The Head, Features Desk, Weekend Titles of The Punch Newspaper, Samson Folarin, has been awarded the prestigious Chevening Scholarship.
Folarin bagged the full postgraduate scholarship together with 43 other Nigerians.
He will be studying investigative journalism at City, University of London, United Kingdom.
The British Deputy High Commissioner, Mr Jonny Baxter, at a pre-departure event in Lagos on Wednesday, said more than 14,000 applications were received for the scholarship fron Nigeria alone.
He urged the scholars to prepare their minds for the journey ahead and make the best use of their time in the UK.
The Chairman, Chevening Alumni Board of Trustees, and Chief Executive Officer of Channels TV, Mr John Momoh, congratulated the scholars.
He asked them to be good ambassadors of Nigeria and avoid the temptation to “japa”.
Folarin said, “I want to make a change with journalism, and that is what has informed the kind of stories I pursue—defending human rights and exposing corruption.
“I am going to the UK to increase my knowledge and skills and particularly widen my network and connections for greater and more impactful stories. I am glad Chevening is giving me this opportunity to be better at my job.”
Folarin, a graduate of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos, Akoka, is a multiple-award-winning investigative journalist.
He won the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Journalism (Print) in 2019 and 2020 and the Investigative Reporter of the Year at the Nigeria Media Merit Award in 2018, 2020, and 2021.
He emerged winner of the Lagos Reporting category of the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence in 2018 and was voted the Print Journalist of the Year at the Nigeria Media Merit Award in 2019.
