CELEBRATING the best of African journalism during the 2012 CNN MultiChoice African Journalist of the Year Awards ceremony could only have been overshadowed by the extraordinary stories told by African journalists about African people of ordinary means.
Though the grand finale of the continent’s most prestigious award in journalism has come and gone, memories of the proficiency of African journalists in story telling, linger. The glitz, glamour and grandeur of the night of the 17th edition of Africa’s most prestigious journalism awards will not be forgotten in a hurry.
It was a night to remember. Not just because it was a night to feel proud as an African, but more because it was the best night to be a journalist. On the rostrum at a gala ceremony hosted by CNN and MultiChoice at Auditorium Hall, Government Complex Convention Centre, Lusaka, Zambia, was a group of the best African journalists selected from an impressive crop of incisive and decisive journalists across Africa.
Uncommon story telling abilities
It was a night to celebrate the uncommon story telling abilities of the 34 finalists from 12 countries, whose tales about people of common means had touched the very core of existence of mankind. In vying for the CNN MultiChoice Africa Journalist of the Year Award – Africa’s ultimate symbol of journalistic excellence, journalists told unforgettable, heart-wrenching, true-to-life experiences of ordinary Africans in extraordinary situations.
Their gripping and emotive tales of extreme challenges and first-hand, life-altering encounters in the battle of survival, evoked a mixed bag of reactions, bringing hurtful tears to many eyes, comforting joy to many hearts and broad smiles to many faces.
On offer was a rich menu of scrumptious and spectacular life-engaging stories about the travails of humanity. Each story was unique, yet had something in common with every other story. They all dealt with people, their lives, travails, failures and successes.
*William Asiko, President, Coca-Cola Foundation, presenting the Economics and
Business Award to Joy Summers of Carte Blanche, South Africa at the 2012 CNN Multichoice awardThey were people-oriented. Through these stories, the journalists successfully helped attain the objective of Africa’s most respected award, which is to reinforce the role of journalists in developing the continent, in addition to recognising, rewarding and encouraging growing journalistic talents.
The independent panel of judges that had earlier scrutinized 1,799 entries sent in from 48 countries across the continent, had its work cut out. “Picking winners in the 16 categories in contention was no picnic,” Ferial Haffajee, chairperson of the judging panel confessed: “As judges, our work is getting tougher and tougher each year and this is a good thing. Not only are there more entries than ever before from more countries, but the quality is getting rigorous as technology brings down the cost of production.”
Haffajee extolled the growth of investigative journalism in Africa, noting how the entrants “delighted with eyes and ears keenly tuned to the unusual, the original and the awesome.” There were stories expressing the challenges of life as compared to the certainty of death – more so within the African perspective. Other stories were steeped in the unique African flavour with breathtaking renditions of the paradox of being “alive” while not “living a life”.
Impressive and very good entries
Dozens of impressive and very good entries in the individual categories made the books, but only the best of the best won. Ten journalists, who turned in among the best entries and participated in the finalists’ programme in Lusaka, each received a cash prize, a Nokia 800 Lumia and a Certificate of Commendation. Among them were Tunde Akingbade of The Guardian on Sunday; Peter Nkanga, Idris Akinbajo, Elor Nkereuwem, and Musikilu Mojeed, of The Next on Sunday.
But the most fascinating entry, by a long shot, was a documentary entitled “African Tribe in India”. Brainchild of the duo of Tom Mboya and Evanson Nyaga, of Citizen TV, Kenya, it told a story of an African tribe “lost” in Karnataka, southern India. In the story which began on the streets of Nairobi, Kenya and continued in an obscure community in India, Mboya and Evanson took viewers through an odyssey of how a group of Africans are holding on to their roots in a strange land.
It was one piece of work that stole the hearts of the judging panel – twice. First, it won the Television Features Award, presented by IPP Media, Tanzania, and then, in grand style, went on to clinch the coveted top prize of the 2012 CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Award – bringing the total number of times Kenyans have won the top prize to a record seven.
“Journalism is a profession that allows you to go in, and then bring out what the world needs to know. It is humbling that the Father Lord has brought us this,” commented an excited Mboya. On his own, Evanson simply confessed he was truly humbled. Joel Kibazo, one of the judges, described the winning story as the most unique.
He said: “This story introduced the viewer to something new, an African tribe in India few know about. The journalist took the viewer with him to India, and the village to speak to the tribe members. It is an all round detailed story that was well told.”
The overall winners got a substantial cash prize, a three-week CNN Journalism Fellowship, and visit to the CNN Centre in Atlanta, along with the common prizes awarded to all category winners. Next to the star prize, the highpoint of the night was the award of the Free Press Africa Award to the Nigerian Media.
The Award that recognises journalistic courage and integrity in enhancing the cause of media freedom, was post-humously awarded to two fallen journalists – Enenche Akogwu, a news reporter with Channels TV and Zakariya Isa, a cameraman for the Nigerian Television Authority.
