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Renowned media expert shares 12 lessons for impactful journalism

Kwaku Asante
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Renowned media expert shares 12 lessons for impactful journalism

On Wednesday, September 7, 2022, the Next Generation Investigative Journalism Fellows had the opportunity to have an audience with the founder and former Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Prof. Kwame Affum Karikari.

For about four decades, the veteran media consultant has been fighting for free expression and media rights across the West Africa region. A consummate academic, Prof Karikari has for many years taught journalism in different universities including the University of Ghana’s School of Communication where he was Head of Department.

In the conversation with the budding investigative journalists, Prof. Karikari fanned the Fellows’ passions for accountability and impactful journalism.

Below are some of the lessons he shared with the journalists:

  1. Pursue the interest of the public. Journalism is a public service and in every public service the interest of the people is paramount.
  2. Be curious. Don’t take anything for yes or no. Dig out and look for ‘the other half’ in every situation.
  3. High professional standards are the defence of press freedom. There is a need to balance passion and patience by not rushing into decision-making. Allow things to grow to fulness before judging.
  4. Society is made up of human beings, not divisions. As young journalists, learn not to be sectarian.
  5. Do not use your career to amass self-gain, prioritizing your belly and ignoring its implication. Work hard to earn money in legitimate ways. Be faithful, transparent, honest and have patience in your profession.
  6. In pursuing a story, the guiding question should be, “Does it address the problems of poverty, democracy, justice, expose crime, corruption, and give hope and encouragement to people for a better life?”
  7. The journalist is a foremost social intellectual, and must therefore have a very broad mind and strive to improve by constantly acquiring knowledge. Reading widely.
  8. Journalists should not be sectoral but rather must move past religious, political and tribal biases as it has the tendency to hurt your integrity with ignominy.
  9. Make professional standards a hallmark, have a track record of transparency and morality; that is security against bullying.
  10. With commitment, sleepless nights are not a problem because initiating something good and seeing it succeed brings fulfilment.
  11. Keep a company of forthright people because, with their support, you won’t feel like quitting.
  12. Capitalize on opportunities of sitting under the tutelage of renowned and astute journalists.

The Next Generation Investigative Journalism Fellowship
Prior to Prof. Karikari’s engagement, the NGIJ Fellows had also had insightful experience-sharing sessions with female investigative journalists, Francisca Enchill of Corruption Watch and Adwoa Adobea-Owusu of The Fourth Estate. The sessions formed part of the five-month NGIJ fellowship programme by the MFWA, which is aimed at arming young and early-career journalists with practical knowledge of the fundamentals of critical journalism, particularly investigative reporting. Fellows of the second edition of the Fellowship are drawn from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ghana. They are being hosted in Ghana with mentorship from Fact-Check Ghana and The Fourth Estate, both of which are the MFWA’s public interest and accountability journalism projects. They are undergoing intensive practical training to build the character for critical, high-quality, fact-based and in-depth reporting towards improving lives and promoting good governance.

Fellows will also be supported in producing compelling investigative and/or fact-checking reports.

FOE violation in 2nd Quarter: Nigeria overtakes Ghana in race to the bottom

Kwaku Asante
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FOE violation in 2nd Quarter: Nigeria overtakes Ghana in race to the bottom

The slump in freedom of expression in West Africa continued in the second quarter of 2022, but with a change in baton from Ghana to Nigeria in a race to the bottom.

With 12 violations, Nigeria outpaced Ghana, which had reported the most violations in the first quarter, according to the Freedom of Expression (FOE) monitor. Ghana, which had recorded 11 violations to top the chart in the first quarter, recorded six this time round with Guinea following with 4.

Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone recorded 3 violations each, Liberia, 2 while Gambia and Mauritania recorded 1 violation each.

This means, eight (8) out of the 15 West African countries and Mauritania which had been responsible for the first quarter violations are the same countries which are responsible for the second quarter violations. They include Ghana and Senegal, which had until very recently, been press freedom champions in the sub-region.

Meanwhile, the MFWA’s FOE report catalogued a total of 42 violations between April and June, 23 percent higher than violations from the preceding quarter (January-March 2022) which stood at 34.

And the trajectory is against the background that previous violations were not addressed.

The report shows that five varieties of perpetrators committed the 42 violations – security agents, 20 (47%); Political party affiliates, 9 (21%), state/public officials and individuals 4 each (10%). The others are organised groups and the courts.

The violations were mostly in the form of physical attacks (17), with at least one killing. There were also Arrests and detentions (11), threats (5), censors (4), seizures and destruction of property, (4), and sentences (1).

In spite of the gloom, however, there were positive developments – on April 13, 2022, MFWA partners in Guinea-Bissau negotiated a staggered payment with the government to allow 51 stations whose licenses were revoked to reopen while they honour their obligations.

On June 29, 2022, publisher Haruna Mohammed and reporter Idris Kamal of the online newspaper WikkiTimes were released on bail by a court of the State of Bauchi in Nigeria after almost 24 hours in police custody. The journalists were being harassed after a member of the House of Representatives for the Bauchi Federal Constituency initiated a petition concerning a recent report by the newspaper.

The report recommended that journalists work very high standards while media managers commit to using all legal means to protect journalists from attacks. It also recommended that governments ensure that both state and non-state actors respect the rights of journalists while calling on ECOWAS and the UN to hold governments accountable for violations.

Click here to read the full report.

Call for Application: Climate Change Journalism Fellowship in West Africa

Kwaku Asante
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Call for Application: Climate Change Journalism Fellowship in West Africa

Background

The global climate change crisis is real and affecting all regions around the world. In West Africa, the climate change crisis is having a heavy impact on lives and livelihoods in nearly every country. The effects of the crisis have included drought, food insecurity, and pastoralist movement in search of feed for livestock among other conditions that are partly or fully connected to conflicts, inequality and instability in the region.

Despite the alarming effects of the climate change crisis in the region, there has not been commensurate action to counter the development and mitigate its effects. There’s limited public awareness about the issue and its connection to many of the problems in the region. There has also been limited State action beyond political proclamations of commitment.

It’s therefore time to mobilise the public for climate action. The media in the region can be a powerful tool for this endeavour.

However, journalists and media in the region are themselves less aware and knowledgeable on the subject matter. In line with this, the MFWA is commencing a regional climate change journalism fellowship programme for young enterprising journalists in the region.

This initiative is intended to build and grow a pool of young West African journalists who would have the relevant knowledge and skills for producing quality and impactful reports on climate change. Ultimately, the work of these journalists would increase public access to climate change information, improve public awareness and instigate holistic action for tackling the climate crisis.

The first group of journalists for this programme will be in fellowship from October 2022 to March 2023. The fellowship will afford the selected journalists the opportunity to strengthen their capacity and to produce critical, fact-based, and in-depth reports on climate change-related issues.

