The Wole Soyinka Centre for
Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) says it has postponed the integrity award to
be presented to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to protest against Omoyele
Sowore’s rearrest in court.
In a statement on Monday, the
centre said honouring Osinbajo with the award in the light of recent protests
against Sowore’s travails and the “repression“ of free speech will be
inappropriate.
The WSCIJ earlier announced that
it would present an ‘integrity specialty of the anti-corruption defender award’
to the vice-president at its annual award ceremony in Lagos.
It had said the recognition is
for Osinbajo’s “invaluable work of overhauling the Lagos State Judiciary,
facilitating far-reaching reforms in the administration of justice in the
state, his work of promoting integrity in the civil society and business in Nigeria
and his consistency as a strong voice for promoting integrity in the country”.
But the vice-president has been
called out over the current administration’s clamp down on free speech and
Sowore’s trial.
Although the activist was finally
released after various court orders, he was re-arrested in a dramatic scene on
Friday when he returned to court for his trial.
In the statement signed by
Motunrayo Alaka, its executive director, WSCIJ said the award ceremony will go
on as scheduled, but it was silent on whether the award will be presented to
the vice-president on a new date.
The statement read: “The Wole
Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism has postponed the presentation of
award to the Nigerian Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo. The postponement was
decided on, to align with protests against the repression of freedom of speech
in recent times especially the incident between the Department of State
Security (DSS) and Omoleye Sowore, Publisher of Sahara Reporters, on Friday 6
December. The Vice President himself shares this awareness and the
inappropriateness of the award at this point.
“The award presentation programme
will hold as scheduled on Monday, 9th December 2019 by 6pm. 13 journalists from
print, online, television, radio, photo, and editorial cartoon categories will
be celebrated. Veteran photojournalist, Sunmi Smart-Cole and Amnesty
International Nigeria will also be presented honorary awards of the Lifetime
Award for Journalistic Excellence and the Anti-Corruption Defender Award (Human
Rights Specialty) respectively.
“The WSCIJ holds the award
presentation event on December 9, the World Anti-Corruption Day and eve of the
World Human Rights Day to highlight the importance of investigative reporting
as a tool for accountability, good governance and social justice in a
democracy. The award event is free to
attend for members of the general public.”
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