By: Vitalis Ugoh,Calabar
Safe Child Africa, a Non-Governmental Organization(NGO)based in the United Kingdom in collaboration with the “Basic Right Counsel Initiative(BRCI) has recognized a Veteran Journalist Comrade Anietie Ben, of the Guardian newspaper with a deserving Excellence Award for his contribution toward ending witchcraft branding in Africa.
The Excellence Award was presented to him in a brief ceremmony at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre, State Housing, Calabar by the leader of the team, Basic Right Counsel Initiative, (BRCI) Barr. James Ibor.
Ibor also doubles as Secretary of Administration of the Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee, (SCJMC) Cross River State.
He said, though the award was not contested for but was selected based on contributions, adequate research and excellent reportage to end witchcraft branding in Africa within Akwa Ibom and Cross River state.
According to him, the main aim of the award is to spur the recipient and other practitioners to do more for society as they remain the watchdog of society as people still look up to journalists for a better future.
Appreciating the award, the recipient, said “I was not wasn’t expecting such an award from those stories. He enumerated his experiences during the research, saying it has paid off and thanked the initiator of the award, Safe Child Africa for finding him worthy for the award”.
“This award will spark me to do more as he used the opportunity to call on his professional colleagues to brace up their efforts and save the society through constant and adequate reportage of human angle stories.
Akpan is the South-South regional Editor of Guardian Newspaper.
The ceremony was well attended by Veteran Journalists, and other members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Cross River State Council.
