Managing Director, Nigeria Health Watch
The Nigeria Health Watch has announced 10 recipients of the Solutions Journalism Africa fellowship, an initiative supported by the Solutions Journalism Network in the United States.
For the next four months, fellows will produce stories of how people are responding to different social problems across Nigeria, as well as amplify the practice of solutions journalism through their various project ideas from advocacy visits to journalism training institutions and facilitating solutions journalism trainings.
The Solutions Journalism Africa Fellows are:
Israel Olatunji Tijani, a multimedia journalist and data analyst with 5 years’ experience across print, radio and digital outlets in Nigeria. His journalism career cuts across social, gender equality, health, tech, and environmental issues, focusing on Nigeria’s marginalized communities. He is passionate about telling untold impactful stories, investigative and solution journalism and has been published by major Nigerian newspapers including The Nation and Sahara Reporters.
Umo Akwang, a Nigerian journalist with experience covering gender advocacy, global health, and development. She is presently an on-air-personality, news editor legislative correspondent with Sparkling FM Calabar and Publisher at Glocal Media, an online news platform. She is the Cross River State Freedom of Information Ambassador with Y-monitor Project and has been engaged in various forms of journalism, including but not limited to development, advocacy, and solutions journalism.
Adam Alqali, a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of African Newspage, a digital newsmagazine focused on reporting Africa’s development. He won the 2018 West Africa Media Excellence and Conference Awards (WAMECA) in the SDGs reporting category. Beyond his work as a journalist, Mr. Alqali has successfully handled several communication and research consultancies.
Blessing Oladunjoye, a journalist and the publisher of BONews Service, a platform that leverages on the digital space to report about the vulnerable groups: Women, Persons with Disabilities and Children.
Rasheed Ademola Adebiyi, who holds a PhD from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He teaches Public Relations, Advertising, News Writing and Reporting as well as Development Communication at the Department of Mass Communication, Fountain University, Osogbo, Nigeria. He is a Co-Founder/Editor-in Chief of AbitoCitta (abitocitta.com) where he publishes solution-focused stories in the education sector in Nigeria and Africa.
Usman Aliyu, a Principal Correspondent with the News Agency of Nigeria. Since he joined the service of the agency in 2010 as a reporter, he has reported from both the Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria. He has had a stint in many beats over the years with a particular interest in Health and Gender, Sports, Judiciary, Education, Agriculture and Environment, Politics, and Economy beats.
Abiodun Jamiu, a journalist based in Sokoto, North-West Nigeria. His reporting is at the intersection of social justice, conflict, and humanitarian issues, and has been published by Guardian UK, Premium Times, HumAngle Media, Ijnet.
Folakemi Ajala, a freelance writer, ghostwriter, and editor. She earned her B.Sc. in Environmental Science and Education and has had a versatile work history which spans the fields of early childhood education, human resource management in the agile industry of oil and gas, and Environmental Science. She is passionate about using words as a driver for positive change. She has served as a contributing scriptwriter for AIT’s ‘The 3L Show’. Her articles have been featured in The Guardian, and Nigeria Health Watch.
Misbahu el-Hamza, a freelance multimedia journalist based in Kano, Nigeria. He has reported on health, sciences, and agriculture for the Nigeria Health Watch, and Nigerian Tracker where he serves as an editor. He is the organiser of TEDxAminuKanoWay, He has a bachelor’s in Statistics, and currently a post graduate diploma student in Mass Communications.
Emiene Erameh, a multimedia journalist who is passionate about issues affecting women. She is a media practitioner with ten years of cross- functional consultation and management as well as content creation for national and international outlook and outreaches. She is a Report Women Fellow and 2020 African Women in Media Pitch Zone Award winner in the Digital Transformation Category.
The Solutions Journalism Africa Initiative is training and supporting newsrooms and freelancers across Nigeria to produce stories that highlight how people are responding to various social problems.
