Kemi Busari, a journalist with PREMIUM TIMES, alongside nine others were honoured at the 12th edition of the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting held in Lagos.
Kemi emerged as runner up of the online category with his two part-series on ‘Investigation: corruption, extortion reign at Nigeria Immigration passport offices.’
The story exposed myriads of corruption perpetrated by officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service in the issuance and renewal of international passports.
After publishing in August, the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Mohammed Babandede ordered an investigation into the ring of passport racketeers exposed in the story and banned the collection of cash at all passport offices nationwide.
Fisayo Soyombo, former editor of The Cable online media, emerged winner of the online category while Ebuka Ndukwu of Ripples Nigeria got a commendation.
In the print category, Adekunle Yusuf of The Nation was announced winner, Mojeed Alabi of New telegraph emerged runner up, while Chinwe Agbeze’s work was commended.
A newly-introduced special prize for food security and agriculture was awarded to Tadaferua Ujorha.
For the photo category, Ayodele Aliyu of Sun newspaper came top, followed by Kolawole Aliyu of Leadership newspaper as runner up while The Guardian’s Ayodele Adeniran’s work was commended.
Organisers of the award also bestowed the Lifetime Anti-corruption Defender on foremost activist, Oby Ezekwesili, and Lifetime Award for Journalistic Excellence on Edetaen Ojo.
The big winner of the night was Adekunle Yusuf of The Nation who emerged as Wole Soyinka Investigative Reporter of the year with his entry “Exposed: How corruption, favouritism thrive in Unilorin (1), (2) and (3)”
The story uncovered several cases of corrupt practices by top university officials who continually received salaries for positions they did not hold.
The event was attended by the Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, and other dignitaries.
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