*Say’s journalism not bread, butter profession
By PETER NOSAKHARE, Kaduna
The Daily Times of Nigeria (DTN), Kaduna State Correspondent, Mr. Idibia Gabriel, has been conferred with “2024 African Media Development Foundation (AMDF) Courage In Journalism Award”.
Mr. Idibia was conferred the award in recognition of his bravery and perseverance in journalism’ by AMDF, a body of Professional Support to Media and Sustainable Development Initiatives” in Africa.
The 2024 AMDF Courage In Journalism international Award was presented to Mr. Idibia, at the Sixth Bagauda Kaltho Media Lecture held via zoom on September 19, 2024.
The theme of the lecture was, “Censorship and State Control: Analysis of Impact on African countries with Press Freedom Restrictions”.
Moderator, Zhiro Jatau, paper presenter and the panelists were seasoned journalists drawn from across African countries, to do justice to the about three hours lecture held between 1:30 and 3:30pm on Thursday, and organized by AMDF Founder, Mr. Iliya Kure.
It would be recalled that Mr. Idibia was also honoured with “Torch Bearer of Press Freeform Award 2024” by Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), alongside some Governors and other colleagues at National Headquarters of the union in Abuja, FCT, in May 2024.
In his appreciation and acceptance speech, Mr. Idibia, a multiple awardee, and emerging investigative journalist, said his award will serve as motivation to do more in using the profession to watch over and liberate the society from any oppression.
While he dedicated the award to his courageous late Father, Idibia A. Achadu, and to all the journalists in Kaduna and Nigeria, he urged colleagues to take the practice more serious, saying journalism is not a bread and butter profession.
He stressed the need to champion press freedom, adding that free press is a sign of free society as well as a pillar of every democratic nation because it shapes public opinion, equipped and empowered the people with accurate information and helped to put leaders in checked.
The Bagauda Kaltho Memorial Media Lecture Series, is organized by the AMDF to immortalize James Baguada Kaltho, a Nigerian journalist that disappeared between late 1996 and early 1997, while performing his journalism duties, till date.
Until his disappearance, he was a courageous and fearless investigative journalist.