The maiden edition of the Fellowship is being implemented with funding support from Deutsche Welle Akademie.

Details of Fellowship

The Fellowship will be both residential and non-residential. For the first three (3) months (October to December), fellows will work remotely from their home countries with oversight supervision from assigned mentors/editors. They will participate in virtual training workshops, seminars, and speaking engagements with high-profile personalities including climate change experts and be assigned field projects to produce stories.

The final three (3) months (January to March 2023) will be residential.  Fellows outside Ghana will travel to the country to work directly with the MFWA’s public interest and accountability projects – The Fourth Estate and Fact-Check Ghana. Fellows will go through in-person training workshops, and also produce investigative pieces highlighting issues around climate change.

By the end of the six months, each fellow is expected to produce at least two significant stories on climate change. Fellows will also receive a certificate of participation.

Who Can Apply

The opportunity is open to journalists from the following countries: Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Niger, Togo, Benin, Guinea, and Mali. 

Applicant must be:

  • Between the ages of 25 to 35 years on or before the application deadline;
  • Proficient in reading, writing, and speaking English or French. Francophone applicants must have a working knowledge of English.
  • Available for full participation in the fellowship virtually as well as residentially in Accra, Ghana to attend training and assignments from October 2022, to March 2023;
  • Willing to commit to a six-month fellowship programme, involving three months of virtual training and three months of residential training in Accra, Ghana.

Benefits

  • Training and mentorship opportunities
  • Monthly stipend and data allowance

Selection Process and Criteria

The selection process is a merit-based open competition. After the deadline, all eligible applications will be reviewed. Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed after which final selection will be done.  Females are encouraged to apply.

Criteria for Selection

  • The ability to work cooperatively in diverse groups and to respect the opinions of others;
  • Strong social and communication skills;
  • An energetic, positive attitude; and
  • A demonstrated knowledge of, interest in, or professional experience in climate-related matters

 Application and Deadline:

Interested applicants must fill out the fellowship application form (Click here for the form). The application form requires an applicant to submit a statement of interest stating why they want to participate in the fellowship (maximum of 350 words), a CV including two referees, and a copy of any national identification. The deadline for the application is September 30, 2022.

 Note: Only shortlisted applicants will be notified by email.

For further clarification, kindly contact the MFWA at [email protected] (also on telephone number +233 30 255 5327) or Mia Ewagnignon at [email protected] (also on telephone +233 50 910 5098).

WAMECA 2022 to host two of Africa’s female media giants as Keynote Speakers

Kwaku Asante
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WAMECA 2022 to host two of Africa’s female media giants as Keynote Speakers

This year’s West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA) will be held on the theme: Media and Women Empowerment in Africa.

Participants at WAMECA 2022 will be deliberating on how the media on the continent can improve the visibility of women and girls, amplify their voices, drive women’s participation in governance and showcase women’s leadership in all fields. WAMECA 2022 will also explore the role of the media and journalism in addressing the challenges women face in African societies.

In line with the theme for this year’s event, WAMECA will host two venerable female media personalities from the fields of investigative journalism and press freedom advocacy as keynote speakers.

WAMECA 2022 will have both Zoe Titus of Namibia and Catherine Gicheru of Kenya addressing participants at the Conference.

Zoe Titus is currently the Director of Namibia Media Trust, and Chairperson of the Global Forum for Media Development, while Catherine Gicheru, an International Centre for Journalist (ICFJ) Knight Fellow, is the Director and Founder of the African Women Journalism Project (AWJP) and former editor of the Nation Media Group – the first female to occupy the position.

Between the two keynote speakers is some 50 years of outstanding media and journalism work on the African continent. They have over the years demonstrated excellent leadership while blazing trails that have not only provided inspiration but created enormous opportunities for a countless number of women.

This year’s WAMECA is scheduled for October 20 – 22 and will be held at Alisa Hotel in Accra, Ghana. It will host a two-day Conference, followed by the Awards event on October 22.

Below are the profiles of WAMECA 2022 Keynote Speakers

Zoe Titus

With a compelling track record that is fueled by her dedication and passion for impactful media practice, Zoe has in the last 26 years dedicated her professional life to propagating media freedom and development in Southern Africa.

Her track record includes five years of being the Editor of the Namibian newspaper, The Weekender.

She has used her experience in the media to fight for rights, develop a broader intersectional approach to her work and pushed for access to information as the bedrock of all other rights.

Her passion for universal access to information fueled a campaign that birthed the high-level lobby group, African Platform on Access to information (APAI) Working Group – which successfully campaigned for the UN’s recognition of September 28 as International Day for Universal Access to Information.

Zoe Titus has previously worked as a regional director of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA). She has also led a number of projects and campaigns to provide support to journalists whose safety came under threat, with a net effect that there has been transformation in policy environments to support vibrant, independent and free media.

She has also served as the Strategic Coordinator of the Namibia Media Trust (NMT) rising through the ranks to become its current Director. The NMT was the first African organization in 2018 to contribute financially to the sustainability of the UNESCO Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.

Zoe happens to be the first woman to chair the prestigious international network of journalism support and media development organization, and the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD), which seeks to hedge journalism as an important tool for public good.

Her in-depth knowledge and experience have led to her serving in advisory capacities on several regional and international initiatives, including the Advancing Rights in Southern Africa project (ARISA). She is also the co-founder of the online teaching platform on media policy in Africa, Jeanette Minnie Memorial Course in African Media Policy in the Digital Age, which is hosted by the Link Centre and Wits online platform, edX.

Catherine Gicheru

Gicheru is an ICFJ Knight Fellow. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, She founded the Africa Women Journalism Project (AWJP). The project brings together female journalists and data analysts to produce data-driven coverage of underreported health, gender and economic issues. Gicheru leads a team of editors, mentors, data specialists and designers who work with women journalists in eight countries — Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa and Senegal.

Earlier in her Knight fellowship, Gicheru led a panAfrican women’s data journalism network, WanaData (“daughters of data” in Swahili), a project developed in a partnership between ICFJ and Code for Africa, one of Africa’s premier organizations promoting digital journalism.

Gicheru also co-founded Kenya’s first fact-checking news site, PesaCheck. She has kept up the fight against mis- and dis-information by sharing effective techniques across the Sub-Saharan region.

The founding editor of the Star newspaper in Nairobi, Gicheru was also the first female news editor at the Nation Media Group, the largest and most influential media group in East Africa. She is a recipient of the International Women’s Media

Foundation’s Courage in Journalism Award and was named by New African magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2018.

Gicheru is a member of the board of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and also serves on the board of directors of the Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF). She is also a member of the advisory committee of the recently launched Nigeria Media Innnovation Program.

