributed to the prosecution and conviction of a lecturer for sexual misconduct.
She previously reported for The Punch, Nigeria’s most widely read newspaper, where she ran the health desk and wrote investigative stories about medical and environmental issues.
Her data reporting projects with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and Code For Africa have won her local and international commendations to date.
She is a fellow of the National Press Foundation in the United States and an alumnus of the International Institute of Journalism in Berlin.
Due to Harvard campus restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the academic-year fellows will begin their fall studies online.
Nieman curator, Ann Marie Lipinski explained that “the challenges for journalism are as consequential as ever, inspiring Nieman to recommit to its mission of fortifying journalists through its fellowships while also creating new opportunities to meet this moment.”
“This will be a historic year at Harvard and we look forward to working with these gifted journalists to redefine what education and fellowship can look like during a pandemic.
“We are also eager to offer new support for projects focused on fostering racial justice and public health, areas of deep concern for the nation and our industry. Journalism’s new challenges are opportunities for Nieman to help in new ways.”
Other Nigerians who are alumni of the fellowship include: Soji Akinlabi (2019); Nneka Nwosu Faison (2018); Ameto Apke (2014); Nkem Ifejika (2017) and Ronke Olawale (2009), Sunday Dare (2001), Declan Okpalaeke (2003), Waziri Adio (2002)
