PREMIUM TIMES journalist, four other Nigerians nominated for 2015 CNN African Journalist of the Year Awards

An editor from Nigeria’s leading investigative paper, PREMIUM TIMES, has been nominated for this year’s CNN Multichoice African Journalist of the Year Awards.

‎Ibanga Isine, PREMIUM TIMES’ Regional Editor, will join 30 other finalists from 15 countries across Africa for an all-expense paid four-day programme of workshops, media forums and networking in Nairobi, Kenya, in October.

Mr. Isine, a dogged investigative journalist, was nominated for his courageous reporting on the brutal killings by soldiers at the Dangote Cement Factory in Benue state.

That series of work, which instantly got justice for families of those killed, had earlier earned Mr. Isine an award at the 2014 edition of the prestigious Wole Soyinka Awards for Investigative Journalism.

Mr. Isine’s nomination came a week after another PREMIUM TIMES’ Editor, Ben Ezeamalu‎, was shortlisted for another continental award, the 2015 Africa Fact-Checking Awards.

Four other Nigerians – Femi Asu and Arukaino Umukoro of Punch Newspapers‎; Adewale Emosun of Nigerian Tribune; and Kola Tubosun, a blogger at ktravula.com‎ – were also nominated for the CNN Multichoice awards.

The finalist programme will culminate in a Gala Award Ceremony in October.

The CNN Multichoice African Journalist Awards competition is now in a landmark 20th year, and winners from previous years will join this year’s finalists for a special evening to celebrate 20 years of the awards.

“The quality and breadth of entries in this, its 20th, year is testament to the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards’ position as the most prestigious recognition for journalism across the continent,” said Tony Maddox, Executive Vice-President and Managing Director of CNN International.

“CNN is privileged to be involved in this important initiative to honor the outstanding work across multiple platforms, topics and journalistic disciplines. I salute the finalists for the great work that they have done and look forward to seeing their future achievements.”

The entries were published or broadcast in 2014 for the following awards: Culture Award; Ecobank Economics & Business Award; Mohamed Amin Photo Award; African Development Bank Environment Award; Press Freedom Award; MSD Health & Medical Award; Sport Reporting Award; News Impact Award; Francophone general news awards; Portuguese language general news awards; GE Energy & Infrastructure Award; Features Award; and Dow Technology & Innovation Award.

Below is a list of the 31 finalists from 15 countries:

Fiifi Essilfie Anaman, Freelance for zonalsports.com, Ghana

Benedicta Asiimwe, Freelance for Daily Monitor, Uganda

Femi Asu, Punch Newspaper, Nigeria

Domingos Bento, redeangola.info, Angola

Thomas Naadi Bitlegma, Viasat1, Ghana

Sheriff Bojang Jnr, Freelance for West Africa Democracy Radio, Senegal

Ruth Butaumocho, The Herald, Zimbabwe

Ibrahima Diallo, Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise (RTS), Senegal

Adewale Olugbenga Emosu, tribuneonlineng.com, Nigeria

Chahinaz Samir Gheith, Freelance for Al-Ahram Hebdo, Egypt

Carla Gonçalves, A Nação, Cape Verde

Boldwill Hungwe, Zimbabwe Independent, Zimbabwe

Ibanga Isine, Premium Times Newspaper, Nigeria

Paul Kelemba, Freelance for The Standard on Saturday, Kenya

Deo Gratias Tchédé Kindoho, Radio Bénin, Benin

Julie Laurenz & Jacqueline Jayamaha, Freelance for e.tv, South Africa

Petride Mudoola, Freelance for Sunday Vision, Uganda

Abubakari Akida Mussa, Mtanzania Newspaper, Tanzania

Pedro Paxi Pereira Ndoma, TV Zimbo, Angola

‎George Oduor Otieno, Baraka FM, Kenya

Hyacinthe Boowurosigue Sanou, L’Observateur Paalga, Burkina Faso

Enock Sikolia & Charles Kariuki, NTV, Kenya

Arison Tamfu, Cameroon Journal, Cameroon

Kolá Túbsún, Blogger at ktravula.com, Nigeria

Arukaino Umukoro, Punch Newspaper, Nigeria

Bento Venâncio, Jornal Domingo, Mozambique

Herman Verwey, Beeld, South Africa

Kiundu Waweru, The Standard on Saturday, Kenya

Sarah Wild, Mail & Guardian, South Africa