The Chilean journalist, Mónica González Mujica, has been named laureate of the 2010 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. Find out:
1. Why she merits this honor
2. With succinct reasons, If Nigeria still has journalists of her caliber
3. list 7 other previous laureates of this award including the Nigerian laureate.
4. Why the Nigerian laureate bagged the award.
LECTURER: ADA SONIA OBANUA
1. Why she merits this honor
2. With succinct reasons, If Nigeria still has journalists of her caliber
3. list 7 other previous laureates of this award including the Nigerian laureate.
4. Why the Nigerian laureate bagged the award.
LECTURER: ADA SONIA OBANUA
56 comments:
The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize is a prize created in 1997 to honor a person, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defense or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world especially in the face of danger. the prize worth $25000 is awarded every year on may 3rd which happens to be the world press freedom day. The prize is named after Guillermo Cano Isaza, the editor of El Espectador (a Colombian newspaper) who was murdered in Bogotá on 17 December 1986. He was a vocal critic of the country's powerful drug barons. The prize for year 2010 has been awarded to Mónica González Mujica, a Chilean journalist who is known for her dogged, steadfast and relentless war against dictatorship in Chile despite being jailed, tortured and hauled before several courts in Chile. Other previous winners include; Lydia Cacho Ribeiro, (Mexico, 2008), May Chidiac, (Lebanon, 2006), Cheng Yizhong (China 2005), Raúl Rivero (Cuba, 2004), Amira Hass (Israel, 2003), Nizar Nayyouf (Syria,2000), Gao Yu (China, 1997).
Since its creation, only one Zimbabwean (Geoffrey Nyarota) and a Nigerian (Chris Anyanwu) has been able to win it for Africa as a whole. Chris Anyanwu was able to win it due to her story of a failed coup d'etat during General Sanni Abacha's regime which she didn't endorse. she was prosecuted and sent to life imprisonment for it. It must be said that since her days (and that of Dele Giwa) as a journalist, there has been a dearth in investigative journalism in Nigeria due to impediments such as poor remuneration, bad working conditions, corruption within the media, and the relationship between publishers and politicians. Despite this and the lack of real and up to date investigation into the health crisis of president Umaru Yaradua.there are still journalists like Emmanuel Mayah who won the Wole Soyinka Award for investigative journalism in 2009 for his reportage of a story on transnational crimes titled The N3 Billion Tobacco Smuggling Ring which saw him travel across countries in the west African region for five months. This means that Investigative journalism has come a long way but has a longer way to go. According to a well-groomed media practitioner, Idowu Sobowale comment in Business day newspaper on 9th march, 2010, the media has done well on the issue, but its inability to expose the current health status is a failure of investigative journalism. Other factors such as the freedom of information bill which limit the journalist should also be addressed.
Reviewing the career and professional life of Mónica González Mujica,she has shown courage in shining the light on the dark side of Chile.She has embodied the very spirit of the Award. She has been jailed, tortured, hauled before the courts but has remained steadfast. These are rare qualities that you can find in the Nigerian journalists of this time. I feel that her 'kind' is hard to find in this country or you cant find at all. Although the early journalists during the times of the Abacha regime and the military regime in general, we had some bold journalist that were totured and thrown in prison.BUT transcending to the recent times, it seems that NIgeria is breeding a lot of behind the scenes journalists who are intimidated and ruled with fear. A very good example is Christine Anyanwu The 1998 UNESCO / Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize was awarded by UNESCO Director-General Federico Mayor to the Nigerian journalist Christina Anyanwu who is the publisher and editor in chief of "The Sunday Magazine" (Lagos, Nigeria). According to the World Press Freedom Committee and Reporters Sans Frontieres which proposed her for the prize, she is being held in detention in a prison in the north-east of Nigeria in particularly difficult conditions. She was arrested following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995. According to the same sources, her trial was marked by numerous irregularities. She was, notably, denied the right of appeal.Christina Anyanwu is one of four journalists held in detention since the attempted coup in her country where infringements of the rights of the journalists and freedom of the press are innumerable. How I wish that the likes of Christine were still in operation in the Nigerian societiy today!
other unesco world press freedom winners are: Mexican reporter Lydia Cacho Ribeiro. 09-04-2008 (Paris). 2008, Anna Politkovskaya, the late Russian journalist, as the laureate of the 2007 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, 2001 - U Win Tin, Myanmar,2000 - Nizar Nayyouf, Syria,1999 - Jesus Blancornelas, Mexico
1997 - Gao Yu, China, 1999 - Jesus Blancornelas, Mexico
he UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize is awarded annually on World Press Freedom Day (May 3). Created in 1997, it honors the work of an individual or an organization defending or promoting freedom of expression anywhere in the world, especially if this action puts the individual's life at risk .she merits this honour because she promoted freedom of expression at the risk of her own life.Mónica González Mujica has undergone years of hardship defending freedom of expression, one of the core values UNESCO was created to uphold. She now shows equal commitment to education, which is another main priority of UNESCO.
Nigeria does not have journalist of her calibre, because right now, no one would risk his or her life to find out what state the president is in, and if things are that way, who would boast of being a very good investigative journalist? as far as i am concerned, they are scared of their lives and do not want to indulge in this kind of reporting.back then during the military times cases of tortued and detained reporters were heard of but not in this recent times.Like back to abacha's regime Kunle Ajibade, Chris Anyanwu, George M'bah, and Ben Charles-Obi were sentenced and imprisoned for reporting on an alleged coup plot. The four journalists, who were released by Abubakar would likely still be serving their 15-year prison terms if Abacha were still in power.this has threatened many journalist and has made them scared till date of going into investigative journalism and freedom to express themselves.
seven previous laureate are May Chidiac (Lebanon, 2006), Cheng Yizhong, (China, 2005), Raъl Rivero (Cuba, 2004), Amira Hass (Israel, 2003), Geoffrey Nyarota (Zimbabwe, 2002), U Win Tin (Myanmar, 2001), Nizar Nayyouf (Syria, 2000), Christina Anyanwu (Nigeria, 1998)
Christiana bagged that award because she was held in detention in a prison in the north-east of Nigeria in particularly difficult conditions. She was arrested following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995.but she has been released after the abacha regime.
OYEGBADE OLUFUNMILOLA ...O7BE05541
Mónica González Mujica merits this honour because she has repeatedly reported information which has put her in harms way severally in other to give information to the public. In 1973, she spent four years in exile following the military coup that year in chile. She returned in 1978 to Chile, where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly as she investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of the coup leader, General Augusto Pinochet.She was imprisoned and tortured from 1984 to 1985 for this work. Yet, upon her release she went back to investigative reporting, publishing articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship. She was detained again and numerous court cases were brought against her. i the 90's she continued her work in investigative journalism as well as becoming the director for the centre for journalism and investigation in santiago. all the above are enough to earn her the award and apart form this she has shown fearlessness and courage in her reports. it is not a secret that chile's political system has not been a friendly one to journalists and anyone who has the courage to report the situation even in the midst of the crises must indeed be a very good reporter.
I think Nigeria has journalists of her calibre. An example is Mrs Christiana anyanwu who was a laureate in 1997 for this same award. many nigerian journalists have been tortured, detained and arrested because of reports and articles against the government of the day. this was most rampant during the military rule because of the various decrees prohibiting press freedom. Mrs Anyanwu is one in the million Nigerian journalists who have risked their lives to make sure that the public receives information about the going ons in the society. Our political status as a country now does not still allow journalists to express themselves freely but if we look at the various stories about harassed journalists daily we will see that we still have journalists who are willing to sacrifice their lives to let the public know information about the government of the day.
Since its creation, the prize, has been awarded to the following laureates: May Chidiac (Lebanon, 2006), Cheng Yizhong, (China, 2005), Raъl Rivero (Cuba, 2004), Amira Hass (Israel, 2003), Geoffrey Nyarota (Zimbabwe, 2002), U Win Tin (Myanmar, 2001), Nizar Nayyouf (Syria, 2000), Jesus Blancornelas (Mexico, 1999), Christina Anyanwu (Nigeria, 1998), Gao Yu (China, 1997).
The nigerian laureate christana anyanwu reported stories about the failed coup d'etat agaist the governmant of sani abacha. she was accused of being an "accesory to facts of treason". she was persecuted by a military court and sentenced to life imprisonment which was later refuted to 15years in October 1995. Following the death of the military president, General sani Abacha in June 1998 she was released by General Abdulsalaam Abubakar on health grounds. she bagged this award because of her fearlessness i the report of the deplorable conditions in the country even though she knew she could get into trouble for her reports. even though she went througfh a hard time in prison, even losing her sight in one eye, she still went ahead to open her radio station Hot 98.3 FM, based in Abuja in 1995. In 1999 during the general election, she was, on the platform of the People's Democratic Party, elected to the Senate - as a representative of Owerri Zone, Imo State. Her relentlessness and courage during and after her imprisonment has shown her to be a beacon of light to harassed journalists both in Nigeria and all over the world in general.
07BEO5539, ONU-OKPARA CHIAMAKA
The UNESCO/ Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize is designed to appreciate journalists who have risked everything they have in a bid to exercise and promote freedom of expression; Monica in no small terms deserves this award because she has suffered a lot just for the sake of press freedom. For example she spent 4 years in exile as a result of the military coup in 1973 in Chile where she hails from; she was imprisoned in 1984 to 1985 because she investigated human rights violation and the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family, she has lost different jobs as a result of harassments from secret services e.t.c This are just a few of the terrible situations she has gone through as an investigative reporter .She has proved beyond doubts to be a “stubborn” reporter who would care less about anything just to be heard and that’s very brave, I must say.
Personally I don’t think that Nigeria still has journalists of her caliber. Nigeria had but not anymore. The likes of Christina Anyanwu who won the laureate award in 1998, Dele Giwa who was killed for gun running, Nduka Irabor and Tunde Thomas who were jailed for a year e.t.c were ready to go all the way. However, these kind of journalists do not exist anymore. I say this not because I think they are less professional rather because they are not as fearless as those earlier mentioned and there foreign colleagues. An average Nigerian journalist is not ready to risk his or her comfort or peace just to access to talk less of reporting information that would put his life at risk. If not why don’t we still know anything about Yar Adua’s state, why have our journalists not been able to investigate the fraudulent activities of those in government without the intervention of EFCC, why? This just shows that they are not ready to get investigative.
This are the names of some of the Laureates of this award: May Chidiac (Lebanon, 2006); Amira Hass ( Isreal, 2003); Jesus Blancornelas (Mexico, 1999); Gao Yu( China, 1997); Nizar Nayyouf (Syria, 2000); Raul Rivero ( Cuba, 2004) and Christina Anyanwu(Nigeria, 1998)
Christina Anyanwu’s bagging of this award in 1998 is credited to her enormous contribution and humiliations she has had to go through in a bid to investigate and inform. It is to be noted that as at the time she was given this prize she was jailed in Kaduna and has been in detention since the attempted amilitary coup. N: B- She published an article on the 1st of March 1995 about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government and was arrested for that; she was hence condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal. On the 10th of October her case was revisited and her sentence reduced to 15 years. However, she was released after 3 years but with critical medical conditions such as high blood pressure, malaria, typhoid and serious eye problems. This explains why she was more than qualified to receive that award.
The award was Created in 1997 by UNESCO’s Executive Board, the Press Freedom Prize is awarded annually to honour the work of an individual or an organization defending or promoting freedom of expression anywhere in the world, especially if this action puts the individual’s life at risk.
The Chilean journalist, Mónica González Mujica,a veteran journalist, a heroine of the struggle against dictatorship in her country, has been named laureate of the 2010 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.She merit this award because throughout her professional life, Mónica González Mujica has shown courage in shining the light on the dark side of Chile.
Mónica González Mujica has undergone years of hardship defending freedom of expression, one of the core values UNESCO was created to uphold. She now shows equal commitment to education, which is another main priority of our Organization.
She was born in 1949, Ms González spent four years in exile following the military coup of 1973. She returned to Chile in 1978 where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly. As a journalist, she investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family.
Ms González was imprisoned and tortured from 1984 to 1985 for this work. Yet, upon her release she went back to investigative reporting, publishing articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship. She was detained again and numerous court cases were brought against her.Since Chile’s return to democracy in 1990, Ms González has continued working as a newspaper editor and journalist. She has been directing the Center of Journalism and Investigation (Santiago, Chile) since 2007, while conducting workshops on investigative journalism in Chile and abroad.
The award has been awarded to the following laureates: Lasantha Wickrematunge (Sri Lanka, 2009), Lydia Cacho (Mexico, 2008), Anna Politkovskaya (Russian Federation, 2007), May Chidiac (Lebanon, 2006), Cheng Yizhong, (China, 2005), Raúl Rivero (Cuba, 2004), Amira Hass (Israel, 2003), Geoffrey Nyarota (Zimbabwe, 2002),Christina Anyanwu (Nigeria, 1998),
In the present situation of the country I donot think Nigeria still have journalist of her calibre.Journalist are scared of there lives they donot have that motivation or zeal that could make them do their profession with zeal. Since the arrival of the President of Nigeria Umaru Musa Yaradua no information has been heard about him and we have Journalist in these country. Apart from the zeal or motivation, there is no body in Nigeria that will stand at the back of these reporters not even there media house can help them rather they are left on there own to face the consequences which brings about emmigration of reporters.There has been lack of investigative journalism in Nigeria due to obstacle such as poor remuneration, ,corruption within the media, and the relationship between publishers and politicians.
The laureate, Christina Anyanwu, is the publisher and editor in chief of "The Sunday Magazine" (Lagos, Nigeria). According to the World Press Freedom Committee and Reporters Sans Frontieres which proposed her for the prize, she is being held in detention in a prison in the north-east of Nigeria in particularly difficult conditions.She was arrested following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995. She was, notably, denied the right of appeal.Christina Anyanwu is one of four journalists held in detention since the attempted coup in her country where infringements of the rights of the journalists and freedom of the press are innumerable.
