My acceptance speech at the Welles Prize event

I had hoped that I would have been able to join you in New York for this exceptional occasion, but as always and as is common with journalists like me in this part of the world, I have not been able to afford it.

And think about it. I’m here today because the judges have singled out my work as exceptional and have given me an award.

Just like my inability to pay for my way and come to New York, I have so many other stories untold because I can’t afford to pay for the cost of writing them. And from my part of the world where I live and work as a journalist, often my work is considered as an affront to people. I am often seen as a criminal. Journalism is seen as a crime.

The police, military or secret service, could decide to arrest, detain and or torture me for doing journalism; and there are judges in whose court when I appear, I am not likely to get a fair trial when I am accused of any crime while doing journalism. That goes without saying that, I live in a democratic country with a constitution and a mantra for the rule of law and respect for human rights, free speech and free media.

And most Journalists who feel and have the responsibility to hold power to account are often unable to do their work.

Think about it. How many of such stories haven’t been written because journalists cannot afford to. For safety reasons and for lack of resources.

The police, military or secret service, could decide to arrest, detain and or torture me for doing journalism; and there are judges in whose court when I appear, I am not likely to get a fair trial when I am accused of any crime while doing journalism. That goes without saying that, I live in a democratic country with a constitution and a mantra for the rule of law and respect for human rights, free speech and free media.

The Knight-Bagehot Fellowship in my view is the pinnacle of my profession. It changed the way I see business journalism. It deepened my ability to write in unique and exceptional ways. It’s an important Fellowship, that all of you who support it must continue to do so.

But you have to also think beyond training journalists, to supporting them to continue to do their work.

I want to thank the judges who sat, looked through all the stories that were submitted and considered my story and work, which I had to go through a lot to do and consider it worthy of this prize.

It’s unfortunate I’m unable to join you tonight, but I hope I will be able to do so soon.

Thank you.

By Emmanuel K Dogbevi

Email: [email protected]

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