Renowned economist and a full-time member of the faculty at Lagos Business School (LBS), Dr. Doyin Salami media icon and Chairman of RUYI Communications Ltd, Mr. Soni Irabor and three others, have been appointed as the judges in Nigeria for the Citi Journalistic Excellence Award (CJEA).
The three others are the Regional CEO West Africa, V+O Communications, Mrs. Josephine Aligwekwe; the Founder and Director of The Future Project, Mr. Adebola Williams and Mr. Tomiwa Aladekomo, with a decade of media and marketing experience in North America and Nigeria.
For over three decades, the CJEA has helped advance quality journalism as it recognises meritorious business journalism around the world, especially where journalistic career advancement programmes are fewer. Each year, gifted winners attend a once-in-a-lifetime 8-day seminar in New York, run by the esteemed Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and sponsored by Citi.
Citigroup said in a statement that more than 300 talented journalists from over 100 media outlets in 37 countries have attended the Seminar since its inception
According to the statement, applications are screened by an independent judging committee made up of well-known and respected individuals, who understand the media and how it works, are active in the local community, are knowledgeable on international financial/business/economic affairs and appreciate good journalistic writing.
Salami is also a member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria and had been a member of the federal government’s Economic Management Team.
Irabor is an award winning media icon, and a man of many parts; Broadcaster, Advertising Practitioner, Media Manager, Communications consultant, Speech Trainer, Talk-show host and Toastmaster of international repute. Irabor is the Chairman of RUYI Communications Ltd, an integrated marketing communications company. He also served as a member of the Advertising Standards Panel of APCON for more than seven years.
Aligwekwe is a seasoned communications analyst-consultant and brand strategist with over 20 years experience across diverse industries. She currently sits on the advisory board of Newswire, Law and Events Magazine and Artezia Securities.
Aladekomo with over a decade of media and marketing experience in North America and Nigeria, merges global experience with local expertise to create unique consumer-focused experiences that resonate in a rapidly evolving African digital landscape. He is a Columbia University alumnus.
Williams has garnered experience in Television production, Marketing and Communication.
Above all, he has worked as an expert in development across the continent – Williams is the Founder and Director of The Future Project, which runs The Future Awards, described by the World Bank as the “Nobel Prize for Young Africans” – identifying and rewarding young Nigerian leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs and using them as role models to inspire a generation of Africans.
The Judges called upon Nigeria’s media community to emulate initiatives like the CJEA, which provide incentives for journalists to strive for excellence. They congratulated the shortlisted finalists and encouraged them to make the most of this unique opportunity.
They also advised Citi to continue to use platforms like CJEA to support the growth and development of journalists in Nigeria.