Odukale Bowale 07be05526
Monica merits the award as she has proved herself as an outstanding journalist. She has promoted freedom of expression and particularly risked her life. She has faced various obstructions and continued to challenge the Pinochet regime. Gonzáléz was named laureate of the 2010 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, named for the Colombian journalist killed in December 1986 for denouncing drug barons. She will receive the award at a May 3 ceremony in Brisbane, Australia, marking World Press Freedom Day. The UNESCO press freedom prize is worth 25,000 U.S. dollars.
Gonzalez has lost her job a number of times and spent years in exile to ensure that people know the truth in Chile and beyond. She has not compromised the truth and has shown a great level of courage and dedication to her job thus the Laureate.
Since its creation, the prize, has been awarded to the following laureates: Cheng Yizhong, (China, 2005) , Amira Hass (Israel, 2003), Geoffrey Nyarota (Zimbabwe, 2002), U Win Tin (Myanmar, 2001), Nizar Nayyouf (Syria, 2000), Christina Anyanwu (Nigeria, 1998), ), Raъl Rivero (2004)
The only Nigerian who has received the said award is CHRISTINE ANYANWU. Anyanwu was publisher and editor in chief of the national news weekly, The Sunday Magazine when she was arrested on May 31, 1995, because she had published articles reporting that there was no evidence of an alleged plot to overthrow Nigeria's military regime headed by General Sani Abacha. She was charged as an "accessory to a treasonable felony," Anyanwu was tried before a secret military tribunal and sentenced to life in prison. Three other journalists -George Mbah, assistant editor of Tell magazine; Ben Charles Obi, editor of Weekend Classique; and Kunle Ajibade, editor in chief of The NEWS -were also tried and sentenced with Anyanwu.
There are Nigerian journalists of such caliber however; they do not reach the spot light because of the state of affairs in Nigeria today. Journalists still die in Nigeria for doing their investigative work. Journalists who may not be notable are recognized have died in the Jos crisis, Bauchi crisis while doing their jobs.Many journalists are arrested in Nigeria but people are not informed about it. I read about a journalist who was arrested in Ibadan. Nobody would accept that he probably wrote against the government because the would find another crime to charge him with. Ibada Omu.07BE05537
Mónica González Mujica is a veteran journalist whose investigative reporting repeatedly challenged the Pinochet regime and the UNESCO prize is awarded to those who promote freedom of expression, particularly at the risk of their own lives. The 2010 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize was named in honor of the Colombian journalist that was killed in December 1986 for denouncing drug barons.
Throughout Monica’s professional life, she has shown courage in shining the light on the dark side of Chile, Following Chile's 1973 military coup, she spent four years in exile and after returning to the country, she was harassed by security services, imprisoned, and repeatedly sued, but she continued to write articles and books, that is a sound enough reason why she deserves the award.
Even a blind man can see clearly that we do not in anyway have journalists of her caliber in Nigeria anymore. They sure existed in those days that’ll be the likes of Dele Giwa, Christina Anyanwu; who won the UNESCO award in 1998 etc, but presently they’ve all faded out, I mean if we still had such caliber within our nation our president’s state of health wouldn’t still be unknown and a great deal of many other unreported /ill-reported issues in our country.
The following are past laureates for UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize:
o Chinese journalist, Gao Yu; laureate of the 1997 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
o Nigerian journalist, Christina Anyanwu; laureate of the 1998 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
o Cuban Journalist, Raúl Rivero; laureate of the 2004 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
o Chinese journalist, Cheng Yizhong; laureate of the 2005 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
o Lebanese journalist, May Chidiac, laureate of the 2006 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
o Late Russian journalist, Anna Politkovskaya; laureate of the 2007 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.
o Mexican reporter, Lydia Cacho Ribeiro laureate of the 2008 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.
Christina Anyanwu, according to the World Press Freedom Committee and Reporters Sans Frontieres which proposed her for the prize, was being held in detention in a prison in the north-east of Nigeria in particularly difficult conditions following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995, her trial was marked by numerous irregularities and she was, notably, denied the right of appeal. Her courage to report this story despite the many infringements of the rights of the journalists and freedom of the press bagged her the award.
ALOKOLARO ADEOLA ADEBOWALE.
07BE05494
UNESCO established the World Press Freedom Prize in honour of Guillermo Cano, a Colombian
journalist who died in the exercise of his profession. The purpose of the Prize, supported by the Guillermo Cano Foundation, the Nicholas B. Ottaway Foundation and JP/Politiken Newspapers LTD, is to honour a person, organization or institution that has made a notable contribution to the defence and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially if this involved risk. As stipulated in the Regulations adopted by the Executive Board, the UNESCO
World Press Freedom Prize is intended “to honour a person, organization or
institution that has made a notable contribution to the defence and/or promotion
of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially if this involved risk.
The prize is intended to reward journalists who have shown dedication in the name of freedom of expression and information and to afford them the international recognition they deserve.
As seen throughout her professional life, she has constantly been a heroine of the struggle against military dictatorship and imperialism in her country; Chile. Showing courage and unparalleled bravery, she has been jailed, tortured and made to face series of lawsuits all in her determination to uphold the truth and stand by it till the very end.
AS can be seen from the above justifications of her perseverance and dedication to her work even in the face of obvious risk, I would say she merits the award.
To take the bull by its horns and a spade a spade, I would say Nigeria at the moment does not have journalists in her caliber. In the days of people like Dele Giwa,Mrs Christiana anyanwu etc,during the military dispensation of the then Abacha regime, I would say that is applicable but in recent times, even with the democratic dispensation we have, freedom of information is subtly limited and people who are meant to dissipate information are more interested in boot licking and collecting brown envelopes. Although such journalists may
abound, their functionality is seriously hampered by the environment and the near-corruption-based society we have now.
Other recipients of this award include : May Chidiac (Lebanon, 2006), Cheng Yizhong, (China, 2005), Ra?l Rivero (Cuba, 2004), Amira Hass (Israel, 2003, showing professional commitment and independence,in the peace established between Isralies and Palestine), Geoffrey Nyarota (Zimbabwe, 2002), U Win Tin (Myanmar, 2001), Nizar Nayyouf (Syria, 2000), Jesus Blancornelas (Mexico, 1999), Christina Anyanwu (Nigeria, 1998), Gao Yu (China, 1997).
The Nigerian, Christina Anyanwu, who bagged the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize is the publisher and editor in chief of The Sunday Magazine (Lagos, Nigeria). According to the World Press Freedom Committee and Reporters Sans Frontières which nominated her for the Prize, she was held in detention in a prison in the north-east of Nigeria in particularly difficult conditions and suffered from high blood pressure, typhoid, malaria and serious eye problems. She was arrested following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995.
Her doggedness in the face of danger in the hands of the brutal men-in-khaki and boots and her editorial capabilities joined together to give her the so much deserved award.
Onimole Oludolamu Ademola
07BE05538
The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize is a prize that was created in 1997 in honour of a person, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defense or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world especially in the face of danger.The 2010 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize was named in honor of the Colombian journalist that was killed in December 1986 for denouncing drug barons.
Throughout her professional life, Monica has shown courage in shining the light on the dark side of Chile, Following Chile's 1973 military coup, she spent four years in exile. she was imprisoned in 1984 to 1985 because she investigated human rights violation and the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family, she has lost different jobs as a result of harassments from secret services. This can be seen as qualities of a good investigative reporter.
Yes, Nigeria at a point had journalists of her caliber. someone such as Christina Anyanwu who bagged th laureate award in 1998, Dele Giwa, etc. But today, we no longer have such journalistic juggernauts in our country. Christina Anyanwu, according to the World Press Freedom Committee and Reporters Sans Frontieres which proposed her for the prize, was being held in detention in a prison in the north-east of Nigeria in particularly difficult conditions following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995, her trial was marked by numerous irregularities and she was, notably, denied the right of appeal. In Nigeria today, who wants to suffer because of passion for any kind of job? No journalist wants to get out of his/her comfort zone these days.
The following are past laureates of this award:
- Late Russian journalist, Anna Politkovskaya; laureate of the 2007 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.
- Mexican reporter, Lydia Cacho Ribeiro laureate of the 2008 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
- Chinese journalist, Gao Yu; laureate of the 1997 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
- Nigerian journalist, Christina Anyanwu; laureate of the 1998 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
- Cuban Journalist, Raúl Rivero; laureate of the 2004 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
- Chinese journalist, Cheng Yizhong; laureate of the 2005 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
- Lebanese journalist, May Chidiac, laureate of the 2006 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom
Ngwodo MaryJane 07BE05520
The Press Freedom Award was created in 1997 by UNESCO’s Executive board and this award is been given annually to honour the work of an individual or an organization defending or promoting freedom of expression anywhere in the world, especially if the actions puts the individual’s life at risk. The prize, worth US$25,000, is awarded each year on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May.
The prize is named after Guillermo Cano Isaza, the editor of the Colombian newspaper El Espectador, who was murdered in Bogotá on 17 December 1986. Cano was a vocal critic of the country's powerful drug barons.
Since its creation, only one Zimbabwean (Geoffrey Nyarota) and a Nigerian (Chris Anyanwu) have been able to win it for Africa as a whole. Chris Anyanwu who is the publisher and editor in chief of "The Sunday Magazine" (Lagos, Nigeria) was able to win it due to her story of a failed coup d’état during General Sanni Abacha's regime which she didn't endorse. She was prosecuted and sent to life imprisonment for it.
The Chilean journalist, Mónica González Mujica is a heroine of the struggle against dictatorship in her country and has been named laureate of the 2010 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.
Mónica has under gone years of hardship like imprisonment, harassment etc, defending the freedom of expression which is one of the core values of UNESCO which was created to uphold. She now shows equal commitment to education and this is another main priority of this organization.
Nigeria journalist are trying their very best in every way they can to make Nigeria get information, but I’ve not seen any journalist that has Mónica calibre. Some of this journalist who even succeed end up getting killed or seriously injured, sometimes it even causes them to lose their career. Reporters are scared of expressing themselves freely because they don’t know what would happen to them.
Wole Soyinka is an example of a Nigerian that has gotten the award and he got it through writing literature pieces. Soyinka who won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1986 and fled Nigeria in 1994 to avoid persecution by Abubakar's predecessor, General Sani Abacha. Soyinka continued to criticize Abacha from abroad, and in March 1997 Soyinka and several others were charged with treason for their alleged role in a series of bombings against military targets.
There has been lack of investigative journalism in Nigeria due to impediments such as poor remuneration, bad working conditions, corruption within the media, and the relationship between publishers and politicians. Reporters now report only what politicians want to see and keep out the important information the people are supposed to know.
Some of the previous winners include; Lasantha Wickrematunge, (Sri Lanka, 2009), May Chidiac, (Lebanon, 2006), Win Tin (Myanmar, 2001), Raúl Rivero (Cuba, 2004), Amira Hass (Israel, 2003), Nizar Nayyouf (Syria, 2000), Anna Politkovskaya (Russia, 2007). Etc.
The freedom information bill should therefore be addressed in order for journalist to have the freedom to access information and also giving such information to the public so that they can be updated in certain areas. This case has to be seriously addressed. EKEZIE JUDITH, 07BE05505.
the UNESCO'S WORLD PRESS FREEDOM AWARD IS TO HONOUR is to honour person, organization or institution that has made a notable contribution to the defence and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially if this involved risk life by journalist. it is to reward journalists who have shown dedication in the name of freedom of expression and information and to afford them the international recognition they deserve and it is done annually with the Prize marked by a ceremony and the winner is presented with the sum of US$25,000. this year winner is a Chilean journalist, Mónica González Mujica, a heroine of the struggle against dictatorship in her country, who has been named laureate of the 2010 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.
she merits it because travelling down her career history, has shown courage in shining the light on the dark side of Chile,and this was the comment of the President of the jury, Joe Thloloe, Press Ombudsman of the Press Council of South Africa. “She has embodied the very spirit of the Award. She has been jailed, tortured, hauled before the courts but has remained steadfast.” her experience back to the younger generation through her work at the Center of Journalism and Investigation and her workshops on investigative journalism in various countries,” added which implies that she is not only restricted to her country but places she needs to visit to authenticate her story. this quality to me deserves more than awards.
nigeria doesnot have journalist of her caliber because the now our days journalist are not willing or even ready to go all the way reason been that most of the media houses in this country do not make enough provision for them even if the journalist are willing to do so. for instance a case study ofwhere i did my IT reporters are not paid on time for the little reporting they do how much more going all the way to take risk. most of the journalist we have this days only make a living rather than living thaeir making as a journalist. even if they want to go all the way, the outcome of those that did it during the military era are not encouraging except for very few like Lateef Jakande who is now a celebrated man in the area of journalism.
the seven other journalists are: Amira Hass (isreal 2003)
Gao Yu (china 1997)
Nizar Nayyout (syria 2000)
Jesus Blancornelas (mexico 1999)
Lydia cacho Riberio(mexico 2008)
Christina Anyanwu (nigeria 1998)
Chang Yizhong (china 2005).
the abscence of people who went all the way like Christiana Anyanwu has led to alot in this field considering some of the things she went through for the sake of her job like her detention in a prison in the north-east of Nigeria in particularly difficult conditions. She was arrested following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995. According to the same sources, her trial was marked by numerous irregularities. She was, notably, denied the right of appeal.Christina Anyanwu is one of four journalists held in detention since the attempted coup in her country where infringements of the rights of the journalists and freedom of the press are innumerable. out of the journalist we have in this country i think only 10% can dare what she dared and i strongly believe that alot of our upcoming journalist will brag of being able to do it but not all will actually be able to and some will rather prefer to practice in the west rather than in this country where the interest of journalist her not protected at all. AFOLAYAN REBECCA 07BE05488
Mónica González Mujica, a veteran journalist whose investigative reporting repeatedly challenged the Pinochet regime, has won a UNESCO prize awarded to those who promote freedom of expression, particularly at the risk of their own lives.
Gonzáléz was named laureate of the 2010 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, named for the Colombian journalist killed in December 1986 for denouncing drug barons. She will receive the award at a May 3 ceremony in Brisbane, Australia, marking World Press Freedom Day.
