CJID’s staffer bags Commonwealth Scholarships Award to study in UK

Ijeoma Okereke-Adagba, a Project Manager with the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), has been chosen among thousands of applicants for the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarships alongside 80 others. 

The award recognises her significant contribution to her field and her zeal to drive positive social change in Nigeria.

The scholarship will allow Ms Okereke-Adagba, an advocate for social accountability, civic participation, and gender equality, to pursue an M.A. in Media Practice for Development and Social Change at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom. The institution is regarded as the first in the world to offer development studies.

Ms Okereke-Adagba expressed her excitement about her selection for the scholarship, saying, “This is a dream come true for me”

“For the past four years I have been trying different scholarship opportunities with many rejection emails, but I never gave up.”

About Ijeoma Okereke-Adagba

Ms Okereke-Adagba began her journalism career with a First Class in Mass Communication from the University of Jos in 2018 before becoming a campus journalist, while volunteering with local news outlets in Jos, Plateau state.

After emerging as the best-graduating student in her department, she  was in search of a place in a competitive media landscape, during which she came in contact with Dapo Olorunyomi – popularly regarded as the ‘father of accountability journalism in Nigeria’ and his team at the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ), now known as CJID. 

Ijeoma Okereke-Adagba during her induction ceremony as a fellow of the Report Women Network

At the CJID, she leads the  UDEME project, a platform that holds the government accountable for how funds released for developmental projects are spent. Her work has enabled her to empower student journalists (U-Monitors) to serve as watchdogs in society to hold the government accountable. 

In 2022, she was chosen by the Council of Europe to represent Nigeria at the 10th World Forum for Democracy and became the first Youth Delegate Rapporteur at the event.

She also became a member of the African Feminist Macroeconomy Academy (AFMA) by the African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET). In 2023, she joined the Report Women Network through the Female Reporters Leadership Programme (FRLP) of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ). She has numerous publications spotlighting issues around gender inequality, but the most recent one is her research on the impact of motherhood on the career development of female journalists in Nigeria. 

The research highlights the struggles of female journalists who are mothers in the Nigerian media space, which has not only hindered their career growth but forced many women out of the profession.

It provided recommendations for media owners and practitioners to adopt to enable mothers in the newsroom to effectively carry out their roles. Since then, she has continued to champion gender inclusivity in the workplace through the African Mothers’ Hub (AMoH). AMoH is an initiative that seeks to create an inclusive environment for working mothers across Africa in their professional careers and numerous research on the challenges faced by female journalists to encourage a gender-friendly workspace in the media space.

While congratulating Ms Okereke-Adagba, the Executive Director of CJID, Akintunde Babatunde, commended her for being an exceptional team player.

READ ALSO: CJID Inducts 15 Fellows into its 2024 AI-in-Journalism Fellowship

“Ijeoma has brought exceptional social, team-playing, and leadership skills to the table in a way that gives confidence in her handling of assignments. It is no surprise to see her win one of the most prestigious scholarships.

“What we do at the CJID goes far beyond empowering the media to serve democracy. We nurture talent and provide a platform for growth and much more”.

About Commonwealth Scholarship

The Commonwealth Scholarships provide opportunities for talented and motivational individuals from low—and middle-income Commonwealth countries to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development. Over 30,000 people have taken part in the Commonwealth Scholarships since they first began in 1960. The majority of Scholarships are funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) to contribute to the UK’s international development aims and wider overseas interests, supporting excellence in UK higher education and sustaining the principles of the Commonwealth.