…As Wole Soyinka Centre Trains 537 Journalists in 11 years
The Online Editor of Pharmanews, Mrs Temitope Obayendo, has been officially inducted as one of 12 new Fellows of the 6th Report Women! Female Reporters Leadership Programme (FRLP) Fellowship, organised by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ). She and eleven others were selected from a competitive pool of over 160 applicants nationwide, having successfully fulfilled the Fellowship’s requirements, which include conducting and publishing investigative stories, as well as executing impactful leadership projects.
The colourful induction ceremony, held at Marriott Hotel, GRA Ikeja, Lagos, brought together editors, mentors, diplomats, and media leaders to celebrate the Fellows.
The FRLP, which began in 2014, forms part of WSCIJ’s Report Women initiative, designed to promote gender balance in newsroom leadership and amplify the voices of women and girls in the news.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of WSCIJ, Mrs Motunrayo Alaka, explained that the Fellowship has grown into a formidable movement advancing accountability and inclusion in Nigerian journalism.
“Through FRLP, we have shown that democracy is stronger and governance is better when women’s voices are amplified. With today’s inductees, Report Women now counts 98 Fellows whose works have impacted more than 2,930 indirect beneficiaries. Democracy thrives where silence is broken and accountability is demanded,” she said.
Alaka added that women’s participation in decision-making “must never be seen as a gift but as a right,” urging the new Fellows to reimagine journalism as a tool of justice and to challenge practices that silence women.
The WSCIJ boss also highlighted the Fellowship’s impact over the past 11 years, noting that it has trained 537 journalists in Nigeria and Ghana, supported 136 investigative stories, 138 leadership projects, six documentaries, seven research reports, and produced a female experts’ guide featuring over 500 credible voices.
The Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Lagos, Mr Michel Deelen, in his goodwill message, emphasised the value of investigative journalism in strengthening democracy. He noted that while the work often challenges entrenched interests, “its power to expose hidden truths and bring positive change cannot be overstated.”
Also addressing the Fellows, veteran broadcaster and Lead Consultant of Strictly Speaking, Mrs Bimbo Oloyede, urged female journalists to embrace their gender identity with pride, stressing that there was no basis for seeing women as second-class professionals.
“Women are just as able as their male counterparts to deliver developmental stories that make an impact. They need to focus on continuous learning. For female journalists to be as professional as possible, especially in this digital age, they must commit to lifelong learning,” she advised.
Also lending their voices, mentors including Premium Times Managing Editor Mr Idris Akinbajo, former TVC News Director of News Mrs Stella Din-Jacob, and Publisher of Security News Mrs Julianah Francis, encouraged the Fellows to sustain the leadership and storytelling skills acquired during the fellowship.
For Mrs Obayendo, the induction was the culmination of a demanding six-month journey of training, investigative reporting, and a leadership project pursued through accountability and gender lens. Reflecting on the experience, she described it as a milestone that strengthened her resolve to probe injustice and spotlight neglected issues in healthcare.
“Being formally inducted as a Fellow of Investigative Journalism with a special focus on gender is more than just a milestone; it is a testament to the fact that no hurdle is insurmountable. My courage to probe, question, and uncover injustices has only grown stronger through this experience,” she told Pharmanews.
Her investigative report, titled “14 Years On: Lagos State Mental Health Policy, Law Fail Nursing Mothers Battling Postpartum Depression,” exposed gaps in maternal mental healthcare in Lagos State. The work, she noted, has already prompted a commitment from government authorities to address the shortcomings within the next year.
Grateful for the opportunity, Obayendo credited WSCIJ leadership for their support: “I am deeply grateful to Mrs Motunrayo Alaka, CEO of the Centre, and her incredible team for the opportunity and unwavering support. Together, we continue to shine a light on societal ills and drive meaningful, developmental change in our healthcare system.”
The 12 inductees into the 6th FRLP cohort include: Aisha Gambo (NAN), Mary Agidi (The Hope), Melody Ishola (Punch), Juliet Buna (Crest FM), Chigozie Victor (Zikoko News), Christiana Alabi-Akande (DevReporting), Gloria Attah (ClearView TV), Dana Zagi (Daily Trust), Bilkis Abdulraheem (Bond FM), Jemilat Nasiru (The Cable), Rasheedat Iliyas (Harmony FM), and Temitope Obayendo (Pharmanews).
With this recognition, Obayendo joins a growing network of female newsroom leaders under the Report Women Network (REWON), committed to driving impactful journalism that advances gender equity, democratic accountability, and social change in Nigeria.
A cross-section of the newly inducted Fellows, past Fellows and Mentors at the induction of new Fellows of the Report Women Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship (FRLP), organised by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), held at Marriott Hotel, GRA Ikeja.
A cross-section of the 12 newly inducted Fellows of the Report Women Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship (FRLP), organised by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), held at Marriott Hotel, GRA Ikeja.