Gonzáléz, who investigated human rights abuses and the financial dealings of General Augusto Pinochet, is currently director of Chile's Center for Investigative Journalism (CIPER), which she co-founded in 2007. Following Chile's 1973 military coup, she spent four years in exile. After returning to the country, she was harassed by security services, imprisoned, and repeatedly sued, but she continued to write articles and books.
“Throughout her professional life, Mónica González Mujica has shown courage in shining the light on the dark side of Chile,”
Previous winners are- Nizar Nayyouf (Syria,2000), Amira Hass (Israel, 2003), Lydia Cacho Ribeiro, (Mexico, 2008), May Chidiac, (Lebanon, 2006), Raúl Rivero (Cuba, 2004), Gao Yu (China, 1997) Cheng Yizhong (China 2005), Chris Anyanwu is the only nigerian that has won this prize,is the publisher and editor in chief of The Sunday Magazine She was arrested following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995. Chris was released after 3 years but with a lot of critical medical conditions rtanging from high blood pressure,typhoid,malaria,and eye problems. This explains why she was more than qualified to receive that award.a woman,and a nigerian took such risk.This is hard to find in nigeria today were there is no incentive to work. she could hav as well just died during the cause of her job but Thank God she didn't. EMEFIELE ANITA- 05BE02358
The purpose of the UNESCO Prize, supported by the Guillermo Cano Foundation, the Nicholas B. Ottaway Foundation and JP/Politiken Newspapers LTD, is to honour a person, organization or institution that has made a notable contribution to the defence and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially if this involved risk.
The prize is intended to reward journalists who have shown dedication in the name of freedom of expression and information and to afford them the international recognition they deserve. Awarded annually, the Prize is marked by a ceremony and the winner is presented with the sum of US$25,000.
The Chilean journalist, Mónica González Mujica, was awarded the prize because she was a heroine in the struggle against dictatorship in her country (Chile), and has such been named laureate of the 2010 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.
in my honest opinion Nigeria has journalists of her caliber that can help in moving the nation forward a case study Chris Anyanwu, Dele Giwa even nobel laureate Wole Soyinka have made efforts in ensuring freedom of the press among others though not all of them are internationally recognised.
In naming the laureate, the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, endorsed the recommendation of an international jury of 12 professional journalists from all over the world. According to her “Mónica González Mujica has undergone years of hardship defending freedom of expression, one of the core values UNESCO was created to uphold. She now shows equal commitment to education, which is another main priority of our Organization,” and she would therefore be named laureate of the 2010 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize on May 3rd in Brisbane, Australia which is recognized as the World Press
Freedom Day.
Past laureates for UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize include:
Chinese journalist, Gao Yu; laureate of the 1997 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, Nigerian journalist, Christina Anyanwu; laureate of the 1998 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, Cuban Journalist, Raúl Rivero; laureate of the 2004 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize,
Chinese journalist, Cheng Yizhong; laureate of the 2005 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, Lebanese journalist, May Chidiac, laureate of the 2006 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, Late Russian journalist, Anna Politkovskaya; laureate of the 2007 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize and Mexican reporter, Lydia Cacho Ribeiro laureate of the 2008 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.
The laureate, Christina Anyanwu, was the publisher and editor in chief of The Sunday Magazine (Lagos, Nigeria). She was arrested following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995. According to the same sources, her trial was marked by numerous irregularities. She was, notably, denied the right of appeal. Ms Anyanwu is one of four journalists held in detention since the attempted coup in her country where infringements of the rights of the journalists and freedom of the press are innumerable.
Therefore it can be seen that her efforts towards ensuring press freedom in a third world nation like Nigeria was what helped her bag the prestigious award
ODIMAYO ABIMBOLA 07BE05525
Mónica González Mujica, a veteran journalist whose investigative reporting repeatedly challenged the Pinochet regime, has won a UNESCO prize awarded to those who promote freedom of expression, particularly at the risk of their own lives.
Gonzáléz was named laureate of the 2010 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, named for the Colombian journalist killed in December 1986 for denouncing drug barons. She will receive the award at a May 3 ceremony in Brisbane, Australia, marking World Press Freedom Day.
Gonzáléz, who investigated human rights abuses and the financial dealings of General Augusto Pinochet, is currently director of Chile's Center for Investigative Journalism (CIPER), which she co-founded in 2007. Following Chile's 1973 military coup, she spent four years in exile. After returning to the country, she was harassed by security services, imprisoned, and repeatedly sued, but she continued to write articles and books.
“Throughout her professional life, Mónica González Mujica has shown courage in shining the light on the dark side of Chile,”
Previous winners are- Nizar Nayyouf (Syria,2000), Amira Hass (Israel, 2003), Lydia Cacho Ribeiro, (Mexico, 2008), May Chidiac, (Lebanon, 2006), Raúl Rivero (Cuba, 2004), Gao Yu (China, 1997) Cheng Yizhong (China 2005), Chris Anyanwu is the only nigerian that has won this prize,is the publisher and editor in chief of The Sunday Magazine She was arrested following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995. Chris was released after 3 years but with a lot of critical medical conditions rtanging from high blood pressure,typhoid,malaria,and eye problems. This explains why she was more than qualified to receive that award.a woman,and a nigerian took such risk.This is hard to find in nigeria today were there is no incentive to work. she could hav as well just died during the cause of her job but Thank God she didn't. EMEFIELE ANITA- 05BE02358
Mónica González Mujica has shown bravery and immense courage in bringing light to the people of chile and eradicating their very dark sides. She is an example to the younger generations on how a citizen that truly loves her country should act as she embodies the very spirit of the award which she was given. She has been jailed, tortured, hauled before the courts, but has remained steadfast in her job and in the love for her country. To futher express her love for job and country she has undergone years of hardship defending freedom of expression, one of the core values UNESCO was created to uphold. With this kind of striking quality the she does not only deserve the award but a whole ot more. González spent four years in exile following the military coup of 1973. She returned to Chile in 1978 where she was harassed by the secret services that made her lose jobs repeatedly but that didn't make her slack on her job or relent.González was imprisoned and tortured from 1984 to 1985 for her work, but returned to investigative reporting after her release, publishing articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship. She was detained again and numerous court cases were brought against her. The above listed is more than enough to give her or anyone else such award. In Nigeria,the laureate, Christina Anyanwu,the publisher and editor in chief of "The Sunday Magazine" (Lagos, Nigeria). According to the World Press Freedom Committee and Reporters Sans Frontieres which proposed her for the prize, she is being held in detention in a prison in the north-east of Nigeria in particularly difficult conditions. She was arrested following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995. According to the same sources, her trial was marked by numerous irregularities. She was, notably, denied the right of appeal.Christina Anyanwu is one of four journalists held in detention since the attempted coup in her country where infringements of the rights of the journalists and freedom of the press are innumerable. There are several recipients of this award and they are: May Chidiac (Lebanon, 2006), Cheng Yizhong, (China, 2005), Ra?l Rivero (Cuba, 2004), Amira Hass (Israel, 2003, showing professional commitment and independence,in the peace established between Isralies and Palestine), Geoffrey Nyarota (Zimbabwe, 2002), U Win Tin (Myanmar, 2001), Nizar Nayyouf (Syria, 2000), Jesus Blancornelas (Mexico, 1999), Christina Anyanwu (Nigeria, 1998), Gao Yu (China, 1997). Without mixing words i dare to that Christina of Ngeria falls under this caliber of journalist as she has displayed her bravery and courage for the right things to the detriment of her job,joy and total happiness in life. Christina deserves it as she met the conditions of the award. TOMBIA ONYEKA 07BE05545.
The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, created in 1997, honors a person, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defense and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially when this has been achieved in the face of danger. The prize, worth US$25,000, is awarded each year on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May.
This year’s winner Mónica González Mujica merits this award for many reasons. First of all she has shown courage in the midst of adversity. She has undergone years of hardship in defending freedom of human rights and expression, she has shown commitment to education through her workshops and her work in the Centre of journalism and investigation.
She has spent four years in exile (1973 to 19777). Upon her return she was harassed by the Chile secret service, she lost jobs and this didn’t stop her. In fact, it made her stronger and more determined. She investigated financial wrongs of President General Pinochet.
In 1984 to 1985, she was imprisoned and tortured for her work and when she was released, she still continued investigating, fighting for human rights and publishing articles against military dictatorship.
In 1990 when Chile returned to democracy, she continued working has a journalist and has being directing the Centre of journalism and investigation in Chile since 2007
Personally I don’t feel we have journalist like Mónica González Mujica in Nigeria again. Most of the journalist that would probably have made names like her have delved into Partisan politics example Abike Dabiri and even Christina Anyanwu. This makes it hard for them to criticize the government because they are now part of the government and are now involved with the corruption going on in the government. Other reasons for this are because our journalists don’t know they are the watchdogs and their pitiful pay makes it possible for them to be bribed and to kill stories.
Seven other winners of UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize are 2003 Amira Hass, Israel 2002: Geoffrey Nyarota, Zimbabwe 2001: Win Tin, Myanmar 2000: Nizar Nayyouf, Syria 1999: Jesús Blancornelas, Mexico 1998: Christina Anyanwu, Nigeria 1997: Gao Yu, China
Christina Anyanwu bagged the award for so many reasons. To me her struggle for Press Freedom is similar to that of Mónica González Mujica. She was arrested in May 1995 following the publication of a story about a failed coup d'état against the government of Sani Abacha - whom she had refused to endorse as president - on 1 March; she was accused of being "accessories to facts of treason". She was prosecuted in camera by a military court and sentenced to life imprisonment on 4 July 1995, later reduced to 15 years in October 1995 following pressure from national and international human rights groups. While being held in deplorable conditions in Gombe prison, she went partially blind; doctors warned that she was in danger of loosing her sight completely if she failed to receive medical attention. Following the death of Abacha she was released from prison on the bases of health ground after which she wrote a book “Days of terror”, got involved in partisan politics and opened her own radio station Hot 98.3fm based in Abuja.
07be05491 Aina Oluadamilola Eliabeth
Monica Gonzalez Mujica merited this award because of her struggle against dictatorship in her country and for promoting the freedom of expression. The Press Freedom Prize is awarded annually to honour the work of an individual or an organization defending or promoting freedom of expression anywhere in the world, especially if this action puts the individual’s life at risk. She spent four years in exile following the military coup of 1973. She returned to Chile in 1978 where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly. As a journalist, she investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family. From 1984 to 1985, she was imprisoned and tortured for this work. As soon as she was released, she went back to investigative reporting, published articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship. She was detained again and charged with numerous court charges. She still works as a newspaper editor and journalist. Throughout her career, she never allowed her trials weigh her down and today she is being honored with the 2010 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.
It’s sad to know that we don’t have journalists of her caliber. Most of our journalists are either corrupt or are afraid to die. Nobody wants to die or fight for the truth. I believe if we have daredevil journalists we would know about the amount of money missing in the country everyday, where Mr. President is presently, who really killed Marshall Harry, Bola Ige, Funsho Williams, Chuba Okadigbo and those who are really behind the kidnappings of oil expatriates in the Niger Delta. Other laureates of this award include; Lasantha Wickrematunge (Sri Lanka 2009), Lydia Cacho (Mexico 2008), Anna Politkovskaya (Russia 2007), May Chidiac (Lebabon 2006), Cheng Yizhong (China 2005), Jesus Blancornelas (Mexico 1999) and Christiana Anyanwu ( Nigeria 1998). Anyanwu was prosecuted by a military court and sentenced to life imprisonment on July 4, 1995 as a result of her publication story of the failed coup d’état against Gen. Sani Abacha’s government. She and other journalist was accused of being "accessories to facts of treason”. In October 1995, pressure from national and international human rights groups made the military head of state reduce her sentence to 15 years. While in prison, she went partially blind and there received The Courage in Journalism Award which only encouraged, strengthened and made her confident. Finally in May 1998, she bagged the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.
OKAFOR IFUNANYA AUGUSTA 07BE05531
The award was created in 1997 by UNESCO’s Executive Board; the Press Freedom Prize is awarded annually to honour the work of an individual or an organization defending or promoting freedom of expression anywhere in the world, especially if this action puts the individual’s life at risk.
Mónica González Mujica actually deserves the award because she has gone through a lot just because of her career. She has undergone years of hardship defending freedom of expression, one of the core values UNESCO was created to uphold. She now shows equal commitment to education, which is another main priority of our Organization. Ms González spent four years in exile following the military coup of 1973. She returned to Chile in 1978 where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly. As a journalist, she investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family. Ms González was imprisoned and tortured from 1984 to 1985 for this work. Yet, upon her release she went back to investigative reporting, publishing articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship. She was detained again and numerous court cases were brought against her.
As at now I really don’t think we have any Nigerian journalist of her type. As we have seen all what González has been through I really don’t think there is any Nigerian journalist who has gone through quarter of what González has been through yet she never gave up.
Since its creation, the prize has been awarded to the following laureates:
May Chidiac (Lebanon, 2006)
Cheng Yizhong (China, 2005)
Geoffrey Nyarota (Zimbabwe, 2002)
U Win Tin (Myanmar, 2001)
Nizar Nayyouf (Syria, 2000)
Jesus Blancornelas (Mexico, 1999)
Christina Anyanwu (Nigeria, 1998)
According to the World Press Freedom Committee and Reporters Sans Frontiers’ which proposed her for the prize, she is being held in detention in a prison in the north-east of Nigeria in particularly difficult conditions. She was arrested following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995. According to the same sources, her trial was marked by numerous irregularities. She was, notably, denied the right of appeal. Christina Anyanwu is one of four journalists held in detention since the attempted coup in her country where infringements of the rights of the journalists and freedom of the press are innumerable. IWEHA GLORY CHIDIADI 07BE05513
The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, created in 1997, honors a person, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence and promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially when this has been achieved in the face of danger.
The prize, worth US$25,000, is awarded each year on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May.
According to Joe Thloloe the president of the jury,press ombudsman of the press council of south Africa she has every right to merit the award because all through her professional life she has shown courage of shinning light on the dark side of Chile and also she has embodied the very spirit of the award because she was jailed, tortured and hauled before the courts but she has remained steadfast. As a journalist she investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of general pinochet and his family even though she was jailed and tortured she returned to her work releasing articles and books about the military dictatorship.
