In the media industry, similar to many other fields, the dominance of men has been a long-standing tradition. Women pursuing careers in journalism have encountered numerous challenges, including discrimination, prejudice, and limited support and opportunities. Despite these difficulties, the significance of gender equality has gained increasing recognition in recent years and there has been a push to break down the barriers hindering women from reaching their full potential in journalism.
This is particularly relevant in Nigeria.
Iyanda, who started her career in journalism in the 1990s, has been recognized for her work in highlighting social issues and promoting gender equality. She is the host of the popular television show “New Dawn with Funmi,” which focuses on women’s issues and has been widely praised for its ability to spark conversations and raise awareness about important issues.
Another prominent example is Khadaria Ahmed of Daria Media, a digital media platform that focuses on promoting gender equality and women’s rights in Nigeria. Also being a gender and development advocate, she has been instrumental in using media as a tool to promote social change and raising awareness about important issues affecting women and girls in Nigeria.
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Hafsat Abubakar Matazu and Hauwa Shaffi are also prominent figures in breaking the glass ceiling for women in journalism in Nigeria. Matazu leads the first cohort of the HumAngle Accountability Fellowship that produced young investigative journalists such as Usman Muhammed Adamu, Usman Abba Zanna, Aisha Adamu, et al in the Northeastern region of the country.
Women like Khadaria, Hafsat Abubakar Matazu, Hauwa Shaffi, Funmi, and the list goes on serve as inspirations and role models for aspiring female journalists in our universities and other journalism training institutions and show that breaking the glass ceiling is possible in Nigeria.
Baba Abdullahi Machina is a Political Science student at the University of Maiduguri and an alumnus Fellow at HumAngle Accountability Fellowship.
