ABU student wins big at 2021 Campus Journalism Awards

Abdulhaleem Ishaq-Ringim, a student of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), has won the ‘Campus Journalist of the Year’ at the 2021 Campus Journalism Awards (CJA) organised by Youths Digest.

The first-year student of economics at the institution clinched the coveted prize after beating fellow campus journalists from several top-tier universities across the country.

This makes him the first-ever student from Kaduna state to win the overall campus journalism award.

Ringim also bagged the ‘Best Syndicated Writer Award’ at the annual ceremony held in Abuja on Saturday.

Speaking at the event, Auwal Musa-Rafsanjani, executive director of the civil society legislative advocacy centre (CISLAC), called on Nigerians to join efforts in building journalism students.

According to him, doing so would contribute positively towards strengthening democracy and accountability in the country.

“We need leadership recruitment at all levels and part of the governance challenge we have in this country is because we have lost touch with our young people especially in mentoring them and giving them the necessary skills and encouragement to do the right thing,” he said.

Gidado Shuaib, the convener, said the award is aimed at supporting young writers and promoting excellence in the journalism profession.

“The challenge most young journalists face these days is that a lot of them want to start young but they face many challenges, especially with the fact that everybody is now a citizen journalist,” he said.

“People no longer follow the process of learning journalism from the scratch, once you have your social media accounts you just jump into posting what you want.

“It was on that basis we came up with the Campus Journalism Awards and Dialogue where we recognize and empower young and upcoming journalists from various institutions across the country.”

Various winners of the Campus Journalism Awards categories are: Hamzat Mariam – Features Writer of the year from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology; and Oluwatosin Ologun – Edirin Jerry-Wesly Best Student in Broadcasting from Adekunle Ajasin University.

They also include Abdulwasiu Olokooba [The News Digest Press, UDUS) – Editor from Usman Danfodio University; HERALD Magazine – Print Magazine from Adekunle Ajasin University; Gbolahan Latinwo – News Reporter from Obafemi Awolowo University and Oluwatobi Odeyinka – Investigative Reporter from the University of Ibadan.

Other winners are Prince Innocent – Social Media Influencer from Federal University Utuoke; Muhammad Auwal – Photojournalist from Ahmadu Bello University; UCJ UNILORIN – Pen club from University of Ilorin and Nwobi Chidubem – Book Author from the University of Nigeria Nsukka.

Also recognised are Oluwuyi Fasilat – Gender Equality from Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta; Sanni Omolaja- Entertainment Writer from Lagos State University; Hassan Abdulsalam– Sports Writer from Moshood Abiola Polytechnic and Uchenna Igwe – Upcoming Writer – University of Uyo.