Daily Trust, the flagship publication of Media Trust Group and Trust TV, one of its subsidiaries, shone brightly yesterday as its journalists won the Wole Soyinka Investigative Journalism Awards.
Daily Trust and Trust TV journalists, Lami Sadiq and Aaron Atsahyel, emerged as the winners of both the print and television categories of the award, the most prestigious investigative journalism award in Nigeria.
Sadiq who won the print category based on her story titled; ‘Inside Abuja’s Kidney ‘market’ where the rich prey on the poor’, also emerged as the runner-up in the television category with the same story.
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Atsahyel’s of Trust TV emerged as the winner in the television category, based on his Documentary titled, “Stolen Innocence; Nabeeha’s Tragic Abduction.”
The runner-up in the print category was Ann Godwin of The Guardian newspaper while Segun Odunayo of Punch newspaper came third.
However, no winner was announced for the radio category, but Olufunke Fayemi of VON emerged as runner-up while Isaac Ojo of Splash FM emerged as in third place.
In the online category, Mansir Ibrahim and Jemilat Nasiru won the overall with the story titled ‘Living on borrowed time (1): How Nigeria’s unchecked e-waste is poisoning residents, environment’.
The runner-up was Daniel Ojukowu of the ICIR and Umar Audu of the Daily Nigerian finished third.
In the Photo category, Olukayode Jaiyeola of the Punch newspaper emerged as the overall winner while Elliot Ovadje of the same Punch newspaper finished as the runners-up and third position.
After the presentation of the award in the different categories, no one was announced as the overall winner owing to inability to meet the required points.
On the honorary award, the late Beko Ransome-Kuti was awarded the Human Rights Defender Award while Professor Chinyere Okunna was given the Lifetime Award for Journalistic Excellence.
Earlier before the award presentation, the Chair 2024 Judge, Stella Din-Jacob revealed that 191 entries were submitted, lamenting that there was low representation from female journalists.
“45 of them were female representing 24.9 percent and 118 were male journalists representing 74.5 percent,” she said.
She urged media outfits to focus on training journalists in a bid to offer best practices, while decrying the gradual decline of Investigative reportage.
History of Awards
The Media Trust Group, the parent company of Daily Trust and Trust TV, Trust Radio, Aminiya, among others has been recognised for excellence in its impactful journalism as reflected in the several awards and laurels won by its reporters.
It would be recalled that in 2022, the then General Editor of Daily Trust Newspaper now Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Malam Hamza Idris, emerged winner of Editor of the Year award at the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Awards (NMMA).
Also, in 2022, Trust TV’s Abdulaziz Abdulaziz won the Television category of the 17th Wole Soyinka Award for investigative reporting.
The documentary of Abdulaziz, who was then the Deputy General Editor of Daily Trust, titled “Nigeria’s Banditry: The Inside Story”, won him the coveted award.
2023
The Head of Daily Trust Investigation Desk, Lami Sadiq, emerged the winner of the print category at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), 2023 award for Investigative Reporting.
Lami emerged winner with her story, which beamed light on organ harvesting in the country’s capital, Abuja, walked home with N300,000, a plaque, certificate, laptop and an international trip.
Similarly, Trust TV’s Gaza Yakubu emerged the overall winner of the television production category of the 2023 Nigeria Media Merit Award.
Gaza was nominated for his documentary “Killer Doctor” alongside Trust TV’s Aaron Atsahyel, for his documentary, “Through the Benue.”
In the same year, Trust TV won the Best Television Show (English Language) at the inaugural edition of The Nigeria Broadcasting Awards (TNBA).
Law and Order, a weekly programme, edged out Channels Television’s Politics Today and ARISE TV’s Morning Show to win the category at the event which was held in Lagos last year.
Trust TV also emerged as the Media House of the Year in the League of Extraordinary Achievers Award.
Trust TV emerged media house of the year following its investigative and educative contents in just two years of its existence.
2024
Daily Trust’s Assistant Online Editor, Afeez Hanafi, emerged as the winner of the print category in the 2nd edition of Emerging Health Technologies Media Award of Excellence.
The paper’s Health Editor, Ojoma Akor, had won the category in the inaugural edition of the award last year.
Also yesterday, she bagged award of excellence for exceptional reporting on HIV-related issues.
Penultimate week, Daily Trust Newspaper won the Best Designed Newspaper of the Year 2024 in the 33rd edition of Diamond Award for Media Excellence (DAME).
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