A FREELANCE reporter with The Guardian, Tunde Akingbade, has emerged one out of 34 finalists from 12 countries in the prestigious CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2012 Competition.
Others include Ahaoma Kanu of the National Daily; Peter Nkanga, Elor Nkereuwem, Musikilu Mojeed and Idris Akinbajo of NEXT; Joshua Anny, Joy FM, Ghana; and Manar Attiya, Ahram Hebdo, Egypt.
Chair of the independent judging panel, Ferial Haffajee, made the disclosure last week.
This year the competition received entries from 42 countries across the continent, including French and Portuguese speaking Africa.
Winners will be announced at an award ceremony and gala evening in Lusaka, Zambia, on Saturday, July 21, 2012.
The hosts for the evening will be Isha Sesay, host of CNN International's NewsCenter and Franklin Tembo Jnr, ZNBC presenter.
Announcing the finalists, Ferial Haffajee said: "The growing quality of the entries we pored over is a reflection of a growing continent claiming its place in the sun. We were impressed by the enhanced quality and competitiveness of the work before us; by the heart and soul poured onto pages and into pixels; by the adventurist spirit of the entries, which came from more countries than ever before.
"In print, in radio, in television it is clear that African journalism is in a growth spurt, claiming its stake as world-class and globally competitive. A bit like our continent."
The independent judging panel, chaired by Ferial Haffajee, Editor-in-Chief, City Press, South Africa includes: Ikechukwu Amaechi, Editor, Daily Independent, Nigeria; Amadou Mahtar Ba, CEO, African Media Initiative; Jean-Paul Gérouard, Editor-in-Chief, France Télévisions; Joel Kibazo, journalist and media consultant; Arlindo Lopes, General Manager, Regulatory and Corporate, Angola and Mozambique, MultiChoice Africa Ltd; Zipporah Musau, former Managing Editor, Magazines, The Standard Group Ltd, Kenya; and Kim Norgaard, CNN Bureau Chief, South Africa.
The Guardian