Funmi Ogundare is an avid writer and journalist. She is an Alumna of Lagos State University and University of Lagos. She won a travel scholarship to attend the International conference on Global Education and Skills Forum (GESF). She heads the Education Desk at ThisDay Newspaper. She participates actively in the mentoring and development of the young people, Technical and Vocational Education (TVE), as well as creating lots of awareness towards embracing technical skills development.

Leadership project: Organise a seminar for female colleagues in her office on leveraging on social media as a means of doing effective journalism.

Story project: Reintegrating the Girl-child into School System

Growing up, Enato’s mother called her “Magic Feet”. That was because she kept disappearing from home to witness first-hand the happenings around her. Indeed, her “magic feet” led her to a career in journalism and television broadcasting that has now spanned over 20 years! Her latest documentary “Trip to Kagokiri”, on impacts of oil pollution on the livelihood of migrant fishermen in Bayelsa State, is making the festival circuits in the United States and the United Kingdom and has so far garnered the 2016 Academy of Art University Media Awards for best documentary and the 2016 Southern Shorts Awards for excellence in directing and screen writing. Enato is presently the News Manager at the Bayelsa State-owned Niger Delta Television, NDTV.

Leadership project: Facilitating training workshops for journalists and interns in different newsrooms on gender mainstreaming and building leadership qualities through competence.

Story project: Drug Abuse Among Young Females in Bayelsa State

Although she is a graduate of Economics, Ini Victoria John-Mekwa fell in love with broadcasting about a decade and a half ago and has since continued to develop herself in journalism through courses in the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) as well as other short courses. For Ini, journalism is not just a job but also a vehicle to touch and change lives and her world. She initiated and produces “Big-Story”, a Channels Television documentary that focuses on human angle stories.

Leadership project: Gather data on female resource persons and share with her newsroom.

Story project: Teenage Pregnancy: 21-Year-Old Suffers Domestic Violence

Nneka Luke, a graduate of Mass Communication from the University of Jos, Nigeria, is a senior reporter, producer and presenter at Liberty Television and Radio, Kaduna. She worked with Deutsche Welle, at the invitation of the Federal Republic of Germany. Nneka Luke loves kids, travelling, and meeting people. She was 2015 Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards (NBMA) Television producer of the year. Nneka Luke is passionate about good governance and developmental journalism.

Leadership project: Organised weekly seminar on understanding gender mainstreaming, leadership and news reporting for interns in her newsroom

Story project: Women with Disabilities lament sidelined ahead of the 2019 election

A graduate of French Language from Nasarawa State University, Queen Esther Iroanusi, 23, is a journalist and linguist. She currently covers the Nigerian Senate for Premium Times. Queen has a strong passion for fair and balanced journalism.

Leadership project: Hold talk sessions with secondary school students about confidence and building a healthy self-esteem.

Story project: With govts failing, Nigerian youth take over fight against ‘menstrual period poverty’

Sharon Ijasan studied Mass Communication from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism and Babcock University. With over 5 years experience in journalism, Sharon, who is the Labour and Education Correspondent at Television Continental (TVC) has acquired in-depth understanding of the labour world and the standards of the International Labour Organisation. She is committed to telling stories that inspire women to become leaders. Her hobbies are travelling, telling stories, singing and cooking.

Leadership project: Organise a seminar in her newsroom on the importance of mainstreaming gender in TVC’S news reports.

Story project: Lack of facilities slowing growth of Fish business

Stephanie Adams is a trained broadcast journalist with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Nasarawa State University. In the last 10 years, she has worked as a broadcaster and Assistant Producer with media houses like We FM Abuja, Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (NBS), Raypower FM, and Kaduna State Media Corporation (KSMC). She honed her journalistic skills by contributing news stories and articles that are published in Premium Times. Stephanie is currently a Project Officer on the Media Freedom project of the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ).

Leadership project: Mentor interns and corps members in her newsroom about the importance of mainstreaming gender in news reporting.

Story project:  Effects of drugs on females in Northern Nigeria.

Temitayo Ayetoto is a young writer passionate about investigative journalism.  In 2017, the graduate of English Language from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State was shortlisted for the Global Investigative Journalism Conference (GIJC) in Johannesburg, South Africa under MacArthur Foundation sponsorship. Temitayo who has previously covered oil and gas as well as other issues, now writes on Commodities and Agriculture for a financial newspaper, Business a.m.

Leadership project: Organise training for aspiring female student journalists at FRCN training school.

Story project: Lack of resources paring rural women’s agric productivity

Theodora Aidoo, a broadcast journalist, heads the News Department of Taabea Television, one of Ghana’s Television station. She is ambitious and experimental at writing features. She aspires to write feature articles and reviews about Africa for newspapers targeted at national and international audiences. Theodora is also a gender advocate.

Leadership project: Training media students to bridge the gap between classroom and newsroom.

Story project: Kayayei by day, prostitute by night

A Senior Associate (Content) and Abuja Correspondent for Pulse.ng, Goodness Adaoyiche, is a graduate of Mass Communication from the Benue State University, Makurdi. She is committed to telling stories about the unfair treatments and situations that affect women and girls.

Leadership project: Embarked on a campaign for more women to be used as resource persons on their programmes in her organisation.

Story project: The untold story of how 13-yr-old Ochanya died while seeking an education

A broadcast journalist for over twelve years, Adejoke Fayemi holds first and second degrees in English Language. Adejoke has produced different gender-focused programme such as Bone of My Bones, Sister-Sister (Feminine Angle) and more.  She has also done special reports on women for Radio Netherlands Worldwide (Africa Desk).She currently works as the Head of Station, Ray power 106.5FM, Kaduna and is very passionate about girl-child education.

Leadership project: Organise free journalistic training for student journalists and conducts training sessions for interns in her newsroom.

Story project: Lost Innocence: A story about child defilement in Kaduna. – Listen here

A native of Kogi State, Taiye Elebiyo-Edeni started her journalism career in 2008 as a Youth Corps member with the Graphics Department of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Kaduna. Before joining the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in 2010, she worked as a Media Assistant to Senator Smart Adeyemi. Taiye holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication and Master’s degree in International Relations. She has done reports covering politics, Industrial Court cases, and humanitarian issues. She is the current treasurer for the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) NAN Chapel, Abuja.

Leadership project: Organise mentoring seminar for female reporters and interns in her newsroom once a month for four months.

Story project: Depression in females in Nigeria.

Wemimo Adewuni is a multimedia journalist with over 7 years experience working with Radio One, 103.5FM the Lagos arm of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN). She has worked as a radio and television presenter, producer and reporter. She is interested in media development and impact journalism. Her video documentary series, The Ring, is aired on Sahara Reporters and aims to drive community development through factual storytelling.

Leadership project: Organise training for women at the Lagos Operation Unit of the FRCN

Story project: Energy theft, underdevelopment and the complicity of the police

Azeezat Olaoluwa is a news anchor, reporter and presenter with Television Continental, TVC News. She has been working with the media organisation for six years and has interviewed many prominent personalities in the country, including President Muhammadu Buhari. Prior to joining TVC News, she worked in Galaxy Television in a similar capacity. A Mass Communication graduate, Azeezat, is the 2015 winner of the Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards (NBMA) Newscaster of the Year award.

Leadership project: Seminar on leadership and confidence building for female colleague.

Story project: Nigeria battles misconception, religion in tackling high population.