Gicheru is a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, a Reuters Institute Journalism fellow at Oxford University, and a 1992 IWMF Courage in Journalism award winner

Ghana: Kumasi-based Oyerepa FM resumes operation after shutdown on chiefs’ orders

Kwaku Asante
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Ghana: Kumasi-based Oyerepa FM resumes operation after shutdown on chiefs’ orders

Oyerapa FM based in Kumasi has resumed broadcasting after it shut down on August 26, 2022, in compliance with the orders of traditional chiefs in the capital of the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

The Kumasi Traditional Council ordered Oyerepa FM to stop broadcasting after it aired a programme which the Council said was disrespectful of their office. The station had hosted Akwasi Addai Odike, a politician and businessman, who accused the traditional authorities of condoning destructive, illegal mining in the region by their inaction.

The guest, who is a native of the region and a former presidential candidate for the United Progressive Party, was banished from the traditional area by the Chiefs who also summoned the Management of the radio station to a meeting on August 25.

The Council however rejected the pleas and apologies of the delegation from the radio station and ordered them to suspend broadcasting until further notice. The station went off air the following day in compliance with the request.

The chiefs however pardoned the management of Oyerepa FM and allowed the station to resume operation on August 29, 2022, after the management of the station went before the traditional council with a high-powered delegation to offer a ‘more fitting’ apology.

The Management of Oyerepa FM had to seek the intervention of a former chairman of the National Peace Council, Rt Rev Emmanuel Asante, who led its second delegation and a retinue of other big clergymen as well as another traditional chief from Kumasi. Officials from the Ghana Journalists’ Association and the media regulator, the National Media Commission, were also part of the Oyerepa FM delegation.

While the Media Foundation for West Africa welcomes the return to the airwaves of Oyerepa FM, we believe the radio station should not have been shut down in the first place. The action of the chiefs amounts to censorship which is proscribed by Ghana’s constitution. Complaints about media publications are supposed to be directed to the NMC for adjudication, according to the constitution or settled in the courts under a civil procedure.

Given that the chiefs are the complainants, it sets a bad precedent for them to proceed to mete out punishment themselves. The shutdown of the station has the potential to induce self-censorship in other journalists and media houses, as well as encourage other traditional authorities to intimidate media organisations in their jurisdiction whose publication affects their personal interests.

Indeed, it is disturbing that Oyerapa FM had to literally promise to practise censorship and self-censorship, having undertaken to have a pre-broadcast conference with its guests in order to filter their views before allowing them to go on air.

Chaos, grief in Mano River States as authorities tighten repression against protests

Kwaku Asante
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Chaos, grief in Mano River States as authorities tighten repression against protests

Over the past two months, at least nine protesters have been killed in Guinea and two in Sierra Leone, where the internet was also disrupted. Street protests have been banned in Guinea and student protesters in Liberia brutalised, as protests turn a deadly minefield in the Mano River states.

Sierra Leone was plunged into grief and chaos on August 10, 2022, when an anti-government protest went horribly wrong, resulting in deaths among the police and civilians. Security forces clashed with a section of the protesters who were burning piles of tyres on the streets and throwing stones at the police who initially used teargas and then fired live bullets. Media reports initially said three people were killed, among them a police officer who was allegedly lynched.

The Media and Public Relations Department of the Police later announced in a press statement that “Four police officers died and four were injured nationwide; 113 suspects were arrested for both North-West and North-East Regions as of now; some public and private property destroyed.” The statement of which the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has seen a copy was however silent on civilian deaths.

The deadly protests came barely a month after the police assaulted and arrested dozens of women in a crackdown on their protest against the rising cost of living on July 4, 2022.

Three people were killed in bloody clash in Freetown, among them a police officer who was allegedly lynched

Several videos posted on social media showed women being beaten and molested in police stations by male police officers. One police officer was heard taunting a detainee “Now you will rot behind bars”.

Later that same day the police arrested Dr Femi Claudius Cole, leader of the Unity Party, on accusation of inciting an illegal protest. She was detained overnight alongside the Chairman of the National Grand Coalition party, Dr Dennis Bright, who had gone to the police station to show solidarity.

The Sierra Leonean authorities’ apparent intolerance for protests is, unfortunately, shared by their Mano River neighbours, Guinea and Liberia.

On May 13, 2022, Guinea’s military junta, le Comité national du rassemblement pour le développement (CNRD), issued a decree banning all street protests and marches and restricting all such gatherings by political and social actors to the headquarters of their organisations.

The military authorities then proceeded to enforce the ban with brutal force. On July 18 and 19, 2022, a coalition of opposition forces organised demonstrations in Conakry in defiance of the ban. The security forces intervened with lethal force with at least four deaths recorded among the protesters. There was further repression on July 28 in which another four protesters died, according to protest organisers, with Amnesty International sources reporting five fatalities, amidst mass arrests.

On August 6, the junta, which took power in a coup on September 5, 2021, dissolved the country’s biggest opposition political group, the Front national pour la defense de la constitution (FNDC), and key architect of the public demonstrations. The move came after the group ruffled the feathers of the junta by rejecting its three years’ timetable for a return to constitutional order and organizing street demonstrations against the long transitional period, despite the ban on public protests. The FNDC was formed in 2019, with the primary aim of coordinating mass opposition campaigns against President Alpha Conde’s third term bid.  Although the group could not stop President Conde from manipulating his way to a controversial victory for a third mandate, it continued to oppose the government, creating the atmosphere of mass discontent that led to the military intervention.

Liberia completed the Mano River region’s descent into anarchy when the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change unleashed its militants on demonstrators in Monrovia on July 26, 2022. The thugs disrupted the peaceful march of students of the University of Liberia’s Student Unification Party (SUP) by violently attacking them outside the United States Embassy. In an incident that became the poster image of the atrocities, an outspoken member of the SUP, Christopher Walter Sisulu Sivili, was seen being tortured by a mob. The activist sustained head injuries, a bleeding face and broken limbs. He has consequently been flown abroad in critical condition for medical treatment.

Christopher Walter Sisulu Sivili sustained head injuries, a bleeding face and broken limbs | Source: TLC Africa

The MFWA is appalled at these flagrant violations that belong to the bygone days of autocratic governance. Public protests are a legitimate channel for expressing opinions, including dissenting opinions. It is a right guaranteed by the laws of the three countries involved and under international frameworks to which they have assented. We, therefore, urge the leadership of these countries to demonstrate more tolerance for dissenting opinions, including those expressed through street marches. We call for probes into the mayhem that marred the recent demonstrations in these countries. While excesses on the part of protesters cannot be excused, the onus rests with the authorities to ensure that police response to protester excesses are not fatal. We urge the government of Liberia to investigate the assault on Christopher Walter Sisulu and bring his assailants, most of whom were captured on camera, to justice.