Brave report on issues and stories
“We commend all journalists who continue to bravely report on issues and stories around the world. These courageous men and women actively work to ensure that the stories that need to be told are heard; the images that no one wants to see are shown and the sounds of people in need are listened to,” remarked Haffajee, chairperson of the 2012 Judging Panel and Editor-in-Chief, City Press, South Africa.
The award was made to the body of Nigerian journalists and editors in recognition of their bravery in continuing to report though they face the ire of Boko Haram and other terror groups operating across West Africa and in the Sahel. “They have faced threats, intimidation in death.
We make the award in the name of Enenche Akogwu and Zakariya Isa, who lost their lives covering attacks and trying to get to the bottom of a story that has become a blot on a growing region and continent,” she stated. Nineteen other African journalists who died while on active duty between May 2011 and May 2012 were remembered.
Receiving the award on behalf of the Nigerian media, president of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, declared that the Nigerian Press is too sophisticated to be intimidated. “No Terror can subsume our Press,” he declared, describing as a mistake efforts made by insurgents in the country to determine the content of the media through threats.
One of the most touching entries was the story of Nana Ntobela – the “Elephant Woman” by Megan Small and Clive Mtshai, of 3rd Degree, e.tv, South Africa. A classic, the entry, entitled “Nana’s Medical Journey to Recovery” clinched the MSD Health & Medical Award category.
The journalists chronicled the medical journey of Nana, a middle-aged woman as she battled a paralysing limb deformity that left her bed-ridden. They did not just report the story, but were part of it, raising money for Nana’s surgery and following up even after treatment.
A judge, Antonia Lang, Communications Director, Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa, in a citation, declared that the story won because it was not just another health story. “It is a classical case of journalists going beyond the call of duty. It is responsible journalism and the tenacity of the journalists is amazing. Perhaps, without them, Nana Ntobela, the elephant woman, would have been dead by now.”
Nimrod Taabu Mwagamoyo and Charles Kinyua Kariuki of NTV Kenya won the Television News Bulletin Award with their “Pokot Water Challenges”. “What made this story a winner was how the pictures, audio and storytelling were all woven together, to bring the dirty Barpello water hole to the rooms of television audiences, and to highlight the ingenuity that is being found to avoid drinking the contaminated water,” said Elhadj As Sy, Regional Director For Eastern and Southern Africa, UNICEF.
The Tourism Award which went to Ahaoma Kanu of the National Daily Newspaper, Nigeria, with his entry, “Badagry: A Walk Through the Slave Route” also captured the fascination of the judging panel. “A lovely storyteller who brings an awful part of world history to light and is able to convey the experience to his audience,” was how CNN’s Errol Barnett summed up the entry. “Ahaoma Kanu tells a familiar story on the horrific slave trade museum at Badagry but with his writing he is able to bring the reader with him and experience this terrible place with him,” he concluded.
The Coca-Cola Company sponsored the Economics and Business Award category won by Joy Summers, Carte Blanche, South Africa with her entry, entitled: “Central Rand Gold”. It was cited as “having detailed research and the reporter showied tenacity in assembling the details.” William Asiko, President, Coca-Cola Foundation, said African journalism had indeed come of age.
“When there is excellence in journalism everybody wins, not just Coca Cola. The citizens win because the journalists are able to hold government accountable and government wins because the journalists are able to uncover corrupt deals. Everybody wins when there is good journalism. For us, it is not just CSR, it is good business and we win when the journalism is good and achieve excellence,” Asiko stated.
Taking the prestigious award to Zambia in a year the country won the African Cup of Nations, had its benefits. The finals were broadcast live to 47 countries on the continent as well as to the United States of America and the United Kingdom. To add fervour and flavour to the evening were Isha Sesay – anchor for CNN International, Atlanta – and Franklin Tembo Jnr, a presenter at Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation. Nico Meyer, CEO, MultiChoice Africa, described the growing stature and prestige of the awards as “an exciting development, especially with the role of the media in redefining the status quo.
Growing quality of entries
“Each year we are amazed at the growing number of entries we receive for the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Award and we continue to marvel at the growing quality of entries – a great indication of the talent and skills pool in the continent.”
Parisa Khosravi, Senior Vice President, International Newsgathering, CNN, Worldwide was excited, and amazed at the passion, dedication and enthusiasm displayed by those nominated, who all share the same goal, which is to tell the African story and be the best they can be.
“The men and women who enter these awards have become part of a community of excellence, representing the very best in journalism and maintaining the highest standards ofjournalistic integrity. Their resourcefulness and bravery in pursuing the story has my deepest admiration,” he remarked.
On his own, Collins Khumalo, CEO MultiChoice South Africa saluted the finalists and the winners. “These journalists give a voice to Africa and help to make that voice heard around the world. We encourage journalists from around the African continent to continue to tell the stories of Africa – who knows, your story might be celebrated at the 2013 awards.”
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