Samad Uthman, a journalist with the leading media and data analytics organization, Dataphyte, has been shortlisted for the West Africa Media Excellence Awards (WAMECA) 2021.
The information was communicated by the Media Foundation for West Africa on Wednesday via its official website.
Samad is a multimedia journalist with vast experience in investigative reporting. The entries by the reporter focused on human rights and health. He wrote about the plight of pensioners in Osun state, South Western region of Nigeria in the Human Rights category and also the story about Pfizer’s 1996 horror clinical trial in Kano state, Nigeria, in the Health Reporting category.
The organizers announced that the award event will be held on October 22, at Alisa hotel in Ghana. Top personalities including renowned lawyer, Femi Falana are expected at the event.
Twenty-one journalists were nominated from fourteen West African countries. According to WAMECA, the finalists were selected from fourteen West African countries. Nine Nigerians were announced for the award, two Senegalese journalists, one journalist from Burkina Faso, Five Ghanian Journalists and one journalist from Benin were selected for the awards.
The organisers named the jury for this year’s award as including; Cameron Duodu from Ghana, Joseph Warungu from Kenya, Hamadou Tidiane from Senegal, Reyhana Master Smith from Zimbabwe and Selay Marius from Cote d’Ivoire.
Previous winners include: Fisayo Soyombo from Nigeria, Mousa Ngom from Senegal, Funke Busari from Nigeria, Manasseh Awuni from Ghana among other top journalists across the region.
While commenting on the nomination noted that it is a spur to do better, especially in ensuring a just and accountable society. He also won multiple awards before this nomination by WAMECA.
The regional awards started in 2017 and this is the fifth edition.