Speech of the 2020 Judges’ Committee, presented at the 15th Wole Soyinka Award Ceremony for Investigative Reporting, held at NECA House, Hakeem Balogun Street, off Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos, on Wednesday, December 9, 2020.
Protocol
I recognise the presence of distinguished media owners, mangers, professionals and honourees; and seek your kind permission to adopt the protocol laid by the master of ceremony (MC).
Introduction
On this day, the 2020 Judges’ Committee, for the 15th Wole Soyinka award for investigative reporting, commend the efforts of Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) the Centre for encouraging the use of journalism over the years to push for social change; and this year’s call for entries, attests to this assertion. For the 2020 Judges’ Committee, it is gladdening to see the WSCIJ wax stronger in deploying journalism to national development.
At the beginning of the last quarter of this year, seven of us, not in any particular order (Professor Umaru Pate; Professor ‘Lai Oso; Dr. Theophilus Abbah; Ms. Ayo Obe; Mr. Boye Ola; Mr. Gbile Oshadipe; and my humble self, Professor Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika) received invitation from the board and management of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism to serve as 2020 Judges’ Committee, for the 15th Wole Soyinka award for investigative reporting. This, we saw as a call to duty; and a duty to serve.
We were mandated to assess and score entries received for various categories (print, radio, television, photo, online and editorial cartoon). This we did individually and independently, using a set of criteria that centred on human rights, good governance, accountability, social justice and best practices in investigative journalism. It was followed by a collation meeting, held on Tuesday, November 24, 2020. After the rigorous selection process, the 2020 judges’ committee, presented a list of journalists selected from the one hundred and eighty-eight (188) entries received, to WSCIJ.
The journalists who made the list for the awards, have in the course of their duties shown uncommon profundity, ethical journalistic courage, individual creativity and public benefit in their reports on clandestine activities, public or corporate corruption, human rights violation and or, the failure of regulatory agencies.
Why is 2020 Edition of WSCIJ Award Special?
This year’s edition is special, because the WSCIJ is using the instrumentality of the journalism to draw the attention of duty bearers on the need for the country to remain focused on theSustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Hence, this special edition interrogates SDGs, with emphasis on COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the steps taken by the government to contain it and curtail the aggravated exposure to poverty, hunger, lack of access to education, limited health care, inequalities between female and male persons and other issues occasioned by the pandemic.
On the SDGs, the stories show that we are just ‘sloganeering’ as a nation, but not preparing seriously for 2030. Similarly, investigative stories on Covid-19 and #ENDSARS were adjudged to be shallow as the level of investigations did not measure up to standard. Notwithstanding, light was shone on the issues as most Covid-19 stories exemplified how accountability was undermined in managing the pandemic.
Again, this award is special, because it will reward the investigative works of journalists who despite the challenges they faced as frontline workers in this time of crisis, focused on human-interest issues that affect Nigerians the most. According to the Centre, the journalists were ‘Masked not Silenced’. So, as the Centre presents the awards, we will better understand that indeed, the Nigerian media industry is ‘Masked, not Silenced’.
Observations and Recommendations
Generally, all the entries are strong, because they drew attention to major national issues. However, some stories deserve special mention andthe authors also deservecommendation for their professionalism.
We kick off with an entry in the print category. It is a story on bribery at an immigration checkpoint.This entry beyond exposing how aliens migrate illegally into Nigeria; exemplifies current trends in investigative reporting as the journalist deployed spy camera in undercover reporting.
Also, in the print category, one of the stories exposed a monumental tragedy of people getting paid for work not done, which is a practice common in the public sector. Specifically, this story highlights how Nigerian children are denied the right to development as they go to school without being taught and ghost workers collect salaries as teachers. Those ghost workers are creating future problems for the country, because a nation with poor access to basic education is laying a solid foundation that reproduces poverty and insecurity. This story does not just expose the decay, but shows that children are being taught to game the system.
