-Oyekola AbdulMuizz
Four members of the Union of Campus Journalists, University of Ibadan (UCJUI) have been shortlisted in four different categories for the 2022 Youth Digest Campus Journalism Awards.
Indy Press Editor-in-Chief, Okafor John Oluwadamilare, was shortlisted in the ‘Editor of the Year’ category, for his editorial: “UI Students and the Dilemma of School Fees Payment”. Adebayo Abdulrahman, UCJUI Features Editor, was shortlisted for ‘Features Writer of the Year’, for his entry “Beyond Numbers: Victims of Owo Massacre”, Abdulrahman Uthman Ayomide for ‘Investigative Reporter of the Year’ for his entry ‘SPECIAL REPORT: UI Students, ASUU Strike and The Scramble for IT placements’, and Olanshile Ogunrinu was for the ‘Upcoming Writer of the Year’ category for his entry
“In Nigerian universities, student activists exercise free speech at the cost of suspensions”.
According to the organisers, the entries were selected by a five-member jury made up of distinguished media experts in the country with vast professional experience after a thorough review and assessment of the stories that the campus journalists submitted.
The chairman of the screening committee, Olanrewaju Oyedeji, in a statement on Thursday, November 17, 2022, revealed that only 12 out of the 15 categories that were initially unveiled made it to the finals.
“The three categories dropped are ‘Photojournalist, Syndicated Writer and Social Media Influencer,” he said, adding that failure of the nominees to meet the screening conditions led to the cancellation.
Mr Oyedeji explained that the screening conditions include clarity, language, originality, relevance and depth.
While the selected finalists were shortlisted for the award per category, the organisers said the top two finalists in each category would be invited via email to Abuja for the awards.
Adebayo Abdulrahman, when speaking with UCJ UI on how he feels about the nominations said, he feels glad about the nominations, especially as it is coming at a time when “some persons are trying to question my credibility and consideration in journalism”.
“I am someone who learnt a very long time ago to never hype my value or qualification to any awards but I am of the opinion that when you get nominated or shortlisted for awards, it is a sign that certain individuals somewhere recognise the efforts you put in your work. Whether I win the award or not, the fact that I got shortlisted for the awards means a lot,” he concluded.