The MFWA finds the dissolution of the FNDC by the Guinean authorities untenable and suggestive of the junta’s resolve to silence all opposition to its rule. Similarly, we deplore the ban on public protests and the deadly crackdown on protesters by the military regime which came promising national conciliation. We call for dialogue and consensus building among all stakeholders in Guinea to ensure a credible timetable towards restoring constitutional order. Above all, the governments should provide law enforcement agencies with non-lethal incapacitating weapons for use in appropriate situations.

Terror attacks in the Sahel: Media actors from 16 countries demand action

Kwaku Asante
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Terror attacks in the Sahel: Media actors from 16 countries demand action

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and its partner organisations in all the 16 countries in West Africa have expressed deep concern about the deteriorating freedom of expression environment in West Africa, especially in Burkina Faso, Mali and the rest of the Sahelian region.

The concern was raised during a virtual meeting held by the 16 organisations on August 5, 2022, to deliberate on the situation in the two countries and the rest of the region.

The safety of journalists’ conditions has become a point of high concern following recent terrorists attacks in Burkina Faso and Mali which have claimed over 270 lives. The situation has forced many journalists to either self-censor or abandon the profession.

The insurgency and the counter-insurgency in the two countries have led to a keen competition between the insurgents and the government to win the empathy and allegiance of the people. As a result, each side is hypersensitive to media reports and tends to put pressure on journalists to avoid “unfavourable” publications about them.

This has led to widespread self-censorship on the situation. Social media comments on the conflict are also heavily censored as journalists and members of the public fear being targeted as anti or pro-government, for fear of reprisals – a situation that is contributing to shrinking civic spaces in the two countries.

While professionalism requires that journalists publish only verified information, journalists in the two countries find it difficult to independently verify certain issues and dispute official statements related to the insurgency as they risk being attacked. This situation is contributing to the spread of mis/disinformation.

The regulatory environment in the two countries also does not bode well for journalism practice. For a long time, Mali has not updated its media laws. This has resulted in the use of outdated frameworks to regulate the media industry, alongside capricious decrees by the military, which has twice seized power over the past two years.

The Burkina Faso situation is quite similar to that of Mali. A number of decrees have been adopted to restrict reporting on the conflict in the country. Presently, the Burkinabe government is pushing for the prerogative to restrict liberties for a period of time. This has raised concerns about possible abuse and interference in the different sectors, including the media industry.

The precarious safety of journalists’ conditions in the two countries have come at a time when there is an escalation of freedom of expression and media rights violations in the region. In almost all the countries in the region, journalists continue to face reprisals for some of the news reports they produce. This happens both offline and online.

In some instances, journalists are picked up after reporting or commenting on an issue. There is also the practice of imposing crippling fines, as well as  surveillance.

In addition to the arbitrary arrests and detentions by state security agents, political party thugs are increasingly attacking journalists and media houses physically and also online (especially on social media). The threats, intimidations and harassment are forcing some journalists and media houses to self-censor.

In the light of these developments, the MFWA and its partner organisations are calling on the ECOWAS, the African Union (AU), and the international community to, as a matter of urgency, engage the governments of Burkina Faso and Mali and provide the needed resources and technical support to help restore democratic governance, and also fight the insurgency. The same support should be extended to other countries in the Sahelian region and the rest of the West Africa region where similar attacks have been recorded.

On our part, the MFWA and its partner organisations plan to engage more in these countries, including undertaking a mission to engage and strengthen the capacities of media stakeholders in the two countries. We also plan to strengthen the capacities of journalists and media houses on conflict-sensitive reporting, as well as safety and security measures to adopt in such a hostile environment.

We encourage all actors to support in creating an enabling environment for journalism practice in the two countries so the media can constructively contribute to the restoration of democratic governance, peace and stability inthe two countries.

This statement is jointly issued by:

Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) – Ghana

International Press Centre (IPC) – Nigeria

Association Guinéenne des éditeurs de la Presse Indépendante (AGEPI) – Guinea

Regroupement de la Presse Mauritanienne (RPM) – Mauritania

Observatoire de la Liberté de la Presse, de l’Ethique et de la Déontologie (OLPED) – Côte d’Ivoire

Gambia Press Union (GPU) – The Gambia

Observatoire de la Déontologie et de l’Ethique dans les Medias (ODEM) – Benin

Syndicat des Professionnels de l’Information et de la Communication du Sénégal (SYNPICS) – Senegal

Media Reform Coordinating Group (MRCG-SL) – Sierra Leone

Sindicato De Jornalistas e Tecnicos De Comunicacao Social Guinea Bissau (SINJOTECS) – Guinea Bissau

Union des Journalistes Indépendants du Togo (UJIT) – Togo

Centre National de Presse – Norbert Zongo (CNP-NZ) – Burkina Faso

Centre for Media Studies and Peace Building (CEMESP) – Liberia

Maison de la Presse – Mali

Observatoire Nigérien Indépendant des Médias pour l’Ethique et la Déontologie (ONIMED) – Niger

Associação dos Jornalistas Cabo-verdianos (AJOC) – Cape Verde

Protesters killed, internet shut down and curfew imposed amidst deadly protests in Sierra Leone

Kwaku Asante
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Protesters killed, internet shut down and curfew imposed amidst deadly protests in Sierra Leone

A number of people have been killed, including at least two protesters, the internet disrupted and a curfew imposed as anti-government protests in Sierra Leone plunged the country into grief and chaos on August 10, 2022.

The opposition called the protests to vent anger over what they (opposition) described as unbearable economic hardships, high inflation, endemic corruption and abuse of power. Two days earlier (August 8), a call on citizens to remain indoors as part of the expression of discontent was largely obeyed as the streets were deserted, and markets, shops and schools closed to turn the capital Freetown into a ghost city.

A street march protest on Wednesday, August 10, however, went horribly wrong as security forces clashed with protesters in a bloody confrontation. Youths burnt piles of tyres on the streets while others threw stones at the police. The situation soon went out of control with the police firing life bullets. Media reports initially said three people were killed, among them a police officer who was allegedly lynched.

The government imposed a curfew to prevent the protests from travelling into the night and stem the violence starting from 15:00 hours GMT.

The government imposed a curfew to prevent the protests

In a further move to frustrate further mobilization and restrict the circulation on social media of images of the mayhem, the government shut down the internet. The global internet observatory, NetBlocks, confirmed the shutdown. NetBlocks metrics confirm a nationwide disruption to internet service on multiple providers across Sierra Leone from the morning of Wednesday 10 August 2022. Internet was cut for two hours at noon, and then again overnight, amid reports of protests and clashes between the police and protesters in capital city Freetown and other areas.

