A Premium Times reporter, Emmanuel Mayah, has won the Global Shining Light Award, a unique prize that honours investigative journalism in a developing country, done, notwithstanding the possible ominous consequences.
The award presented by the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) honoured Mr Mayah for his stories “Inside the Massive Extrajudicial Killings in Nigeria’s South-East” and “How the Onitsha Massacre of Pro-Biafra Supporters was Coordinated“.
Speaking further, GIJN stated that the two-month long investigation – that included photo evidence – by Mr Mayah uncovered multiple mass graves, lending support to allegations that armed forces (Police and Military) targeted a minority ethnic group for abuse and extrajudicial killings.
It is important to celebrate these victories, especially in a country like Nigerians where journalists are often bullied by the powers that be, and the integrity of journalists who put their lives on the line to ensure the news is told as factually as possible, always questioned. To see these men and women recognized and celebrated by international organizations is an important reminder that the work that journalists do, do not only matter in their home countries, the world is watching because every single event that happens in a country is a catalyst for a bigger event, some often world changing.
It all matters.
Omoleye Omoruyi… an apprentice web/game developer, novelist, sensitive to happenings in the world. Meet him @Lord_rickie on Twitter/Instagram
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