We do not in anyway have journalists of her caliber in Nigeria anymore. They sure existed in those days that’ll be the likes of Dele Giwa, Christina Anyanwu; who won the UNESCO award in 1998 etc, but presently they’ve all faded out, I mean if we still had such caliber within our nation our president’s state of health wouldn’t still be unknown and a great deal of many other unreported /ill-reported issues in our country. The journalists we have in Nigeria are either scared of their shadow or are into the corrupting nature of our nation that they are ready to take money and keep quiet about a case.which is not suppose to be so because a journalist and a good one for that matter has sworn to report all kinds of stories so long as it is news. But sorry to say we dont have the caliber of Monica's journalist in Nigeria.
The following are past laureates for UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize:
o Chinese journalist, Gao Yu; laureate of the 1997 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
o Nigerian journalist, Christina Anyanwu; laureate of the 1998 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
o Cuban Journalist, Raúl Rivero; laureate of the 2004 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
o Chinese journalist, Cheng Yizhong; laureate of the 2005 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
o Lebanese journalist, May Chidiac, laureate of the 2006 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
o Late Russian journalist, Anna Politkovskaya; laureate of the 2007 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.
o Mexican reporter, Lydia Cacho Ribeiro laureate of the 2008 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.
The Nigerian, Christina Anyanwu, who bagged the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize is the publisher and editor in chief of The Sunday Magazine (Lagos, Nigeria). According to the World Press Freedom Committee and Reporters Sans Frontiers which nominated her for the Prize, she was held in detention in a prison in the north-east of Nigeria in particularly difficult conditions and suffered from high blood pressure, typhoid, malaria and serious eye problems. She was arrested following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995.Christina's courage in the face of danger gave her the award and ever since i haven't heard of any Nigeria journalist who has collected that award because they are scared of the consequences and who wouldn't be when the agencies that proclaim to care for the rights of these people are not doing anything.
Etidiakaba Blessing 07BE05507
She was born in 1949 and as an investigative journalist, she investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family. Ms González spent four years in exile following the military coup of 1973. She returned to Chile in 1978 where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly. Firstly I want to say Of course she merits the award beyond any form of questioning. Mónica González Mujica has shown great courage on the dark side of Chile. Records says she has been jailed, tortured, hauled before the courts but has remained steadfast. She is a serious inspiration to the younger generation through her work at the Center of Journalism and Investigation and her workshops on investigative journalism in various countries.
Nigeria dose not have any of such journalist. Freedom of the press in Nigeria is “in law” it only exists in books. Everybody is watching their heads. Journalist in Nigeria only report usual and convinent news. If u are n any way doubting this why have Nigerian journalist not taken any extra step to source for news about Yar’Aduas where about and even the ones that have the news, why have they not reported it.
Some other people that have gotten this award are Lasantha Wickrematunge (Sri Lanka, 2009), Lydia Cacho (Mexico, 2008), Anna Politkovskaya (Russian Federation, 2007), May Chidiac (Lebanon, 2006), Cheng Yizhong, (China, 2005), Raúl Rivero (Cuba, 2004), Amira Hass (Israel, 2003), Geoffrey Nyarota (Zimbabwe, 2002), U Win Tin (Myanmar, 2001), Nizar Nayyouf (Syria, 2000), Jesus Blancornelas (Mexico, 1999), Christina Anyanwu (Nigeria, 1998), Gao Yu (China, 1997).
Nigerian journalist that have had this award are the very few that have gone out of there way to make the difference by sourcing and reporting stories that are capable of putting their lives in danger.
Egbomeade osede 07BE05504
there's no arguing the fact that she merits it or not as a matter of fact she embodies the very spirit of the award. She has been jailed, tortured, hauled before the courts severally, but has remained steadfast and dilligent in her carrer and still figths for the freedom of the press.Mónica González Mujica has undergone years of hardship defending freedom of expression, one of the core values UNESCO was created to uphold,She also shows equal commitment to education, which is another main priority of UNESCO.as mentioned earlier on, she has gone through so much hardship and still stands for what she believes.González spent four years in exile following the military coup of 1973. She returned to Chile in 1978 where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly.(how sad?) As a journalist, she investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family.she was imprisoned and tortured from 1984 to 1985 for her work, but returned to investigative reporting after her release, publishing articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship. She was detained again and numerous court cases were brought against her.what more can someone do to merit this award?
Hardly will you find a journalist of her callibre in Nigeria, no journalist is ready to go through any kind of toture or hardship, (risk his or her life) not even the tiniest torture, their life comes first not their career which is why till date no body has any tangible information about yaradua's health.Nigeria has only had one journalist who has won this award is Christina Ayanwu in the year 1998, after her there has been no other.
previous press freedom laureates includes:
Lydia Cacho Ribero of mexico in 2008.
May Chidiac of Lebanon in 2006.
Cheng Yizhong of China in 2005
Amira Hass of Isreal in 2003
Nizar Nayyouf of Syria in 2000
Jesus Blancornelas of mexico in 1999.
Christina anyanwu of Nigeria in 1998
Christiana Anyanwu bagged the award because just like Gonzalez, she was steadfast even in trials and tortures.According to the World Press Freedom Committee and Reporters Sans Frontieres which proposed her for the prize, she was held in detention in a prison in the north-east of Nigeria in particularly difficult conditions.
on March 1, 1995,She was arrested following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995. According to the same sources, her trial was marked by numerous irregularities. She was, notably, denied the right of appeal.
07BE05542.Patience
The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, created in 1997, honours a person, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially when this has been achieved in the face of danger.
The prize, worth US$25,000, is awarded each year on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May. The prize is named after Guillermo Cano Isaza, the editor of the Colombian newspaper El Espectador, who was murdered in Bogotá on 17 December 1986. Cano was a vocal critic of the country's powerful drug barons.
Each year, an independent jury of 14 news professionals selected by the UNESCO Director-General selects a winner from the many nominations submitted by non- governmental organizations working in the field of press freedom, and by UNESCO Member States
The Chilean journalist, Mónica González Mujica, a heroine of the struggle against dictatorship in her country, has been named laureate of the 2010 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. Born in 1949, Ms González spent four years in exile following the military coup of 1973. She returned to Chile in 1978 where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly. As a journalist, she investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family. The award will be given to her on May 3rd, 2010 which is seen as the World Press Freedom Day to honour her for her well done work in ensuring press freedom.
Other winners of the UNESCO awards are:
• 2009: Lasantha_Wickrematunge, Sri Lanka (posthumous award)
• 2008: Lydia Cacho Ribeiro, Mexico
• 2007: Anna Politkovskaya, Russia (posthumous award)
• 2006: May Chidiac, Lebanon
• 2005: Cheng Yizhong, China
• 2004: Raúl Rivero, Cuba
• 2003: Amira Hass, Israel
• 2002: Geoffrey Nyarota, Zimbabwe
• 2001: Win Tin, Myanmar
• 2000: Nizar Nayyouf, Syria
• 1999: Jesús Blancornelas, Mexico
• 1998: Christina Anyanwu, Nigeria
• 1997: Gao Yu, China
The award that was given to Chris Anyanwu who was the former publisher and editor in chief of The Sunday Magazine (Lagos, Nigeria) was well desired because of her endless fight to ensure that press freedom is obtained in Nigeria despite been imprisoned for it she didn’t give up the fight therefore I would regard her a true laureate and a nationalist indeed. I believe that there are journalists of her caliber in Nigeria if and only if we can stand up and embrace investigative journalism like to West and protect their rights then we can win more awards and be recognized for our efforts at ensuring press freedom in our economy.
ORIBHABOR ANDREA 07BE05540
The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, created in 1997, honours a person, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially when this has been achieved in the face of danger.The prize, worth US$25,000, is awarded each year on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May. Each year, an independent jury of 14 news professionals selected by the UNESCO Director-General selects a winner from the many nominations submitted by non-governmental organizations working in the field of press freedom, and by UNESCO Member State.The prize is named after Guillermo Cano Isaza, the editor of the Colombian newspaper El Espectador, who was murdered in Bogotá on 17 December 1986. Cano was a vocal critic of the country's powerful drug barons.
The Chilean journalist, Mónica González Mujica has been a heroine of the struggle against dictatorship in her country, has been named laureate of the 2010 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.Throughout her professional life, Mónica González Mujica has shown courage in shining the light on the dark side of Chile, She has embodied the very spirit of the Award. She has been jailed, tortured, hauled before the courts but has remained steadfast. Born in 1949, Ms González spent four years in exile following the military coup of 1973. She returned to Chile in 1978 where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly. As a journalist, she investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family Ms González was imprisoned and tortured from 1984 to 1985 for this work. Yet, upon her release she went back to investigative reporting, publishing articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship. She was detained again and numerous court cases were brought against her. Since Chile’s return to democracy in 1990, Ms González has continued working as a newspaper editor and journalist. She has been directing the Center of Journalism and Investigation (Santiago, Chile) since 2007, while conducting workshops on investigative journalism in Chile and abroad.as at now I can say very confidently that there is no Nigerian journalist that can be worthy of this honour from what we have seen monica go through, idon’t think any Nigerian journalist would be able to go through it and remain the same.
Some of the other journalists to get this award include:2009: Lasantha_Wickrematunge, Sri Lanka (posthumous award),2008: Lydia Cacho Ribeiro, Mexico, 2007: Anna Politkovskaya, Russia (posthumous award),2006: May Chidiac, Lebanon,2005: Cheng Yizhong, China, 2004: Raúl Rivero, Cuba, 1998: Christina Anyanwu, Nigeria.
The Nigerian journalist christina anyanwu bagged this award because in May 1995, Anyanwu was arrested following the publication of a story about a failed coup d'état against the government of Sani Abacha; she and several Nigerian journalists were accused of of treason". She was prosecuted in camera by a military court and sentenced to life imprisonment on 4 July 1995, later reduced to 15 years in October 1995 following pressure from national and international human rights groups. While being held in deplorable conditions in Gombe prison, she went partially blind; doctors warned that she was in danger of loosing her sight completely if she failed to receive medical attention. Despite all this, she did not relent in what she believed and she stood by the ethics of journalism and in May 1998 she was awarded UNESCO's Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. CHUKS-EBOKA AMARA 07CK06330
Created in 1997 by UNESCO's Executive Board, the Press Freedom Prize is awarded annually to honour the work of an individual or an organization defending or promoting freedom of expression anywhere in the world, especially if this action puts the individual's life at risk.
In her professional life, Mónica González Mujica has shown courage in shining the light on the dark side of Chile. She is a heroine of the struggle against dictatorship in her country,that is why she has been named laureate of the 2010 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. Ms González spent four years in exile following the military coup of 1973. She returned to Chile in 1978 where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly. She was imprisoned and tortured from 1984 to 1985 for this work. Yet, upon her release she went back to investigative reporting, publishing articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship. As a journalist, she investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family.
This goes to show the courage this woman has and her love for journalism and her country. She is one journalist that proves the saying “the pen is mightier than the sword”, because her works have gone a great deal in liberating the people of Chile. She also won the New Journalism Award (Premio Nuevo Periodismo CEMEX + FNPI) which is a journalism award considered as one of the most prestigious in the world.
These are past laureates of UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize
• 2009: Lasantha_Wickrematunge, Sri Lanka (posthumous award)
• 2008: Lydia Cacho Ribeiro, Mexico
• 2007: Anna Politkovskaya, Russia (posthumous award)
• 2004: Raúl Rivero, Cuba
• 2002: Geoffrey Nyarota, Zimbabwe
• 2000: Nizar Nayyouf, Syria
• 1998: Christina Anyanwu, Nigeria
Nigeria Christina Anyanwu was able to by the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize is 1998 because of her courage and holding her ground in refusing to endorse Sani Abacha as president.
She was arrested following the publication of a story about a failed coup d'état against the government of Sani Abacha on 1 March; she and several Nigerian journalists were accused of being "accessories to facts of treason. She won 2 other awards while in prison before she was awarded the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom. She was also put under terrible conditions that cause her to become partially blind while in prison.
In Nigeria today, very few journalist in Mónica’s caliber still exist, but they are not been recognized and appreciated in the society. People like Deji Badmus is The 2008 winner of the CNN Mulitchoice Africa Journalist Award and the Nigeria Media Merit Award for TV reporter of the year, or Felix Vincent who was attacked when he attempted to film the violence when some thugs were trying to attack the politicians.
There are journalist who are willing to risk and even risk there lives (though very few) to fight for a good cause and make the truth known but they do not have the resources needed to do this and even the media houses are not willing to pay, most pay their staff peanuts. 07BE05493 AKINYEMI FUNMI.
Anonymous said…laureate of the 2010 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. Find out:
I am in an agreeable accord to the 2010 UNESCO Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize awarded to Monica Gonzalez Mujjica in consideration of her adamancy and relentlessness in her journalism career. Inspite of the risks posed to her in her career pursuit, her doggedness and determination are major factors that plummeted her and her career to its enviable state. She spent four years in exile following the military coup in 1973 in Chile. Her return to her home land in 1979 was greatly characterized with hassles and pressure from the government in her humanitarian quest. She was constantly requited from various jobs due to harassment from the secret service in her investigation in various cases of human rights violations and the financial scams of the then coup leader, General Augusto Pinochet. Consequently, she was imprisoned in 1984 and was tortured till her release in 1985. Her release was followed by her series of writing about the ills and pains of the military rule and its dictatorship in her articles and books. She also continued in her investigative reporting. She was subjected to many court cases as a result of her work and was subsequently detained again. In the 90’s her ambition could not be demoralized as she continued with her investigative journalism and she was chaired as the director for the centre for journalism and investigation in Santiago. With regard to the unfriendliness and harshness prevalent in the environment she worked in and the strength and courage she mustered up amidst the harrrasment of the Chilean government, I strongly agree with the award given to her.