A Freetown-based journalist, Ishmael Sallieu Koromo, told the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) that the shutdown lasted into the early hours of Thursday.

“I could not access the internet from my phone in the small hours of this morning, but I got the connection around daybreak, so I can confirm the internet has been restored,” the journalist said in a telephone chat.

The Media and Public Relations Department of the Police have confirmed in a statement that “Four police officers died and four were injured nationwide; 113 suspects were arrested for both North-West and North-East Regions as of now; some public and private property destroyed”. The statement that the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has sighted was however silent on civilian deaths.

The MFWA condemns the violence from both sides that marred the protest and demand an official probe into the incidents in order to ensure justice and recommend measures to forestall future occurrence. We urge the Sierra Leonean authorities to continue to build the capacity of the police in crowd control in line with the UN-sanctioned Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials. These principles, among others, urge governments and law enforcement agencies to develop non-lethal incapacitating weapons for use in appropriate situations.

It is regrettable that this chaotic and repressive response to protests is the second in Sierra Leone in only one month.

On July 4, 2022, the police assaulted and arrested dozens of women in a crackdown on their protest against rising cost of living.

Several videos posted on social media showed women being beaten and molested in police stations by male police officers. One police officer was heard taunting a detainee “Now you will rot behind bars”.

Later that same day the police arrested Dr Femi Claudius Cole, leader of the Unity Party on accusation of inciting an illegal protest. She was detained overnight alongside the Chairman of the National Grand Coalition party, Dr Dennis Bright, who had gone to the police station to show solidarity.

It is clear from the above, that the Sierra Leonean authorities are becoming too jittery over, and intolerant of public protests.

Next Generation Investigative Journalism Fellowship 2022: Meet the 13 Fellows

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Next Generation Investigative Journalism Fellowship 2022: Meet the 13 Fellows

The call for application for the second edition of the Next Generation Investigative Journalism (NGIJ) Fellowship programme received nearly 200 entries from three countries.

The second edition of the NGIJ Fellowship programme requested applications from Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, an expansion from the first edition which admitted applicants only from Ghana.

The applicants for this year’s programme included early-career journalists, young communication professionals and budding forensic scientists. After a thorough selection process, 13 applicants have been admitted to the programme.

Here are their brief profiles:

Diana Amoako Boakyewaa, Ghana

Diana is a young journalist who hopes her stories will bridge the gap in quality education between the rich and the less privileged, especially young girls living in rural communities.

Prior to joining the Fellowship, she interned at Metropolitan TV (Metro TV) in Accra and with the Director of Research, Innovation and Development at the Ghana Institute of Journalism, where she earned her degree. Diana is also a communication research assistant working with a communication political analysis outfit.

She has a great interest in making a positive impact in society through journalism, and has, thus, been working towards achieving it.

Philip Teye Agbove, Ghana

Philip works with the state-owned news agency, Ghana News Agency and is also a correspondent for UK-based SheHub.tv.

An indigene from the coastal area in the Greater Accra region of Ghana, Philip has dedicated a part of his young journalism career to highlighting the dangers of human trafficking on the Volta Lake of Ghana. He hopes his journalism brings an end to the menace.

Philip anticipates that through investigative journalism he will find solutions to complex issues and solve the recurring problems in society. Ultimately, he aims to project the developmental interest of indigenous societies.

Forgbe Emma Kloh, Liberia

Forgbe traces her interest in investigative journalism to the beginning of her journalism career. That interest has kept her in contact with many greats in the field including Liberia’s Rodney Sieh.

She works for the University of Liberia Radio (Lux FM 106.5) where she has been putting into practice some of the investigative journalism lessons she’s learnt from mentorship programmes. She had previously worked with Prime Communications Incorporated (Prime FM 105.5) in Liberia.

Forgbe wants to be recognized as an inspiration to many young journalists and hopes her work will, in the future, be celebrated among the most experienced and outstanding journalists in Africa.

Salifu Abdul-Gafaru Ayamdoo, Ghana

Salifu has partly fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming a journalist by working in Dreamz FM in Bolgatanga, the capital of the Upper East region of Ghana, where he has served as a show host and reporter. But his stint at the radio station over the last few years has made him realise how powerful journalism and the media is in shaping society.

Salifu has, thus, set a goal that his journalistic works should contribute to providing a society which is just and provides equal opportunities to everyone. He derives his inspiration from amplifying the voice of the vulnerable being heard and keeping duty bearers on their toes.

Marian Amaria Bangura, Sierra Leone

Marian’s journalism career started by reporting, producing and presenting news on campus-based Radio Mount Aureole of the Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, where she earned her degree in Mass Communication.

While she has been reporting on diverse issues in her country, Marian’s main desire has been to ensure transparency and equality. This has made her develop interest in accountability journalism with a focus on human rights and anti-corruption.

Marian works for the Radio, TV and Newspaper outlets of the Africa Young Voices (AYV) Media Empire in Sierra Leone.

It’s her love and passion for telling stories that drives her on, and she hopes to grow to become a colossus who will inspire other young journalists.

Victoria Enyonam Adonu, Ghana

Victoria is motivated by the works of some of the great journalists who have had results and transformed the lives of many people. That is also her inspiration – to be among Africa’s biggest investigative journalists whose works will engineer social change.

Currently a writer and editor with a publishing firm in Ghana, Victoria has a degree in Communication Studies from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana where she majored in Journalism. She has previously interned at Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Ghana News Agency and ATL FM.

Victoria is impressed with good writing, especially great storytelling skills. She’s hoping to hone hers to be among the best.

Norah Aluayo Kwami, Ghana

For Norah, the Next Generation Investigative Journalism Fellowship has set her miles ahead to achieving her career goal of becoming an investigative journalist. Having graduated from the Ghana Institute of Journalism and majored in Journalism, she greatly fancied investigative reporting.

Nora is motivated by the kind of journalism that is driven by solution, change and impact. She loves reading, researching and fact-finding.

It is her hope that she will be counted among the celebrated female investigative journalists in Africa in the future.

Victor Jones, Sierra Leone

Victor has two great passions – love for humanity and fighting against corruption. He has thus, used his journalism career to pursue both passions since 2012.

Jones is a Sierra Leonean broadcaster who works with the state-run Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC). He has produced several video documentaries that have directly impacted Sierra Leoneans’ lives at home and abroad. The peak of it was in 2017 when he worked as a correspondent for the BBC where he produced on-site reportage of the mudslide incident at Mortomeh in rural Freetown.

Jones previously worked for Radio Maria Sierra Leone, campus-based Radio Mount Aureole and Freetown Television Network (FTN).

He hopes to put Sierra Leonean journalism on the global map.

Sedem Kwasigah, Ghana

Sedem is a forensic scientist with the goal to transform Ghanaian society. He envisages achieving this goal through the media, journalism and technology.