Another story in the same category, centred on certificate scandal.We commend the reporter and the medium for resilience. The reporter pursued the story until a public institution reversed itself. The story brought to the fore, why institutions are not working; and how people get into positions with ‘fake’ certificates, which promotes fakery and quackery. The public institution reversing itself, also shows that institutions can work, if journalists uphold their constitutional responsibility of holding government accountable.
The online category also had a stream of quality investigative reports.Worthy of mention isa well investigated story on the fraudulent award of contracts; showing the level of corruption involving officials and their children. It exposed high level corruption and involvement of government officials in fleecing and under developing the country through connivance and fraudulent contracts.
Furthermore, another online storyexposed the weakness of constituency projects; and the mentality of some public office holders, who approach public projects as largesse; instead of using them to make life meaningful for the people. The report is an evidence-based human angle story that voiced the concern of the vulnerable members of Nigerian society and demanded accountability from the government agencies established to protect the citizens.
Again, an online story drew our attention to what suspects go through; and the way criminal justice is administered from the point of arrest, to bail, investigation prosecution and timeline for justice delivery. This story is beyond singling out an individual, but presents the system. As a nation, turning our searchlight to the issues raised and addressing them, will help build public confidence in the judicial system.
Wrapping up top notch entries in the online category is one that exposed how faulty academic foundations are built in our country by examination officials, who lack integrity. So, instead of curbing examination malpractice, they aid and abet it.
However, the online platform is abused; and verbosity is its signature. Most stories had no consideration for the attention span of the readers. So, we suggest that when online journalists mine data, they should paraphrase for conciseness and precision; and interpret them without losing accuracy, logic and completeness. Also, technically, in terms of language use, there is need for improvement!
The radio category did not measure up to standard as the entries were merely feature stories. Meanwhile, it is pertinent to mention an entry,which presentsa frightening story that shows the levity of treating cases of missing persons. It deserves mention because it directs our attention to the safety of persons in hospitals.
Similarly, one televisionhorrifying report did well in terms of exposure and follow up, and was able to get some action taken by the authorities. Also, the under cover reporter through secret telephone calls got the names of those involved, even the Police officer handling the case. This is commendable. Notwithstanding, there should be some follow-up as to why there was no budget for the necessary investigation, how money paid by the complainant was spent, whether it was accounted for nor was it clear what the matter had to do with the ‘social media’ to which the force PRO (Bala) referred.
On photo,while many of the entries in this category raised issues of concern; they were weak in professional touch as many of them were not visually powerful. It appears that our photojournalists have refused to up the ante in the discharge of their duties. Notwithstanding, one photo entryis commended for reminding us about the brutality of security officers and oppression of citizens. It brought to the fore the psychological reduction of the dignity of human person.
In addition, one cartoon entry presents a picture of the ‘patch, patch’ nature of the health sector, specifically the exodus of doctors, which is an issue of increasing importance. It captures the reason for the deficit of doctors in our country, which accounts for why 200 million Nigerians are under served in the health sector. While World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends one doctor to 600 patients for adequate and quality health care delivery; in Nigeria, we have one doctor to 5,000 patients. Therefore, it is newsworthy and an issue of increasing importance. However, the graphics lack visual power. Furthermore, wit and humour are missing in the cartoon. We submit that cartoonists should go beyond illustrations and marry popular culture with news of the day. As such, we recommend that in their delivery, there should be an intersection between the issue as news and humour.
Conclusion
Though some of the stories were not awarded, they brought to the fore important issues, which should be seen as canary in the coal mine; as they present warning signs for action in the country. In order not to be cut napping and to avoid a situation, where things get to the tipping point; government should pay attention to issues raised in the entries and awards, because they exposed ticking time bomb i.e., the things happening to the citizens that need to be corrected; and point the attention of duty bearers to them. So, government may do well to turn its searchlight on them by investing and correcting them.
Again, the fourth estate of the realm, should continue to uphold its constituional responsibility of holding government to account; and should remain resilient in the use of the pen as an instrument for social change. Finally, we call on local foundations to fund enterprise journalism, because good journalism costs money.
Thanks for listening and enjoy the rest of the evening.
Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika PhD, MNIPR, arpa
Chairperson, WSCIJ 2020 Judges’ Committee