Three Nigerians nominated for CNN African Journalism Award

Toyosi Ogunseye and Tolu Ogunlesi have won the awards in the past.

Three Nigerian journalists are among the 27 journalists that have been nominated for the 2013 CNN Multichoice African Journalist Awards.

The journalists include Tolu Ogunlesi for Freelance for Ventures Africa; Geoff Iyatse of the Guardian; and Oluwatoyosi Ogunseye of Sunday Punch.

Both Ms. Ogunseye and Mr. Ogunlesi have been recipients of the awards in the past.

The chair of the independent judging panel, Ferial Haffajee, who announced the finalists, said the competition, now in its 18th year, received entries from 42 countries across Africa including French and Portuguese speaking African countries.

Winners of the competition will be announced in Cape Town, South Africa on October 12, at an Award ceremony and Gala night hosted by Isha Sesay, host of CNN International’s ‘NewsCenter’.

Mr. Haffajee, commending journalists in Africa on their rising professionalism, said the judges were impressed by different stories presented.

“A tough table of judges was often visibly impressed by the range of stories presented to us. African journalists, as represented by our entries, have risen to the challenge of 2012. The big stories were well-covered. The small stories were not forgotten. We commend the

dedication of journalists who are very much part of a rising Africa with rising professionalism, increased appetite for tough and investigative journalism, an eye on those left behind and a deep commitment to telling good stories across many mediums,” Mr. Haffajee said.

An all-expenses paid four day programme of workshops, media forums, networking has been set up for the finalists during the run up to the award ceremony in Cape Town from African journalists who have worked on the continent for African owned, or headquartered, media organizations that produced a printed publication or broadcast through an electronic medium (television broadcaster, radio station or website) primarily targeted at and received by an African audience.

Entries for the awards were published in 2012 for Culture Award; The Coca-Cola Company Economics and Business Award; Digital Platform Award; Environment Award; Free Press Africa Award; Mohamed Amin Photographic Award; MSD Health & Medical Award; Print General News Award; Radio General News Award; Sport Award; Television Features Award; Television News Bulletin Award; Francophone General News Awards and Portuguese Language General News Award.

The finalists are:

Gifty Andoh Appiah, Joy News TV, Ghana

Rebekah Awuah, GBC 24, Ghana

Domingos Bento, Seminário Novo Jornal, Angola

Thomas Otieno Bwire, Pamoja FM, Kibera, Kenya

Axcel Micael Chenney, Le Défi Média Group, Mauritius

Florence Dallu, Freelance for Koch FM, Kenya

Nicola de Chaud, Freelance for Carte Blanche, South Africa

Adrian de Kock, The Star, South Africa

Ibrahima-Benjamin Diagne, Radio Futurs Médias (RFM), Senegal

Msindisi Fengu & Yandisa Monakali, Daily Dispatch, South Africa

Selma Inocência, Rede de Comunicação Miramar, Mozambique

Geoff Iyatse, The Guardian, Nigeria

Thanduxolo Jika & Media 24 Investigations Team, Media 24, South Africa

Judy Jeptum Kosgei & Mauritius Oduor, Citizen TV, Kenya

Lucas Ledwaba, City Press, South Africa

Lázaro Mabunda, O País, Mozambique

Carol Natukunda, New Vision, Uganda

Amon Ngabo, Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, Uganda

Tolu Ogunlesi, Freelance for Ventures Africa, Nigeria

Oluwatoyosi Ogunseye, Sunday Punch, Nigeria

Brenda Okoth, The Star, Kenya

Nassima Oulebsir, El Watan, AlgeriaPassant Rabie, Egypt Today, Egypt

Roseline Wangui & Wambui Kurema, NTV, Kenya.