Christiana Anyanwu’s, a Nigerian laureate, is another woman of strong drive and determination in her journalistic ambition. She was sentenced to a life imprisonment during General Sanni Abacha’s regime because she ‘dared’ to publish an article concerning the filed coup d’état of the General Sanni Abacha government. This sentence was later changed to a 15 year imprisonment following an appeal from a humanitarian sect. She was tortured there and suffered an eye problem which left her partially blind. General Abacha’s death led to her release which was given to her based on health grounds during General Abdulsalammi’s short regime.
Journalists who have bagged this enviable and deserving award include May Chidiac (Lebanon, 2006), Cheng Yizhong, (China, 2005), Rabl Rivero (Cuba, 2004), Amira Hass (Israel, 2003), Geoffrey Nyarota (Zimbabwe, 2002), U Win Tin (Myanmar, 2001), Nizar Nayyouf (Syria, 2000), Jesus Blancornelas (Mexico, 1999), Christina Anyanwu (Nigeria, 1998), Gao Yu (China, 1997).
Her award is a merited one as can be noted in her career history. Considering the socio-political atmosphere in the military era at that time in the Nigerian country and the risks involved in her career, I am of the opinion that the risks are unmatchable to any financial gains or rewards that she could possibly get. Her passion for journalism has been finely reckoned with and acknowledged by the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Organisation and has been appreciated with the award given to her. Christiana Anyanwu created a radio station, Hot 98.3 fm in Abuja in 1995. She was elected as a representative of Owerri Zone, Imo State to the Senate on the People’s Democratic Party platform during the general elections in 1999. Her enthusiasm and courage amidst the tense and unsafe atmosphere she worked in is undoubtedly a very rare quality to behold in the world and not just Nigeria. IBE NKECHINYERE.E, 07BE05510.
The Press Freedom Prize was created in 1997 by UN-body UNESCO. It annually awards a sum of US$25,000 to honour the work of an individual or an organization defending or promoting freedom of expression anywhere in the world, especially if this action puts the individual’s life at risk. Candidates are proposed by UNESCO Member States, and regional or international organizations that defend and promote freedom of expression.
Mónica González Mujica is a Chilean journalist born in 1949. González spent four years in exile following the military coup of 1973. She returned to Chile in 1978 where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly. She investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family. She was imprisoned and tortured from 1984 to 1985 for her work, but returned to investigative reporting after her release, publishing articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship. She was detained again and numerous court cases were brought against her.
Despite all the jail terms, harassments and loss of jobs that she suffered she didn’t quit her job or seize to report the truth. The Press Freedom Prize that she won was given to her based on the following merits/qualities;
For her steadfastness despite all said and done to her.
For being a heroine of the struggle against dictatorship in her country
For showing courage in shining the light on the dark side of Chile and
For ploughing her experience back to the younger generation through her work at the Centre of Journalism and Investigation and her workshops on investigative journalism in various countries.
If we say that did Nigeria at one time or the other ever have journalists like Monica, yes would be the most appropriate answer. But in this present day and time, I am of the opinion that we don’t have journalists have this caliber anymore. Looking at the past experiences of those that were in the media before, the days of Dele Giwa (an editor of Newswatch magazine), Christina Anyanwu (founder, editor and publisher of Nigeria’s “The Sunday Magazine), Nduka Irabor ( a journalist of International repute) and Thomas Tunde just to mention a few, the experiences they had and the way their stories ended except Christiana isn’t appealing at all and so most journalists are of the opinion that going through all these isn’t worth it at all. The case of Christina was an exceptional case because he was awarded the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano world press freedom prize.
Other laureates have been awarded this award namely; Lasantha Wickrematunge (Sri Lanka, 2009), Lydia Cacho (Mexico, 2008), Anna Politkovskaya (Russian Federation, 2007), May Chidiac (Lebanon, 2006), Cheng Yizhong, (China, 2005), Raúl Rivero (Cuba, 2004), Christina Anyanwu (Nigeria, 1998).
The Nigerian laureates, Christina Anyanwu bagged the award because of the great courage she displayed despite all that was meted on her while she was in prison (arrest and detention following the publication of a failed coup attempt, sentenced to life imprisonment but later reduced to 15yrs) and after her release she didn’t quit her job rather she embarked on a two-year break in Virginia where she wrote the book Days of Terror, based on Nigeria's struggle during dictatorship. A televised version of her now defunct publication TSM Show was aired in 2001, and in 2005, Anyanwu opened her radio station Hot 98.3 FM, based in Abuja. Anyanwu was featured in the PBS Frontline production titled NIGERIA - The Road North in 2003. Four years later during the general election, she was, on the platform of the People's Democratic Party, elected to the Senate - as a representative of Owerri Zone, Imo State, Nigeria.
In conclusion, journalists, reporters and citizens like Anyanwu are the kind of people that Nigeria as a whole needs to do better and move forward as a country in all areas.
OLUBOYEDE OLUWADAMILOLA, 07BE05535
he UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, created in 1997, honours a person, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially when this has been achieved in the face of danger.
The prize, worth US$25,000, is awarded each year on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May.
The prize is named after Guillermo Cano Isaza, the editor of the Colombian newspaper El Espectador, who was murdered in Bogotá on 17 December 1986. Cano was a vocal critic of the country's powerful drug barons.
Each year, an independent jury of 14 news professionals selected by the UNESCO Director-General selects a winner from the many nominations submitted by non-governmental organizations working in the field of press freedom, and by UNESCO Member States
Ms González was Born in 1949, Ms González spent four years in exile following the military coup of 1973. She returned to Chile in 1978 where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly. As a journalist, she investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family. Let us be media and society conscious Ms González was imprisoned and tortured from 1984 to 1985 for this work. Yet, upon her release she went back to investigative reporting, publishing articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship. She was detained again and numerous court cases were brought against her.
Looking at it all she is still alive, she is a free person, of course she deserves it .
Well if Nigeria has this kind of caliber in the media industry today is one fact that i will be negative about . The society of today creats opportunity for such freedom expression to be visible.There cannot be a free press in a society with a stift operational system . In this case the caliber of Mónica González Mujica cannot be seen in the geographical terrotory of nigeria.
Other benefits to this award over the previous years are Lasantha Wickrematunge (Sri Lanka, 2009), Lydia Cacho (Mexico, 2008), Anna Politkovskaya (Russian Federation, 2007), May Chidiac (Lebanon, 2006), Cheng Yizhong, (China, 2005), Raúl Rivero (Cuba, 2004), Amira Hass (Israel, 2003), Geoffrey Nyarota (Zimbabwe, 2002), U Win Tin (Myanmar, 2001), Nizar Nayyouf (Syria, 2000), Jesus Blancornelas (Mexico, 1999), Christina Anyanwu (Nigeria, 1998), Gao Yu (China, 1997).
In the case of christina anyanwu, The laureate, is the publisher and editor in chief of The Sunday Magazine (Lagos, Nigeria). According to the World Press Freedom Committee and Reporters Sans Frontières which nominated her for the Prize, she is being held in detention in a prison in the north-east of Nigeria in particularly difficult conditions. She is suffering from high blood pressure, typhoid, malaria and serious eye problems. She was arrested following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995. According to the same sources, her trial was marked by numerous irregularities. She was, notably, denied the right of appeal. Ms Anyanwu is one of four journalists held in detention since the attempted coup in her country where infringements of the rights of the journalists and freedom of the press are innumerable.
These facts were able to be merited back in that era of Nigeria.OBIESIE OGOCHUKWU 07BE05523
In 1997, the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize was created to honor a person, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defense or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world. The prize for year 2010 has been awarded to Mónica González Mujica, a Chilean journalist. Monica Gonzalez is an investigative journalist in Chile known for her courage and relentlessness in “shining light on the dark side of Chile” despite her being jailed, dragged and tortured.
Monica is well suited for his price because of the magnitude of the work she has done. It is about time that someone other than the government and the courts recognize her work and applaud her for it. She has gone through years of hardship defending the freedom of expression which is one of the core values of UNESCO. In fact, Joe Thloloe, Press Ombudsman of the Press Council of South Africa said “She has embodied the very spirit of the Award. She has lost her job ties without number because of harassment from secret services but that did not stop her. She went on to investigate human rights violations and the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family because of this she was jailed from 1984 to 1985. Upon her release she went ahead to write and publish articles about the abuses of the military dictatorship. These days she directs the center for journalism and investigation while conducting workshops on investigative journalism in Chile and abroad.
I would like to say that Nigeria still has that caliber of Journalists one of whom is Chris Anyawu. Anyanwu is a Nigerian journalist, publisher, author, and politician, hailed as one of the female pioneers in Nigerian journalism and broadcasting. She was the Editor in chief of “The Sunday Magazine”. Anyawu published a story about the failed coup d'état against the government of Sani Abacha - whom she had refused to endorse as president. She was arrested following the publication in May 1995. She and several Nigerian journalists were accused of being "accessories to facts of treason". Anyanwu was prosecuted by a military court and sentenced to life imprisonment on 4 July 1995, later reduced to 15 years in October 1995 following pressure from national and international human rights groups. While being held in deplorable conditions in Gombe prison, she went partially blind; doctors warned that she was in danger of loosing her sight completely if she failed to receive medical attention. Shortly after her imprisonment, she received the International Women's Media Foundation Courage in Journalism Award, making news around the world. Two years later, the Committee to Protect Journalists named Anyanwu winner of the CPJ International Press Freedom Award, and in May 1998 she was awarded UNESCO's Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.
Previous winners of this award include: Gao Yu (China, 1997), Christina Anyanwu (Nigeria, 1998), Jesus Blancornelas (Mexico, 1999), Nizar Nayyouf (Syria, 2000), U Win Tin (Myanmar, 2001), Geoffrey Nyarota (Zimbabwe, 2002), Amira Hass (Israel, 2003) and a host of others.
I believe that the major reason why Anyawu and all the other recipients bagged this award is because of their outstanding and rarely seen bravery, courage and relentlessness in bringing out the truth. This is a quality that is not easily found among journalists. Even after her imprisonment she did not abandon her first love. She went ahead to pen a radio station Hot fm which is doing relatively well. She has shown that persistence pays off in the long run. I mean who would have imagined that people in America where reading Anyawu’s stories? I just pray that our other journalist would imbibe into these attributes and stop practicing "cosmetic journalism" Bamgboye Moyinoluwa, 07BE05501.
Monica Gonzalez munij has been named a laureate of the 2010 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom. this award does not go to any person bbut people who have made outstanding contributions to the defense of press freedom anywhere in the world; especially in the face of danger. this prize is worth US$25,000. Monica Gonzalez truly desreves this award because she possesses rare qualities of a journalist. her passion is to get a story reproted and she sees to it that it happens. in the regime of the chilean president, Augusto Pinochet, who got into power through coup d'etat 3,200 people were killed, 80,000 were interned, about 30,000 were tortured and another 200,000 were on exile. she was one of the people that was tortured and sent on exile. nevertheless she has shown courage by illuminating the dark sides of the presidents regime. she investigated the financial doings of the president. she went through all of these to achieve a line of critical and ethical journalism.
i willl say that we do have journalists who possess her kind of qualities. Godwin Agbroko is one fearless journalist who being fully aware of what could possibly happen to him still went ahead to write a sharp criticism of the primary elections conducted by the Nigerian ruling party headed by the outgoing president, Olusegun Obasanjo. in his opinion, the emergence of Umaru Yar'Adua as the Peoples Democratic Party's candidate was the handiwork of a military garrison compulsion.
these are previous laureates of the UNESCO/Guillermo World Press Freedon Prize.
Lasantha Wickrematunge(Sri Lanka in 2009), Lydia Cacho Ribeiro (Mexico in 2008), Anna Politkovskaya(Russia in 2007), May Chidiac(Lebanon in 2006), Cheng Yizhong(China in 2005), Raul Rivero(Cuba in 2004) and Christina Anyanwu(Nigeria in 1998).
Christina Anyanwu won the award because she showed her passion for how much she wanted press freedom. she reported the story about the failed coup d'etat against the government of Sanni Abacha whom she refused to endorse as president. this, as far as i am concerned is a very bold, courageousa and fearless step she took as a journalist. Adubi Tope. 07BE05487
The issue is not why she merits the award, but the question is how could she not merit the award? I mean, reports have it that she spent four years in exile following the military coup of 1973. She returned to Chile in 1978 where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly. As a journalist, she investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family. Ms González was imprisoned and tortured from 1984 to 1985 for this work. Yet, upon her release she went back to investigative reporting, publishing articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship. She was detained again and numerous court cases were brought against her.
According to the chairman 12 man that chose her for the award,Joe Thloloe, Press Ombudsman of the Press Council of South Africa, “She has embodied the very spirit of the Award. She has been jailed, tortured, hauled before the courts but has remained steadfast.”
i am almost tempted to say that she has gone through as much danger as the man who the award was named after: Guillermo Cano Isaza, the editor of the Colombian newspaper El Espectador, who was murdered in Bogotá on 17 December 1986.
It is not very easy to say whether or not Nigeria still has this caliber of reporters. This is a result of the socio political situation of the economy today. Although Nigeria does not operate a free press (we are still very far off), things are very different here from the situation in Chile. A yoruba adage says that it is he who has not seen war that says: "i am a man". We cannot be sure of the calibre of reporters we have in Nigeria today until we are faced with the same situation that faced Christina Anyanwu, the only Nigerian to have won this award. Although there have been some traces of such reporters in Emmanuel Mayah and Deji Bademosi, we would need to put them under the same extreme conditions to find out.
Some others who have won the award since its inception include:2009: Lasantha_Wickrematunge, Sri Lanka (posthumous award)
2003: Amira Hass, Israel
2002: Geoffrey Nyarota, Zimbabwe
2001: Win Tin, Myanmar
2000: Nizar Nayyouf, Syria
1999: Jesús Blancornelas, Mexico
1998: Christina Anyanwu, Nigeria
1997: Gao Yu, China
The only Nigerian to have won such an award is Christina Anyanwu who bagged it because while she was the editor in chief of the now defunct Sunday magazine she published an article about an attempted coup on March 1, 1995 duri and only China has recipients twice.ng Abacha's regime. She was condemned to life imprisonment which was later reduced to 15 years.