Already a member of a media team of a prominent religious organization in Ghana where he practices photojournalism, Sedem who’s also an open-source investigator, wants his work to contribute to ensuring a safe society and justice for all.

He has previously worked with a number of security services in Ghana. He was also a teaching assistant and a forensic photography researcher.

Thelma Dede Amedeku, Ghana

Thelma aspires to have her name among the few notable female investigative journalists in Ghana. A graduate of the Ghana Institute of Journalism, Thelma is a content writer for a digital agency in Ghana.

She previously interned at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and the National Media Commission (NMC), Ghana’s media regulator, where she also worked as an administrative assistant.

Thelma is buoyed by the fact that she’s able to provide critical information to the masses through her journalism as she reckons information is power. She hopes her works make a great impact on many people.

Edmund Agyemang Boateng, Ghana

Edmund is driven by the desire to create a society that will ensure the unborn generations have equal opportunities to thrive. It is that desire that has given him an immense interest in impactful journalism.

Before joining the fellowship, Edmund worked as a reporter for Pulse Ghana but his writings are published across many prominent platforms in Ghana.

An avid reader, Edmund wants to use his voice to fight for the rights of vulnerable and marginalized groups.

Linda Essilfie-Nyame, Ghana

Linda graduated from the University of Ghana with a degree in Political Science and English. But her passion has been to tell stories that bring change to society, hence she volunteered for the University of Ghana’s Radio Universe, 105.7 FM where she served in various capacities including a producer, reporter and news anchor for two years.

Linda’s broadcasting reporting stint has taught her the potential of journalism in making an impact. She has since aimed at telling stories that will bring change to people and improve their standard of living.

Vincent Kevin Nugah

Vincent has a burning desire to spur change in society with an unwavering interest in media research and cultural tourism. He believes in accountability and fact-based storytelling.

Before joining the fellowship, he had worked at the Ghana Tourism Authority as an intern, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and culture as a National Service Person and as an operations Officer in a Chocolate company.

Vincent is an eternal student and lover of books. He contents himself with reading philosophy books which he considers a good therapy.

His motivation stems from the drive to expose wrongdoing, impact communities through writing, and bring sustainable change and development, especially to Ghana’s Tourism Industry.

WAMECA 2022 – Here are the members of the grand jury

Kwaku Asante
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WAMECA 2022 – Here are the members of the grand jury

The MFWA is delighted to announce the jury for the 2022 edition of the West Africa Media Excellence Awards.

The jury, made up of distinguished and experienced media experts in Africa, will assess and shortlist deserving entries and also determine the ultimate winners of the various categories in the 6th edition of the West Africa Media Excellence Awards. The Awards will be held on October 22, 2022, at the Alisa Hotel in Accra, Ghana.

Below are the profiles of the judges:

Catherine Gicheru – Kenya

Gicheru is an ICFJ Knight Fellow. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, She founded the Africa Women Journalism Project (AWJP). The project brings together female journalists and data analysts to produce data-driven coverage of underreported health, gender and economic issues. Gicheru leads a team of editors, mentors, data specialists and designers who work with women journalists in eight countries — Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa and Senegal.

Earlier in her Knight fellowship, Gicheru led a panAfrican women’s data journalism network, WanaData (“daughters of data” in Swahili), a project developed in a partnership between ICFJ and Code for Africa, one of Africa’s premier organizations promoting digital journalism.

Gicheru also co-founded Kenya’s first fact-checking news site, PesaCheck. She has kept up the fight against mis- and dis-information by sharing effective techniques across the Sub-Saharan region.

The founding editor of the Star newspaper in Nairobi, Gicheru was also the first female news editor at the Nation Media Group, the largest and most influential media group in East Africa. She is a recipient of the International Women’s Media

Foundation’s Courage in Journalism Award and was named by New African magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2018.

Gicheru is a member of the board of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and also serves on the board of directors of the Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF). She is also a member of the advisory committee of the recently launched Nigeria Media Innnovation Program.

Gicheru is a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, a Reuters Institute Journalism fellow at Oxford University, and a 1992 IWMF Courage in Journalism award winner

Hamadou Tidiane Sy—Senegal

Hamadou Tidiane Sy is the founder and Director of E-jicom, a journalism, communication and digital media school based in Dakar. He is also the founder of the award-winning online media organisation Ouestaf News (ouestaf.com).

Tidiane Sy is a seasoned Senegalese journalist, now mostly active as a journalism trainer and consultant throughout Africa. He has worked for major media outlets, including the BBC, AFP (Agence France Presse), Global Radio News, Channel Africa, etc. Tidiane is also involved in the activities of the West African Investigative Network “CENOZO” where he edits investigative reports.

As a reporter Tidiane, extensively covered Africa, and more particularly the West African region and has conducted major investigations, including participation in the global “Panama Papers”, “the Swissleaks”, and “Fatal Extractions” projects. He is recognised as a social innovator in the field of “News and Knowledge” by the Ashoka and Knight Foundations. He is a board member at Cenozo and Africa Check.

Reyhana MasterSmith—Zimbabwe

Reyhana Masters-Smith is an experienced and distinguished Zimbabwean Media and Communications Consultant who has worked as a reporter, editor, media trainer and researcher for many local and international organisations.

Reyhana has served as the Editor for So This Is Democracy, a publication by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) which analyses the political and economic landscape and media policy frameworks in Southern Africa. She has also worked as the Editor and Content Creator for the MISA Regional Website and Communication Portal.

For many years, she worked as the deputy features editor of  The Daily News – the first privately owned daily newspaper established in Zimbabwe in 1999 and as the Moderator of the African Media Barometer, an analytical tool that measures the national media environments in the African continent.

Currently, Reyhana Masters is the Sub Saharan Africa regional editor of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) and also serves as the chairperson for the Information for Development Trust—an investigative journalism media hub she co-founded.

Selay Marius Kouassi, PhD – Cote D’Ivoire

Selay Marius Kouassi is a renowned award-winning investigative journalist, media trainer and academic.

His works over the years have spurred civil society organisations and global decision-makers to take action while holding political leaders to account across Africa.

Selay initiated the transnational investigation into ‘Fair-Trade’ chocolate, ‘The Fair-Trade Chocolate Rip-Off.’ joining the Swiss Leaks Project team, an investigation initiated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), to trace billions lost annually in Africa in the chocolate industry.

Selay has worked with various international media outlets including The Guardian, DPA (German Press Agency), SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) and the BBC.

He is a part-time trainer for the ‘Wealth of Nations, a programme run by the Thomson Reuters Foundation to investigate tax abuse and illicit financial flows from and in Africa.  He is also the co-founder and member of the AIPC (African Investigative Publishing Collective) and a member of FAIR (Forum for African Investigative Reporters).

