By Suleiman Adamu, Sokoto
In their order of winning standings, three journalists , two from Nigeria, Rakiya Muhammad and Adewale Abiodun and a Kenyan lady, Angeline Ochieng got honoured respectively as they returned first, second and third places to pick their African prizes for the Open the Knowledge Journalism Awards organised by International Centre for Journalists in partnership with Wikipedia Foundation.
The awardees stories made the roll of winners out of 320 articles from 40 African countries.
Besides, a committee made up of African civil society leaders, ICJF and Wikipedia staff and members of the Wikipedia community made the final selection with the first and second place winners receiving cash prizes.
The prestigious awards seek to uncover stories about the continent’s diverse experiences, with a sore ific focus on women and youth and arts, culture heritage and sports.
However, according to the ICFJ President, Sharon Moshavi, the winning stories , covering migration , youths ,sports and maternal health , are being recognised for helping expand knowledge about Africa and highlight positive change on the continent.
Moshavi explained that Journalism and Wikipedia need each other, pointing out that Wikipedia’s volunteer editors relied on independent reporting Ng to build a more knowledge base , and journalist benefit from the reach that Wikipedia provided.
According to the President , ” the awards recognises that relationship and the African journalists who are making our digital skills formation ecosystem stronger”
The roll has Rakiya Muhammad, the award winning freelance journalist from Nigeria with over two decades of experience emerged first place for an article published in RM Times documents the decades – long migration pattern of women leaving Ejigbo in Southwest Nigeria for Cote ‘D Ivoire.
Women from Ejigbo fueled by the promise of economic opportunity , have become a dominant force in Abidjan’s market and drivers of cultural ties between the two countries.
However, according to Muhammad’s story, up to 80% Ejigbo’s funding comes from its people in Cote ‘D Ivoire.
The second place prize winner , Adewale Abiodun who reports on Sports for the Punch Newspapers covering lol cal and international events has his piece on women’s youth cricket in Nigeria.
Published in Punch , the story cc Jr nicked how the Junior Female Yellow Greens prepared for and performed at the 2025 international youth cricket world cup.
Sports coverage in Nigeria rarely focuses on cricket but Adewale’s story reframed the sport as a growing presence in the country , looking into it’s slow but steady growth and it’s promising to future success.
While the third place prize winner Angeline Ochieng , a Kenyan and a Correspondent for the Nation Media Group focusing on health , gender and climate reporting , received honourable mention for her reporting on former traditional midwives in rural Kenya who have ended their pra rice to advocate for hospital deliveries .
Despite the convenience in proximity of those mm offices , their lack of equipment , sanitary conditions and medical training was leading to increased rate of maternal and neonatal deaths , Ochieng reported ..Her story in Daily Nation problem filed multiple former midwives whose efforts to convince women to give birth in medical facilities have led to fewer deaths and complications.
Meanwhile, Moshavi said having stories written by Africans about issues they care about was vital to ensuring the encyclopedia remains a representation of many experiences and perspectives.
” We celebrate the three journalists who have received to the Open the Knowledge Journalism Awards and thank them for making this kind of reporting possible”, acknowledged the ICFJ President.