In summary, I must say that there is still a lot of opportunity for Nigerian journalists to bag this award, as the award is relatively new and only China has recipients twice.
LAJU ARENYEKA 07BE05498
The issue is not why she merits the award, but the question is how could she not merit the award? I mean, reports have it that she spent four years in exile following the military coup of 1973. She returned to Chile in 1978 where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly. As a journalist, she investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family. Ms González was imprisoned and tortured from 1984 to 1985 for this work. Yet, upon her release she went back to investigative reporting, publishing articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship. She was detained again and numerous court cases were brought against her.
According to the chairman 12 man that chose her for the award,Joe Thloloe, Press Ombudsman of the Press Council of South Africa, “She has embodied the very spirit of the Award. She has been jailed, tortured, hauled before the courts but has remained steadfast.”
i am almost tempted to say that she has gone through as much danger as the man who the award was named after: Guillermo Cano Isaza, the editor of the Colombian newspaper El Espectador, who was murdered in Bogotá on 17 December 1986.
It is not very easy to say whether or not Nigeria still has this caliber of reporters. This is a result of the socio political situation of the economy today. Although Nigeria does not operate a free press (we are still very far off), things are very different here from the situation in Chile. A yoruba adage says that it is he who has not seen war that says: "i am a man". We cannot be sure of the calibre of reporters we have in Nigeria today until we are faced with the same situation that faced Christina Anyanwu, the only Nigerian to have won this award. Although there have been some traces of such reporters in Emmanuel Mayah and Deji Bademosi, we would need to put them under the same extreme conditions to find out.
Some others who have won the award since its inception include:2009: Lasantha_Wickrematunge, Sri Lanka (posthumous award)
2003: Amira Hass, Israel
2002: Geoffrey Nyarota, Zimbabwe
2001: Win Tin, Myanmar
2000: Nizar Nayyouf, Syria
1999: Jesús Blancornelas, Mexico
1998: Christina Anyanwu, Nigeria
1997: Gao Yu, China
The only Nigerian to have won such an award is Christina Anyanwu who bagged it because while she was the editor in chief of the now defunct Sunday magazine she published an article about an attempted coup on March 1, 1995 duri and only China has recipients twice.ng Abacha's regime. She was condemned to life imprisonment which was later reduced to 15 years.
In summary, I must say that there is still a lot of opportunity for Nigerian journalists to bag this award, as the award is relatively new and only China has recipients twice.
LAJU ARENYEKA 07BE05498
The UNESCO’S WORLD PRESS FREEDOM AWARD was set up to reward fearless and hardworking personalties that have made notable impacts when it comes to press freedom in the world. The winner is being given a sum of US$25,000.
She merits the honour because of a lot of things she has done, sacrificed and also risked her own life for. She deserves the award as a result of the courage she has demonstrated over the years. Also her experience back to the younger generation through her work at the Center of Journalism and Investigation and her workshops on investigative journalism in various countries. Born in 1949, Ms González spent four years in exile following the military coup of 1973. She returned to Chile in 1978 where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly. As a journalist, she investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family. Ms González was imprisoned and tortured from 1984 to 1985 for this work. Yet, upon her release she went back to investigative reporting, publishing articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship. She was detained again and numerous court cases were brought against her. Regardless of everything she has been through she did not give up rather she remain dedicated to her profession.
Well I will say that Nigeria have journalists like Ms Gonazalez, it is just that what is operational where she is I mean in her own country is not operational in Nigeria here. Even though she went through a lot of things she was able to stand and her country was also able to stand for her which can never happen here in Nigeria. There is really no press freedom notto talk of some people or groups in the country standing for you.
Other previous Laurettes include Lasantha Wickrematunge (Sri Lanka, 2009), Lydia Cacho (Mexico, 2008), Anna Politkovskaya (Russian Federation, 2007), May Chidiac (Lebanon, 2006), Cheng Yizhong, (China, 2005), Raúl Rivero (Cuba, 2004), Amira Hass (Israel, 2003), Geoffrey Nyarota (Zimbabwe, 2002), U Win Tin (Myanmar, 2001), Nizar Nayyouf (Syria, 2000), Jesus Blancornelas (Mexico, 1999), Christina Anyanwu (Nigeria, 1998), Gao Yu (China, 1997). I will say that she deserves the award cause in Nigeria now we cant even see anyone who has done up to half what she has done. 06BF03953 OLORUNNIWO DAMILOLA
Created in 1997 by UNESCO's Executive Board, the Press Freedom Prize is awarded annually to honour the work of an individual or an organization defending or promoting freedom of expression anywhere in the world, especially if this action puts the individual's life at risk.
It is simply put, "the prize for greatness and true heroes"
for obvious reasons, which I will be outlining shortly,the celebrity in focus, Chilean journalist Manica Gonzalez Mujica, a heroine of the struggle has fought against dictatorship in her country,and has subsequently bagged the award, been named laureate of the 2010 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. According to a UNESCO statement obtained by PANA,the president of the jury, Joe Thloloe, "She has embodied the very spirit of the Award. She has been jailed, tortured, hauled before the courts but has remained steadfast,".Another reason why she merits this honor is because she has undergone years of hardship defending freedom of expression, one of the core values UNESCO was created to uphold.
Stirring the oars back to our beloved country Nigeria, there were, or better still; are still a few Ngerians who are worthy of note representing her calibre.Joggling back our memory into the days of Dele Giwa, who was unfortunately killed by a maiil bomb. Giwa was summoned by the Nigerian government at that time(0ctober,1986) and accused of planning a social revolution and of smugggling arms into the country.Ken Saro Wiwa was another great fighter and an outspoken critic of the Nigerian government which he viewed as reluctant to enforce environmental regulations on the foreign petroleum companies operating in the area.(NIger Delta)
Sadly,at the peak of his non-violent campaign, Saro-Wiwa was arrested, hastily tried by a special military tribunal, and hanged in 1995 by the military government of General Sani Abacha, all on charges widely viewed as entirely politically motivated and completely unfounded.
Presently, there are persons like Christina Anyanwu, who was arrested following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10,1995. Christina Anyanwu is one of four journalists held in detention since the attempted coup in her country where infringements of the rights of the journalists and freedom of the press are innumerable.Also, though she fled for safety,Isioma Daniel is one of few aspiring journalists trying to covet and step in the shoes of Monica Gonzalez.
7 other laureates of this award include-Anna Politkovskaya (Russian Federation, 2007), May Chidiac (Lebanon, 2006), Cheng Yizhong, (China, 2005), Raúl Rivero (Cuba, 2004), Amira Hass (Israel, 2003),Jesus Blancornelas (Mexico, 1999) and our own Christina Anyanwu (Nigeria, 1998).
Finally,the Nigerian laureate,Christina Anyanwu bagged the award on September 2, 1998 for her courage to testify to the Nigerian press and selfless service to carrying out her duty to inform the public, despite threats and 'nightmares by the people in 'power'which kept her life at risk.
OGUNKO TOLULOPE 06BE03925.
The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, created in 1997, honours a person, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially when this has been achieved in the face of danger.The Prize is named after Guillermo Cano, the Colombian newspaper publisher assassinated in 1987 for denouncing the activities of powerful drug barons in his country
The prize, worth US$25,000, is awarded each year on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May.
The prize is named after Guillermo Cano Isaza, the editor of the Colombian newspaper El Espectador, who was murdered in Bogotá on 17 December 1986. Cano was a vocal critic of the country's powerful drug barons. Each year, an independent jury of 14 news professionals selected by the UNESCO Director-General selects a winner from the many nominations submitted by non-governmental organizations working in the field of press freedom, and by UNESCO Member States
The world price of freedom of the press Unesco / Guillermo Cano 2010 was awarded Wednesday to the Chilean journalist Monica Gonzalez Mujica, commended by the jury for his "courage" during the dictatorship of General Pinochet
journalist whose investigative reporting repeatedly challenged the Pinochet regime, has won a UNESCO prize awarded to those who promote freedom of expression, particularly at the risk of their own lives.Nigeria has jouranlists of her caliber but i believe that was in the past, as at now, we do not have journalists of her caliber.An example is Mrs Christiana anyanwu who was a laureate in 1997 for this same award.M.any nigerian journalists have been tortured, detained and arrested because of reports and articles against the government of the day. this was most rampant during the military rule because of the various decrees prohibiting press freedom. Mrs Anyanwu is one in the million Nigerian journalists who have risked their lives to make sure that the public receives information about the going ons in the society. Our political status as a country now does not still allow journalists to express themselves freely but if we look at the various stories about harassed journalists daily we will see that we still have journalists who are willing to sacrifice their lives to let the public know information about the government of the day.
A2009: Lasantha_Wickrematunge, Sri Lanka (posthumous award)
• 2008: Lydia Cacho Ribeiro, Mexico
• 2007: Anna Politkovskaya, Russia (posthumous award)
• 2006: May Chidiac, Lebanon
• 2005: Cheng Yizhong, China
• 2004: Raúl Rivero, Cuba
• 2003: Amira Hass, Israel
• 2002: Geoffrey Nyarota, Zimbabwe
1998: Christina Anyanwu, Nigeria
nyanwu bagged this award beacuse she is a very good investigative reporterreleased In 1995, senior newspaper editor Christiana Anyanwu was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment following conviction on trumped-up charges of treason. She was released in June 1998. A n instace can be seen when she was languishing in a Nigerian prison since May 1995, her health deteriorating, her
eyesight failing. Anyanwu was arrested in the United States:
she wrote an article critical of the government of Nigerian
dictator Gen. Sani Abacha, who died of a heart attack on Monday.
For that action, Christiana Anyanwu was hauled before a military tribunal and tried _ without even a lawyer to plead her case _ .Bello aminat o
The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize which was created in 1997 is to honor and appreciate a person, organization or institution that has an outstanding contribuiton and has helped in promoting press freedom anywhere in the world, especially where great danger was involved. The prize is named after Guillermo Cano Isaza, the editor of the Colombian newspaper El Espectador, who was murdered in Bogotá on 17 December 1986.
since the inception, only Geoffrey Nyarota of Zimbabwe and Christine Anyanwu of Nigeria has been able to win it in the whole of Africa.
Monica Gonzalez Mujica merits this honor because of her courage, fearlessness, boldness, perseverance, perstitence, confidence amongst others. she is a leading figure in the fight against the dictatorship in her country. Her professional life, dedication to her career and fight for freedom of the press also makes her to deserve this award and recognition.Even though she was arrested, jailed, abused, tortured and taken to court, she still brighten the dark side of Chile.For example,inspite of the fact she was jailed and abused by Augusto Pinochet, "the Chilean Dictator",and even went on exile, she still researched on the threat of human right.
Beyond reasonable doubt, i don't only think but i'm sure that she deserves the award because she is committed to her job.
Personally, i don't think Nigeria still has any journalist of Monica's caliber "NOW". Nigeria had before i.e people like Christine Anyanwu who won the award in 1998, Dele Giwa who was a dedicated journalist but was killed by mail bomb and some others. These people were ready to work, go an extra mile to get information to the people. But our journalist of today are not ready to do so, they'll rather wait for the information to come to them especially when its delicate. Today's journalists are basically SCARED and unprofessional. they are not ready to risk anything to get information talkless of their lives. for example, concerning Yar'Adua's health, the press are not still saying anything about him upon the fact that he is now in the country.They are not also ready to counter the government when they do wrong nor reveal their dastardly act. How do we explain that? with this, i strongly feel we don't have except they are hiding.
7 previous lauretes are
1.Gao Yu from China in 1997.
2.Christine Anyanwu from Nigeria in 1998.
3.Jesus Blancornelas from Mexico in 1999.
4. Nizar Nayyouf from Syria in 2000.
5. Amira Hass from Israel in 2003.
6.May Chidiac from Lebanon in 2006.
7.Lydia Cacho Ribeiro from Mexico in 2008.
Christine Anyanwu was bagged the award because of her courage in reporting the infringement of the rights of journalists and also freedom of the press. Christine Anyanwu is the publisher and editor in chief of The Sunday Magazine. According to World Press Freedom committee and Reporters Sans Frontieres which nominated her for the prize, she is being held in the prison in the north-east of Nigeria in particulaly difficult conditions following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995. she was condemned to life imprisonmen by the special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995. Her trial was marked by various irregularities and she was notably denied right to appeal. These are the reasons why the award was given to her.
AKINSUNLOLA ADEBANKE, 07BE05492.
The purpose of the UNESCO press freedom Prize,supported by the Guillermo Cano Foundation, the Nicholas B. Ottaway Foundation and JP/Politiken Newspapers LTD, is to honour a person, organization or institution that has made a notable contribution to the defence and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially if this involved risk.
The prize is intended to reward journalists who have shown dedication in the name of freedom of expression and information and to afford them the international recognition they deserve. Awarded annually, the Prize is marked by a ceremony and the winner is presented with the sum of US$25,000
This year's UNESCO press freedom prize goes to a journalist from Chile named Monica González Mujica. How the world cultural organization announced that Monica Gonzalez Mujica, despite reported threats on the human rights abuses during the Pinochet dictatorship.. For their research, the journalist was repeatedly jailed and was also abused. Augusto Pinochet herrschte 1973 -1990 in Chile. Augusto Pinochet ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990. Estimates of 3,000 deaths during his dictatorship inwhich many people have been tortured and have disappeared without a trace. in the regime of the chilean president, Augusto Pinochet, who got into power through coup d'etat 3,200 people were killed, 80,000 were interned, about 30,000 were tortured and another 200,000 were on exile. she was one of the people that was tortured and sent on exile.despite all this, she has shown courage by bringing to light the dark sides of the presidents regime. she investigated the financial doings of the president.
Nigeria still has journalist of her caliber.Godwin Agbroko who was a veteran Nigerian Journalist was killed on december 22 in the commercial city of lagos. he was the editoral board chairman of the private daily THIS DAY.he was a highly regarded journalist who was jailed for his work for several months in 1996, when the country was ruled by military dictator Sani Abacha and in 1997, PEN American center awarded him its prestigious Goldsmith freedom to write award.also Twenty-three years ago, on October 19, 1986, the sun quite suddenly set at noon. In the brutal darkness, we lost Dele Giwa, just two short years after he along with two other professional journalists, launched Nigeria’s first newsmagazine, Newswatch.Newswatch was banned for six months in 1987 by the Babangida administration for the grave offense of doing what all good and serious publications must do. Three times the editors of the magazine were detained.Dele Giwa's killers has still not been found till date.