Joseph Warungu—Kenya

Joseph Warungu is a media and communication consultant and trainer with 30 years of experience in international journalism. He was head of the BBC African News and Current Affairs Department and is a former Knight International Journalism Fellow. He is widely travelled in Africa, working as a journalist, trainer and moderator of public debates on radio and TV.

He specialises in media management training and building the capacity of media to tell in-depth and compelling stories on development issues such as health, education, business and technology. He led the African Story Challenge, a continent-wide competition to inspire and support African media to tell more and better stories on development issues.

Warungu also runs Top Story – a national mentorship programme for young journalists in Kenya, which takes the form of a popular reality TV show.

Senegal, Ghana losing their shine as press freedom champions

Kwaku Asante
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Senegal, Ghana losing their shine as press freedom champions

In April 2022, Ghana was plunged into shock and lamentation when it fell 30 places in the world and 10 places in Africa in the press freedom ranking established by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). There was similar mourning in Senegal which also plummeted from 7th to 13th and from 49th to 73rd on the continent and at the global level respectively.  

These two nations are otherwise highly respected as democratic models and citadels of press freedom in West Africa. Back in 2018, Ghana topped the continent and placed 23rd in the world. The country even hosted the 25th celebration of the World Press Freedom Day, jointly organised by UNESCO and the Government of the Republic of Ghana. It was only the second time a West African country had hosted the global event. Incidentally, it was fellow star country Senegal that set the pace in 2005. The latest ranking was Ghana’s worst in 17 years. 

Below is a table showing the Africa and Global ranking of Ghana and Senegal over the past 5 years. 

It is evident that the heavy falls in the latest rankings follow a steady deterioration of the two countries’ press freedom environment over the years. Their slump is mainly due to a number of abuses against journalists and the shrinking civic space. While the latest RSF ranking is largely based on monitoring done in 2021, the outlook continues to be dismal for 2022.  

Ghana 

Ghana recorded the most violations in the first quarter of 2022 as established by the MFWA’s Freedom of Expression Monitor. The country recorded 11 violations from January to March 2022, the highest figure it has ever recorded for a single quarter during the last three years (2020-2022). It is important to note that the number of violations Ghana recorded in the first quarter of 2022 is about 74% percent of the violations recorded in the whole of 2021, which stood at 15.  

Among the incidents that earned Ghana its poor performance during the first quarter of 2022, was the military assault on Michael Aidoo, an investigative journalist. Aidoo was brutally assaulted and tortured by two soldiers of the Afari Military Hospital on March 30, 2022. Other incidents include the jailing of show host Oheneba Bernie, police assault on radio presenter Eric Gyantuah, and the arrest of radio presenter Bobie Ansah.  

Similarly, the second quarter has got off to a stormy start. On May 2, 2022, supporters of the leading New Patriotic Party (NPP) physically assaulted journalist Prince Acquah of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Ajumako (a town 120 km west of Accra). The journalist was filming an altercation between several NPP members when a group of angry supporters accosted him amidst accusations of being a spy or a member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). 

On May 16, 2022, three burly men on motor bicycles burst into the premises of radio Benya FM, made for the studio and assaulted a presenter and destroyed equipment including computers, mixers and microphones. 

On May 17, 2022, the Ghana Police Service arrested journalist Derrick Adotey of Metro TV and his cameraman in Accra. They filmed the charge sheet in a case brought against Oliver Mawusi Barker-Vormawo, an activist who was recently arrested. The journalists and the cameraman were held at East Legon police station before being released later the same day. 

On May 24, 2022, the police detained Noah Dameh, the Deputy Station Coordinator of the community radio station, Radio Ada located in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, over false publication charges.  

Senegal 

Just like Ghana, Senegal’s glory days as a press freedom haven appear to be turning into a nightmare. The last paragraph of Article 27 of Senegal’s Electronic Communications Code adopted in 2018 suggests the regulatory authority (Autorité de Régulation des Télécommunications et des Postes – ARTP) could censor “disturbing” contents. This provision represents a threat that is hanging over the heads of internet users, journalists included. For many, the threat is not physical or legal like the risk of going to prison. However, it means that some internet users’ content may be excluded from the web by the regulatory authority on the basis of discretion. 

“The Regulatory Authority may authorise or impose any traffic management measure it deems useful in order, in particular, to preserve competition in the electronic communications sector and ensure the fair treatment of similar services,” the law reads.  

Senegal’s status deteriorated from free to partly free in the Freedom House index, an indication that the country is gradually losing its social calm and reputation for tolerance. Senegal’s decline in the RSF press freedom ranking followed a series of violations in 2021. For example, in March 2021, the premises of the Groupe Futur Médias (GFM) was attacked by demonstrators who accused the media house of being on the payroll of those in power.  

Similarly, the premises of the “Les Echos” newspaper were ransacked by followers of Serigne Moustapha Sy, leader of the religious group Moustarchidines. The newspaper had published that the powerful leader had contracted Covid-19 quoting hospital sources. 

On March 4, 2021, the National Audiovisual Regulatory Council (CNRA) suspended the Walfadjri and SenTv for three days on account of broadcasting a loop of violent images. In a separate incident, also in March, some unknown individuals issued death threats against journalist Pape Ndiaye of Walf Tv. 

Alarmingly, 2022 is not looking any brighter. After going blank in the first quarter of the year, Senegal has recorded at least 5 violations in the second quarter. On April 14, 2022, a security agent assaulted and detained Pape Malick Thiam, a journalist of the privately-owned television station 7TV. The officer also seized the phone of the journalist who was covering a court case. Thiam was later charged with “contempt of public officer”, and discharged by the court. 

On April 15, 2022, some twenty staff members of the regional hospital in Louga assaulted Ousmane Kane, a journalist with the national radio station Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise (RTS). The attackers also destroyed two phones belonging to the journalist. 

On May 24, 2022, members of the Benno Bokk Yakaar (BBY) party, which supports President Macky Sall, swarmed over journalist Ndeye Ngoné Diop DakarBuzz, pushed her around, and abused her for having posed an “inappropriate” question to their leader during a press conference. 

On June 8, 2022, opposition activists attacked reporters from Leral.net at the Place de la Nation in Dakar during a demonstration by the Yewwi Askan Wi coalition. Assane Sarr and Cheikh Tidiane Sène, both journalists from the media outlet, were reporting live when they were forced to stop after supporters charged at them. The rampaging party militants threw water bags at Assane. 

On the same day, the militants of the Yewwi Askan Wi coalition prevented Cheikh Diop, a journalist from Télévision Futur Média (TFM) and his cameraman from covering their demonstration. They insulted and threatened the two journalists forcing them to abandon their coverage of the event for their safety. 

