A PRNigeria reporter, Mohammed Dahiru Lawal, has emerged the Best Fellow in West Africa in the Dubawa/Premium Times Center for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) Kwame Karikari Fact-Checking and Research Fellowship 2021.
Dahiru was announced the winner at the award night which was held at the Millionaire Hall, Corinthia Villa Hotel in Garki, Abuja.
The third cohort of the gathering was named Kwame Karikari Fact-Checking and Research Fellowship in honour of Ghanaian Professor, Kwame Karikari.
More than 20 journalists from countries including Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, The Gambia and Sierra Leone attended.
Kemi Busari, Editor of Dubawa, West Africa’s verification platform, explained that outstanding fact-checking and conduct of participants were considered.
PRNigeria Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Yushau Shuaib noted that beyond public relations and crisis communication, the company leads in investigative journalism and fact-checking which the recognition demonstrates.
“We will continue to inspire young communicators to develop interest in public relations and investigative journalism as weapons to fight fake news and hate speech through fact-checking and responsible reportage for national development”, he said.
In his remark, Lawal expressed optimism that with fact-checking entrenched in newsrooms and journalism, the dignity of information dissemination will be restored in the media.
“Whether fact-checking journalism, development or investigative journalism, this award has strengthened my resolve to continue practising this noble profession in a way that will always impact positively on the people”, he said.
Lawal won the Best Fact-Checker of the Month Award twice while the fellowship lasted from May to November last year.
A 2021 top-three graduate of the Department of Information and Media Studies, Bayero University Kano (BUK), Lawal is the Project Manager at Penlight Centre for New Media Innovation.
The Campus Journalist of the Year in 2020 and Author of 101 Fake News on EndSARS now heads the Fact-Checking Desk at Image Merchant Promotions Limited (IMPR), owners of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential.
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