These are previous laureates of the UNESCO/Guillermo World Press Freedon Prize
from Cuba, 2004,Raul Rivero
from Isreal,2003,Amira Hass
from Zimbabwe,2002
from myanmar,2001,Geoffrey Nyarota U Win Tin,
from mexico,1999, Jesus Blancornelas
from Nigeria,1998,Christina Anyanwu
from china,1997, Gao Yu
The only Nigerian to have won such an award is Christina Anyanwu who bagged it because while she was the editor in chief of the now defunct Sunday magazine.She was condemned to life imprisonment which was later reduced to 15 years because she published an article about an attempted coup on March 1, 1995 during Abacha's regime.she is a true heroine and a worthy example to all journalist. 06be03904
To start with, I would like to analyze the basis for this award and with that we can easily decide whether Mónica González Mujica deserves the Press Freedom Prize award or not.
According to the UNESCO’s Executive Board, the Press Freedom Prize is awarded annually to honour the work of an individual or an organization defending or promoting freedom of expression anywhere in the world, especially if this action puts the individual’s life at risk. With the basis of this award stated lets now consider the tremendous works of Mónica González Mujica.
Mónica González Mujica has undergone years of hardship defending freedom of expression, one of the core values UNESCO was created to uphold. Ms González spent four years in exile following the military coup of 1973. She returned to Chile in 1978 where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly. She has also investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family.
Ms González was imprisoned and tortured from 1984 to 1985 for this work.. She was detained again and numerous court cases were brought against her.
From this profile of hers, it is very glaring that Ms González deserves the US $25,000 prize Press Freedom Prize.Other laureatesin this category are; Lasantha Wickrematunge (Sri Lanka, 2009), Lydia Cacho (Mexico, 2008)Anna Politkovskaya (Russian Federation, 2007), May Chidiac (Lebanon, 2006),Cheng Yizhong, (China, 2005). Raúl Rivero (Cuba, 2004) and Christina Anyanwu (Nigeria, 1998)
In my own opinion, I think Nigeria still has journalists of Ms González’s calibre, and a good example is Dele Olojede of Next Newspaper, also an investigative reporter, Olojede publicly accused Nigeria's military leader Ibrahim Babangida of being responsible for the letter-bomb murder of Dele Giwa October 19, 1986. Also A 1986 investigative report on the imprisonment of the popular Nigerian musician Fela Kuti led to Kuti's release and the dismissal of the judge who imprisoned him.
He also wrote about the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, ten years later. Olojede's 2004 series on the aftermath of the Rwandan Genocide was well received.
In 2005, Olojede won the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting for his "fresh, haunting look at Rwanda a decade after rape and genocidal slaughter had ravaged the Tutsi tribe.” The series was viewed as a major accomplishment for black journalists. With all of these reasons; I think Nigeria still has few Journalists of her Caliber.
The 1998 UNESCO / Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize was awarded to the Nigerian journalist, Christina Anyanwu, publisher and editor in chief of "The Sunday Magazine" (Lagos, Nigeria). According to the World Press Freedom Committee and Reporters Sans Frontieres which proposed her for the prize, she is being held in detention in a prison in the north-east of Nigeria in particularly difficult conditions.
She was arrested following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995. According to the same sources, her trial was marked by numerous irregularities. She was, notably, denied the right of appeal. Christina Anyanwu is one of four journalists held in detention since the attempted coup in her country where infringements of the rights of the journalists and freedom of the press are innumerable. Jejeloye Tolulope 07BE05515
Created in 1997 by UNESCO’s Executive Board, the Press Freedom Prize is awarded annually to honour the work of an individual or an organization defending or promoting freedom of expression anywhere in the world, especially if this action puts the individual’s life at risk. Candidates are proposed by UNESCO Member States, and regional or international organizations that defend and promote freedom of expression.
Mónica González Mujicahe has won the 2010 press freedom award because she has undergone years of hardship defending freedom of expression, one of the core values UNESCO was created to uphold. she investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family. Ms González was imprisoned and tortured from 1984 to 1985 for this work. Yet, upon her release she went back to investigative reporting, publishing articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship. She was detained again and numerous court cases were brought against her. Other laureates include: Lasantha Wickrematunge (Sri Lanka, 2009), Lydia Cacho (Mexico, 2008), Anna Politkovskaya (Russian Federation, 2007), May Chidiac (Lebanon, 2006), Cheng Yizhong, (China, 2005), Raúl Rivero (Cuba, 2004), Amira Hass (Israel, 2003), Geoffrey Nyarota (Zimbabwe, 2002), U Win Tin (Myanmar, 2001), Nizar Nayyouf (Syria, 2000), Jesus Blancornelas (Mexico, 1999), Christina Anyanwu (Nigeria, 1998), Gao Yu (China, 1997).
Christina Anyanwu is the only Nigerian that has won the press freedom award because of her bravery. She was arrested following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995. According to the same sources, her trial was marked by numerous irregularities. She was, notably, denied the right of appeal. Christina Anyanwu is one of four journalists held in detention since the attempted coup in her country where infringements of the rights of the journalists and freedom of the press are innumerable.
Since the days of journalists like Anyanwu, Dele Giwa and some others who spoke the truth without fear, the Nigerian press have been suppressed to a state of fright, negligence and corruption. The press is too afraid to publish or say things which the government might not like. Some are paid to say only what the government wants to be said which are half truths and lies. If you look at the issue of yaradua’s health, nobody is talking. And those who want to talk are being made to shut up. Every one is afraid to say something. So I do no see Nigerian journalists headed towards any good.
OKAFOR CHIDINMA 07BE05530
The 1998 UNESCO / Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize was awarded by UNESCO Director-General Federico Mayor to the Nigerian journalist Christina Anyanwu who is the publisher and editor in chief of "The Sunday Magazine" (Lagos, Nigeria). According to the World Press Freedom Committee and Reporters Sans Frontieres which proposed her for the prize, she was being held in detention in a prison in the north-east of Nigeria in particularly difficult conditions years ago and She was arrested because f her publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995. She was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995and her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995. She was also, denied the right of appeal.
Other unesco world press freedom winners are: Mexican reporter Lydia Cacho Ribeiro. 09-04-2008 (Paris). 2008, Anna Politkovskaya, the late Russian journalist, as the laureate of the 2007 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, 2001 - U Win Tin, Myanmar,2000 - Nizar Nayyouf, Syria,1999 - Jesus Blancornelas, Mexico
1997 - Gao Yu, China, 1999 - Jesus Blancornelas, Mexico to mention a few..
l strongly feel that christina really deserved her award because what she did and the consequences of her brave actions after her article cannot be done by most Nigerian journalists of today. where the liver dey sef?
Mónica González Mujica , the chilean journalist who also won the unesco award certainly merits the honour because she has repeatedly reported information that has put her in harms way several times in other to give information to the public. In 1973, she spent four years in exile following the military coup that year in chile. She returned in 1978 to Chile, where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly as she investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of the coup leader, General Augusto Pinochet.She was imprisoned and tortured from 1984 to 1985 for this work. Yet, upon her release she went back to investigative reporting, publishing articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship. She was detained again and numerous court cases were brought against her. ln the 90's, she continued her work in investigative journalism as well as becoming the director for the centre for journalism and investigation in santiago. All these many ahievements show that monica is a brave one.. and l believe she and our very own christina shave a lot in common.
Blessing Nnenna Chinweuba. 07BE05503.
The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize was created in 1997which honors a person, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defense and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially when this has been achieved in the face of danger. The prize is named after Guillermo Cano Isaza, the editor of the Colombian newspaper El Espectador, who was murdered in Bogotá on 17 December 1986.
25 years ago, Gonzalez was imprisoned for a year from 1984 to 1985 for her work and upon her release, she went back to publishing articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship, she was detained again and numerous court cases was brought against her. She also investigated human rights violations as well as the financial dealings of General Pinochet and his family.
Am afraid that Nigeria no longer have the caliber of Monica Gonzalez because the little investigative journalists that have tried to speak up for the justice have been brutally murdered or illegally murdered, this could be tolerated if the journalists have impunity, but they are not exempted which makes the job very scary.
The Nigerian Police last year arrested Mr. Steve Ogwu-Chinua, an investigative reporter who has for long been on a crusade for the prosecution of Mrs. Oyindamola Amuka, now at large, and other co-conspirators for the ritual killing of a yet to be identified 14-year old boy, and we keep wondering why the police should arrest someone for doing the job which they abandoned? This is in no way helping journalists who want to take the extra mile in their careers. Bayo Ohu of the Guardian newspaper was one of Nigeria’s best, he was brutally murdered right in his home, police are certain that it was an armed robbery attack since his laptop and set was missing, but scholars like us who have been diligently following the issue of press freedom are quite certain about the circumstances around his death. His death must have caused a fright and caution to those who actually want to be fearless journalists. Examples of reporters that have been killed include Baguda Kaltho March 1 1996, a Kaduna based senior correspondent was declared missing after he was last seen leaving work and has not been home.
Previous winners of this award include Lasantha Wickrematunge, Sri Lanka (posthumous award), Lydia Cacho Ribeiro, Mexico, Anna Politkovskaya, Russia (posthumous award), May Chidiac, Lebanon, Cheng Yizhong, China, Raúl Rivero, Cuba, Christina Anyanwu, Nigeria.
Chris Anyanwu bagged the award because of her fearlessness and stubbornness which is required in the journalism career, she was imprisoned during the Abacha regime for a publication on a failed coup d’état against Abacha and was prosecuted on camera for “accessories to facts of murder” after which she was put in solitary confinement and almost lost her sight, she was released after four years of imprisonment by the next military ruler. The most amazing thing is that immediately she stepped out of prison, she setup a radio station Hot FM. in Abuja and is about to setup another in Imo state her origin, this is a display of stubbornness which is an important ingredient in journalism.
KANTIYOK RACHEAL B. 07BE05516
Monica Gonzalez was awarded the unesco press freedom award because she was found worthy of achieving many notable and life threatening works in her investigative journalism field. In 1973, she spent four years in exile following the military coup that year in chile. She returned in 1978 to Chile, where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly as she investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of the coup leader, General Augusto Pinochet.She was imprisoned and tortured from 1984 to 1985 for this work. Yet, upon her release she went back to investigative reporting, publishing articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship. She was detained again and numerous court cases were brought against her. i the 90's she continued her work in investigative journalism as well as becoming the director for the centre for journalism and investigation in santiago. all the above are enough to earn her the award and apart form this she has shown fearlessness and courage in her reports.
Another guru in the journalism field is Christina Anyanwu, who was also given this same unesco award for past achievements and trials ranging from being arrested, tortured, detained and even deprieved all because she published an article uncovering the planned coup by the govt of the day.
Our political status as a country now does not still allow journalists to express themselves freely but if we look at the various stories about harassed journalists daily we will see that we still have journalists who are willing to sacrifice their lives to let the public know information about the government of the day.
Since its creation, the prize, has been awarded to the following laureates: May Chidiac (Lebanon, 2006), Cheng Yizhong, (China, 2005), Raъl Rivero (Cuba, 2004), Amira Hass (Israel, 2003), Geoffrey Nyarota (Zimbabwe, 2002), U Win Tin (Myanmar, 2001), Nizar Nayyouf (Syria, 2000), Jesus Blancornelas (Mexico, 1999), Christina Anyanwu (Nigeria, 1998), Gao Yu (China, 1997).
These two women as case studies- christina and monica have the similarity of strong will, little wonder they were able to accomplish all they had .. and are still doing wonders in their various fields.
yetunde apapa- 07be05496 just posted the above comment.
yetunde apapa- 07be05496
The prize is meant to honour a person, organization or institution that has made a notable contribution to the defence and/or promotion of press freedom anywheree in the world, especially if this involved risk.
The prize is also meant to reward journalists who have shown dedication in the name of freedom of expression and information to afford them the international recognition they deserve.
Now isn't it safe to say that Monica Gonzalez Mujica more than deserves this prize? Check out her merits, and see if you agree with me. Throughout her proffessional life, she has shown courage in shinning the light on the dark side of Chile. She has been jailed, tortured, hauled before the courts but has remained steadfast. She has also underggone years of hardship defending freedom of expression.
Born in 1949, she spent four years in exile following the military coup of 1973. Returning to Chile in 1978, she faced harrasment from the secret service and made her lose jobs repeatedly. As a journalist, she investigated human rights violations as well as the financila doings of General Pinochet and his family for which she was imprisoned and tortured for a whole year.
Coming back home to our very own Nigeria, Christina Anyanwu is one such journalist that has bagged the Guillermo Cano award. For nearly three years, she suffered from extremely harsh prison conditions in a country where the independent press and freedom of information have nearly disappeared. she was arrested following th publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995.
Other individulas have also merited this award for their fierce persistence and sacrifice towards journalism and its intricacies. They include:
Gao Chu- China 1997
Anna Politkovskaya-Russia 2007
Lasantha Wickramatunga-2009
May Chidiac-2006
Lydia Cacho Ribeiro-Mexico 2008
Cheng Yizhong-China 2005
Ral Rivero-Cuba 2004
and of course, Christina Anyanwu from Nigeria.
Somehow, i'm burdened to believe that Nigeria may be loosing if not lost those journalists who are willing to stick their necks out in fighting for freedom.
What is obtained now, and infacct is the norm is brown envelopes and too many killed stories. The country is thrown into confusion when they don't know what is happening and when the bad guys keep getting away with evil, then who is there to trust?
No person, be you a journalist or whatever feels that this country is worth cutting an arm off for. it's sad though, but the bitter truth still.
