Kelechi Amakoh writes of the feat by Toyosi Ogunleye, Editor, Sunday Punch who has won six awards this year with her three part investigative story, The rich also cry.
This is the time of the year when excellence and hard work in the media is being rewarded. Time of the year when persons and organisations who have distinguished themselves mount the podium and get honoured .
Several media awards have been held with winners carting away prizes -a spur for greater work.
By the time 2013 is over, Toyosi Ogunseye, Editor, Sunday Punch surely will have course to be grateful for having a fulfilling year. It is a thing of joy to get rewarded for a job well done. But getting rewarded by virtually all media award organisers is a confirmation of Ogunseye being an outstanding journalist.
This is the case of Ogunseye who has been clinching awards for her three- part story “The Rich also cry”
The story focused on the impact of the gases released by a steel company, Universal Steels Limited, on the health of the residents of nearby Adekunle Fajuyi Estate, in Lagos.
The first part, ‘The rich also cry: A tale of deaths and diseases in a heavily polluted upscale estate,’ told stories of the residents’ battle with diseases that resulted from inhaling fumes from the steel company.
The second part, ‘The rich also cry: Killer metals in the blood’ detailed the results of blood and urine tests conducted on the residents, which confirmed the presence of killer doses of metals in their bodies.
The third part, ‘The rich also cry: When investment is a curse,’ looked at the links environmental policies, roles of government and Nigeria’s quest for foreign investment had with pollution of the estate.
According to Prof. Gabriel Adewoye, Head of award panel, Nigeria Academy of Science Award, ‘The rich also cry’ is an example of “excellent investigative journalism.” He said this in April 2013 when Ogunseye clinched the Science Journalist of the Year (2012) by the Academy.
He further said: “The winning entry was the clear winner of this year’s award. All the judges agreed that Ogunseye showed depth, clarity and an understanding of the issues highlighted in the story. It was investigative journalism as its best.
“Apart from saving lives, she also championed a policy change as the factory that was polluting the environment, was shut down.”
Her story did not only clinch the Nigeria Academy of Science Award , it also won the prestigious Environment category of the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist of the Year Award 2013, 2013 Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting, DAME 2013 Press Reporter of the Year, Nobert Zongo Print Journalist of the Year and Nobert Zongo Investigative Journalist of the Year award in Burkina Faso
Ogunseye not only had the views of residents and medical practitioners, she included results test of the soil, water and plant samples from the estate. The test revealed the level of damage caused by the pollutants from the steel plant.
The story revealed that the concentration of chromium, cadmium, zinc and iron in blood, urine, soil, water and plant samples were much higher than the levels permitted by World Health Organisation.
Rewarding Ogunseye for excellence, Judges of the Wole Soyinka Investigative Journalists Award noted: “Toyosi continued to report the abuse on the right to health, and to life of the residents until the Lagos state government paid attention… For reporting what could have gone unoticed, staying on the story, and revealing a failure of regulatory agencies…”
“ Ogunseye’s story has indeed been an eye-opener to the hardship of residents around multi- national organisations of production descent. The consciousness has been created in the hearts of residence on possible dangers; companies will now become careful on how their toxic materials are disposed. CNN/Multi choice had this to say: “Thanks to her tireless investigation those suffering ill health were finally given a voice and the factory was closed.”
The several awards won with one story and commendation by all should serve as a tonic for hard work for other journalists.
Truly, Ogunseye indeed has shown why hard work, dedication, zeal and excellence are required to be a journalist of impact in the society.