On May 23 and 24, 2022, three journalists from Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise (RTS), Abibou Mbaye, Abass Sow and Issa Thioro Guèye received death threats from unknown individuals using a private number. The three were union figures who were leading efforts to demand better living and working conditions for the staff of the state-owned RTS. They have taken the matter to court and Senegal’s cybercrime services after the police failed to respond to their complaints of receiving anonymous death threats and insults. 

“We are in a country where insecurity is beginning to take hold. I think we have all the necessary tools not only to identify them but also to bring them to justice. But it is with regret that we have noticed that so far nothing has happened,” Abass Sow told the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) in a telephone conversation. 

In June 2022, Talla Sylla, one of the leaders of the Convergence des Jeunes Républicains (COJER), a youth group attached to the current government, called for the burning of the private television station, Walfadjri in a video that has gone viral in Senegal. The Syndicat des Professionnels de l’Information et de la Communication du Sénégal (Synpics) and several voices condemned these remarks, prompting the young leader to later apologise in another video. 

Senegal recorded quite a number of violations before the July 31 legislative elections. Journalists appeared to be trapped between the rock of the ruling party and the hard place of the opposition party militants.  

The decline in press freedom in Ghana and Senegal is symptomatic of the retreat of democracy in the sub-region. Insurgency in northern Nigeria, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso has led to military takeovers in the latter two countries. There has also been a military takeover in Guinea after President Alpha Conde changed the constitution to stand for a third term. Similar tampering with the constitution by Cote D’Ivoire’s President Alassane Ouattara has seen the octogenarian secure a third term, amidst protests.  

Ghana and Senegal’s status as shining lights in press freedom, tolerance of divergent opinion and democratic norms in West Africa makes their recent decline in press freedom rather disturbing. The two countries, like all others, need the media to support development efforts, educate and inform the public, provide space for and moderate public discussion on important development issues and demand accountability from public officers and institutions. Consequently, attacks, threats and intimidation targeted at the media are attacks on democracy and its values.  

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), therefore, calls on the authorities of the two countries to take steps to protect journalists and the media from all forms of violations, prosecute the perpetrators of attacks on journalists and publicly denounce such violations when they occur.  

To guarantee a safe, secure and peaceful environment for the flourishing of press freedom and freedom of expression, we recommend to the authorities in these two countries to: 

  • Educate citizens and the security agencies on the crucial role of the media which is considered the watchdog of society. 
  • Increase support for media development by providing capacity-building training for journalists and media managers. 
  • Establish and strengthen legal frameworks to promote a free, independent and pluralistic media environment. 
  • Demonstrate zero tolerance for attacks on journalists by openly condemning perpetrators and ensuring their prosecution. 
  • Apply sanctions against security officers, political party militants, and other influential persons who perpetrate violations against journalists and the media. 

Judge jails defense lawyer in libel case, detains reporter

Kwaku Asante
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Judge jails defense lawyer in libel case, detains reporter

A judge presiding over a libel case in Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom State has jailed for one month the lawyer representing the defendant and detained a journalist covering the proceedings.

On July 27, 2022, Justice Ekaete Obot ordered the jailing for one month of Inibehe Effiong, the defense lawyer in the case of libel brought by Akwa Ibom State governor Udom Emmanuel. The Governor filed the suit after Leo Ekpenyong, who is also a lawyer, alleged that he bought an election dispute judgement from the National Assembly Election Tribunal.

Defense counsel Effiong had angered the Justice Obot by raising objection to her expulsion of Saviour Imukudo, a reporter from THE PREMIUM TIMES and the deployment of heavily-armed police men in the courtroom.

The journalist was detained for about five hours, first, in an office within the judiciary complex before being transferred to a nearby police station, where he was made to write a statement. His phone was seized and the recordings deleted before the gadget was returned to him upon his release.

“The Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom ordered a Premium Times reporter to leave the court. I said my lord, we were thinking that since the proceeding is public, that members of the public should be allowed to observe the proceeding,” The lawyer tweeted.

Effiong then applied to the Court to send out the security officers saying he felt extremely unsafe and uncomfortable.

“The moment My Lord entered the Courtroom, His Lordship ordered the orderly attached to the court to go out and bring the armed policemen inside the courtroom. I started feeling that there was going to be trouble. After the Premium Times reporter was sent out, I raised the issue,” Effiong added in his Tweet.

In committing Effiong to prison, Justice Obot said she hoped that the lawyer would use the correctional facility to purge himself of insolence and dishonorable acts.

Relations between the defense lawyer and Justice Obot, who is also the Chief justice of the state, have been frosty, ever since the latter managed to get the court to set aside the judge’s earlier judgement awarding damages of 1.5 billion Naira (about 3 million dollars) to the plaintiff. Arguing that his client was not given a fair hearing, the Effiong got the decision quashed. The lawyer has since repeatedly contended that the judge is liable to be biased and has even filed a motion asking her to recuse herself from the case.

Judge Obot’s spat with Effiong is the third in the course of her handling of the case. In a previous incident, she lashed out at the lawyer “You’re not on Channels TV. Don’t stand before me and talk nonsense,” she roared in a reprimand that raised a storm about her professionalism.

During another session on July 1, 2022, the judge at some point, shouted at the lawyer, “Please shut up! Who do you think you’re talking to?”

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the jailing of Inibehe Effiong and vowed to get the lawyer released “shortly.”

 “While not going into the merits of this particular matter yet, suffice it to say that the NBA is strongly opposed to, and will continue to resist all attempts to intimidate, threaten or harass our members while properly carrying out their professional responsibilities,” reads a statement released on July 28, and signed by the chairman of the Uyo Branch of the NBA Olumide Akpata.

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) finds the jailing of lawyer Effiong quite disturbing, especially because he was defending another person’s right to freedom of expression and a journalist’s right to report on court proceedings unhindered. We condemn the apparently vindictive imprisonment of Effiomg and call on the authorities in Nigeria to ensure the immediate release of the lawyer as well as the transfer of the case to another judge.

Meanwhile, the judge has explained to an Assistant Managing Editor of THE PREMIUM TIMES, Cletus Ukpong, that she ordered the expulsion of Saviour Imukudo because the reporter was recording the court proceedings without her permission.

Justice Obot in previous proceedings had ordered court officials to temporarily seize phones from reporters in the middle of proceedings to prevent any recordings.

“Protocols for covering court proceedings must be spelt out clearly by the presiding judge or authorised court officials at the onset. Without any such prior notice, it should be assumed that journalists can record court proceedings, as they are public events. We therefore, deplore the detention and harassment of journalist Imukudo and urge the court authorities to ensure such arbitrary exercise of judicial power to undermine press freedom and the right to information is not repeated,” said Muheeb Saeed, head of Press Freedom at the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA).

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