About the award
The Gulliermo Cano award was named after the Colombian editor Guillermo Cano, who was assassinated in 1987 for having denounced the activities of powerful drug barons in his country. Monica will be presented with this Prize/Award in a ceremony on May 3, 2010 which is the World Press Freedom Day, celebrated by UNESCO in Brisbane, Australia
The purpose of the Prize, supported by the Guillermo Cano Foundation, the Nicholas B. Ottaway Foundation and JP/Politiken Newspapers LTD, is to honour a person, organization or institution that has made a notable contribution to the defence and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially if this involved risk.
This prize is particularly to reward journalists who have shown dedication in the name of freedom of expression and information and to afford them the international recognition they deserve. Awarded annually, the Prize is marked by a ceremony and the winner is presented with the sum of US$25,000.
1. Why monica merits this honour:
The beauty of journalism indeed is to investigate the scenario and this is what Monica Gonzalez Mujica has done practically all her life time that has earned her this award. Looking through her profile, I would indeed say she merit this award which is about to be handed over to her on May 3, 2010 in Brisbane, Australia.
She was born in 1949; Monica has shown courage in illuminating the dark side of Chile In her professional life. She has been imprisoned in her quest and crave for scoops, tortured in the same vein, taken to court, but she still held firm and was never discouraged by all and sundry. She has embodied the very spirit of this Award as her jail term, her torture and hauling before the courts never put her off, instead she still remains steadfast to her profession and her fight for press freedom. Her spirit has made me come to the conclusion that journalism is indeed is not meant for everyone, but for the ones who are really called into that field.
After spending four years in exile following the military coup of 1973, she later returned to Chile in 1978 where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly. Not minding the situation as a journalist, she still went ahead to investigate human rights violations as well as the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family which led to her imprisonment form 1984 - 1985. Inspite of all, she still published articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship. She was detained again and numerous court cases were brought against her.
Mónica has undergone years of hardship defending freedom of expression, which is one of the core values UNESCO was created to uphold. She now shows equal commitment to education, which is another main priority of UNESCO. Since the return of democracy in Chile in 1990, she continued her career as a journalist and editor and now heads the Center for Investigative
SUSAN ERHIRHIE 07BE05506
PART B'
Journalism and Santiago since 2007, while conducting workshops on investigative journalism in Chile and abroad.
2. The question whether Nigeria still has any journalist of Monica’s caliber is one that I think we will have to answer in the future because as at now,Apart from Christiana Anyanwu I don’t know of any Nigeria journalist that has gone through all Monica Gonzalez has been through, came out alive and still wants to practice journalism. In the past, especially during the dictatorship era, every journalist that was harassed in one form or the other for press freedom or in quest for scoop either was killed e.g Ken Saro - Wiwa or the journalist died in jail or better still piped low at their release. As at Abacha's era, 9 journalists were in detention, and 21 were in exile including Africa's fist Nobel prize winner for Literature, Prof. Wole Soyinka, who presented Anyanwuwith the prizes in Paris.
the question now is how many of those journalist that went on exile came back and still practiced investigative journalism?Recently Isioma Daniels of Thisday newspaper in Nigeria went on exile to Norway for incitement, not even for investigative journalism, and I seriously think she will not return to Nigeria to fight any course whatsoever in her life that is why I say this question is something we will have to push to the future to answer.
In all, this investigative journalism thing is a spirit and I think many of our Nigerian journalists have not yet caught the fire. Take the case of Christaine Ananpour of CNN, she has gone through the thick and thin of this profession as a war correspondent and this is because she loves her job. If you don’t love your job, there is very little or nothing you can do to improve or make any impact in that field and because we have a lot of unskilled and unprofessional journalist who don’t even receive good pay and largely depend on brown envelopes, “how can they want to practice proper investigative journalism”?. Recently, Amanpour got Goodluck Jonathan, Acting President of Nigeria in an interview in the U.S. as regards President Yar’Adua’s health status. Listening to the interview, you could see the depth she went in trying to get information out from Goodluck which shows that she is not afraid of anything whatsoever. So, the practice of investigative journalism comes along with risk and only those who are really willing and ready to pay the price can conquer just as Monica Gonzalez Mujica did. Therefore, I want to say that I don’t know of any Nigerian journalist in this present time that is still into proper investigative journalism if not, the people of Nigeria would have been well informed about their presidents health status and not have to hear from one of the global media.
3. This Press Freedom Prize which was created in 1997 by UNESCO’s Executive Board, is awarded annually to honour the work of an individual or an organization defending or promoting freedom of expression anywhere in the world, especially if this action puts the individual’s life at risk and since its creation, the US $25,000 prize has been awarded to the following laureates:
1 Lasantha Wickrematunge(Sri Lanka, 2009)
2 Lydia Cacho (Mexico, 2008)
PART C'
3 Anna Politkovskaya (Russian Federation, 2007)
4 May Chidiac (Lebanon, 2006)
5 Cheng Yizhong, (China, 2005)
6 Raúl Rivero (Cuba, 2004)
7 Amira Hass (Israel, 2003)
8 Geoffrey Nyarota (Zimbabwe 2002)
9 UWin Tin (Myanmar, 2001)
10 Nizar Nayyouf (Syria, 2000)
11 Jesus Blancornelas (Mexico 1999)
12 Christina Anyanwu (Nigeria 1998)
12 Gao Yu (China, 1997).
All of these people in one way or the other have stuck their heads out for their various countries, endangering their lives in quest for scoops and proper investigative journalism, not minding the risk involved.
4. We shall be looking at the profile of Christina Anyanwu of Nigeria who bagged this Award in 1998 and why she merited it.
Anyanwu established The Sunday Magazine, and became its publisher and editor-in-chief. In 1993, Anyanwu challenged the nullification of the election of Chief Moshood Abiola. Who eventually died in prison soon after Anyanwu was released. She was arrested and secretly tried for treason on July 4, 1995, after writing an article about a coup attempt against Gen. Sani Abacha. Initially, the junta court sentenced Anyanwu to life imprisonment but it was later reduced to 15 years. In prison, Anyanwu was denied visits from her family and her lawyer and medical attention. Anyanwu was however, freed on June 15, 1998 by Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar. Her life as a journalist has been surrounded by many woes as her husband, wife and children had to travel beck to the state for their safety. It was the intervention of international media organizations that led to her release. In the long run, Mrs. Christiana Anyanwu, on 2nd September 1998 received this award at a ceremony held in Paris, France. investigative journalism is thorough work, and whoever is not willing to pay the price will not be able to stand it. Therefore, Anyanwu even though she had her university education in the West deserved to earn this award. i want to say that Anyanwu had a persistent spirit and that was what earned her the award.
susan erhirhie 07be05506
The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, created in 1997, honours a person, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially when this has been achieved in the face of danger.
The prize, worth US$25,000, is awarded each year on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May.
The prize is named after Guillermo Cano Isaza, the editor of the Colombian newspaper, who was murdered in Bogotá on 17 December 1986. Cano was a vocal critic of the country's powerful drug barons.he was murdered in front of the paper's offices by two hitmen He had served as the editor of El Espectador since 1952.
Each year, an independent jury of 14 news professionals selected by the UNESCO Director-General selects a winner from the many nominations submitted by non-governmental organizations working in the field of press freedom, and by UNESCO Member States.
on wednesday April 13, MOnica Gonzalez Mujica won the 2010 unesco guillermo cana world press freedom prize. by all standards, gonzalez “Throughout her professional life, Mónica González Mujica has shown courage in shining the light on the dark side of Chile,” said the President of the jury, Joe Thloloe, Press Ombudsman of the Press Council of South Africa. “She has embodied the very spirit of the Award. She has been jailed, tortured, hauled before the courts but has remained steadfast.” Born in 1949, Ms González spent four years in exile following the military coup of 1973. She returned to Chile in 1978 where harassment from the secret services made her lose jobs repeatedly. As a journalist, she investigated human rights violations as well as the financial doings of General Pinochet and his family, González was imprisoned and tortured from 1984 to 1985 for this work. Yet, upon her release she went back to investigative reporting, publishing articles and books about the abuses of the military dictatorship. She was detained again and numerous court cases were brought against her. Since Chile’s return to democracy in 1990, Ms González has continued working as a newspaper editor and journalist. .
During sani abaja's regime there were journalists who fought for freedom of the press one of which is chris anyaoku who face very serious punishements because of her criticism aganist abacha. The Nigerian govt of today have punished and prosecuted journalists under flimsy suggestive writing by journalists, as was the case of Isioma Daniels. today we have journalists with such spunk but who is willing to die when in 2008 two citizen journalists of Channels tv Emeka Asiwe and Jonathan Elendu were arrested and unlawfuly detained under the order of our dear Yar'Adua who has been MIA. other previous winners of the unesco guillermo cana world press freedom prize:
2004: Raúl Rivero, Cuba
2003: Amira Hass, Israel
2002: Geoffrey Nyarota,Zimbabwe
2001: Win Tin, Myanmar
2000: Nizar Nayyouf,Syria
1999: Jesús Blancornelas, Mexico
1998: Christina Anyanwu, Nigeria
1997: Gao Yu, China
christiuna Anyanwu was the second winner of this award in 1998 she was Born in 1950 in Mbaise, in the Imo state, Christina Anyanwu studied journalism in the United States. After graduating from the universities of Missouri and Florida (MSc in Mass Communication), she returned to her country to practice her profession and produced Newsline, a news programme, for the National Television Authority.
In 1989, she was appointed commissioner for information for the state of Imo. At the same time, Ms Anyanwu became the publisher and editor-in-chief of The Sunday Magazine, a paper known for its independence. The Sunday Magazine is no longer being published due to lack of funds.
Agbanusi Nneka, 07BE05489
Detained in Kaduna jail, in the north-east of Nigeria, Ms Anyanwu is held in solitary confinement. She is allowed one monthly visit by a member of her family but had no access to either newspapers or radio.
The jury's deliberations were marked by the forced absence of jury member Pius Njawe, Director of the Cameroon newspaper Le Messager, who is serving a two-year prison sentence charged with disseminating false news. "I deplore that Pius Njawe, an indefatigable fighter for press freedom in his country and in Africa, is prevented from being among us," declared Mr Mayor. "Since December, we have approached the authorities of Cameroon to secure his release. Unfortunately, without success. As we mark the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I am distressed by the heavy sentence that has been passed on him. It shows, once again, that the fight for freedom of expression is never won," Mr Mayor declared.
Christina Anyanwu, is the publisher and editor in chief of The Sunday Magazine (Lagos, Nigeria). According to the World Press Freedom Committee and Reporters Sans Frontières which nominated her for the Prize, she is being held in detention in a prison in the north-east of Nigeria in particularly difficult conditions. She suffered from high blood pressure, typhoid, malaria and serious eye problems. She was arrested following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995. According to the same sources, her trial was marked by numerous irregularities. She was, notably, denied the right of appeal. she desrved to win this award. Agbanusi Nneka, 07BE05489
The purpose of the Prize, supported by the Guillermo Cano Foundation, the Nicholas B. Ottaway Foundation and JP/Politiken Newspapers LTD, is to honor a person, organization or institution that has made a notable contribution to the defense and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially if this involved risk. The prize is intended to reward journalists who have shown dedication in the name of freedom of expression and information and to afford them the international recognition they deserve.
Awarded annually, the Prize is marked by a ceremony and the winner is presented with the sum of US$25,000.The Guillermo Cano award was named after the Colombian editor Guillermo Cano, who was assassinated in 1987 for having denounced the activities of powerful drug barons in his country. Monica will be presented with this Prize/Award in a ceremony on May 3, 2010 which is the World Press Freedom Day, celebrated by UNESCO in Brisbane, Australia. The prize is awarded on the recommendation of an independent jury of 12 news professionals. Names are submitted by regional and international non-governmental organizations working for press freedom, and by UNESCO Member States.
WHY MONICA DESERVES THIS AWARD
First of all this award is for people who have stuck out their heads for their country and Monica has by every standard done this and she merits this award which is about to be handed over to her on May 3, 2010 in Brisbane, Australia.
Mónica has undergone years of hardship defending freedom of expression, which is one of the core values UNESCO was created to uphold. She now shows equal commitment to education, which is another main priority of UNESCO. Since the return of democracy in Chile in 1990, she continued her career as a journalist and editor and now heads the Center for Investigative Journalism and Santiago since 2007, while conducting workshops on investigative journalism in Chile and abroad.
On the question of if we have any Nigerian journalist like Monica and the rest my answer will be no at least presently because I have not seen any Nigerian journalist that is willing to risk their lives so much although we have a few that are coming up but I really hope they can get to the height of their career without being cut down
THIS IS A LIST OF LAURETES WHO HAVE MERITED THIS AWARD YEARLY
2009: Lasantha Wickrematunge, Sri Lanka
2008: Lydia Cacho Ribeiro, Mexico
2007: Anna Politkovskaya, Russia
2006: May Chidiac, Lebanon
2005: Cheng Yizhong, China
2004: Raúl Rivero, Cuba
2003: Amira Hass, Israel
2002: Geoffrey Nyarota, Zimbabwe
2001: Win Tin, Myanmar
2000: Nizar Nayyouf, Syria
1999: Jesús Blancornelas, Mexico
1998: Christina Anyanwu, Nigeria
1997: Gao Yu, China
WHY CHRISTINE AYANWU MERITS THIS AWARD
Christina Anyanwu who is the publisher and editor in chief of "The Sunday Magazine" (Lagos, Nigeria). According to the World Press Freedom Committee and Reporters Sans Frontiers which proposed her for the prize, she is being held in detention in a prison in the north-east of Nigeria in particularly difficult conditions. She was arrested following the publication of an article about an attempted coup against the Nigerian government on March 1, 1995, and was condemned to life imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind closed doors on July 4, 1995. Her sentence was commuted to 15 years on October 10, 1995. According to the same sources, her trial was marked by numerous irregularities. She was, notably, denied the right of appeal. Christina Anyanwu is one of four journalists held in detention since the attempted coup in her country where infringements of the rights of the journalists and freedom of the press are innumerable. I think this is the height of investigative journalism because it is very rare for people to do such things just to bring news to the general populace and she deserves the award.without mincing words i want to say that Anyanwu had a persistent spirit and that was what earned her the award.
ADEBISI OMOLOLA 07BE05485
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