By Habeeb Ibrahim
At the 10th anniversary celebration of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism’s (WSCIJ) “Report Women” initiative, media veterans and advocates called for increased female representation in the Nigerian media industry.
Olusegun Osoba, former governor of Ogun State and keynote speaker at the event, along with Nigeria’s first female professor of Mass Communication, Professor Chinyere Okonna, underscored the need for more inclusive and gender-balanced reporting.
Osoba, a veteran journalist, praised the WSCIJ’s efforts to challenge the male-dominated landscape of Nigerian media. He emphasized that the media cannot fully address social justice, corruption, or national narratives without amplifying the voices and leadership of women. “We cannot tell the story of our nation or fight the battles of injustice and corruption if we silence half of our population,” he said, highlighting the pivotal role of the “Report Women” initiative in addressing gender imbalances in newsrooms and coverage.
Professor Okonna echoed these sentiments, calling attention to the persistent underrepresentation of women in journalism and media leadership. She pointed to WSCIJ’s newly launched female expert source guide, featuring over 500 female authorities in various sectors, as a significant step toward breaking down barriers. “The excuse that women experts are unknown is no longer valid,” Okonna stated, urging younger female journalists to be relentless in their pursuit of leadership roles.
Both advocates emphasized the importance of mentorship and role models in the media, encouraging the industry to provide more opportunities for female journalists to excel.
Their call to action resonated strongly with attendees, as the event marked not only a decade of WSCIJ’s impactful work but also a renewed commitment to advancing gender equality in Nigeria’s media landscape.
