TheCable

Fisayo Soyombo, founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), has emerged as a 2022 fellow of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom.

Soyombo, the pioneer editor of TheCable, is among 13 fellows who will spend up to six months at the Reuters Institute.

During the fellowship, the FIJ founder is expected to carry out research on “the rise of a willing army against the truth — the practice of drowning out a genuine work of journalism with coordinated media campaigns that confuse unsuspecting members of the public, consequently leaving the authenticity of the story in tatters”.

Meera Selva, director of journalism fellowship at Reuters Institute, in a letter sent to the fellows, said, “I am pleased to inform you that you have been selected for a six-month fellowship within the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University.

“The field was incredibly strong this year so congratulations on being chosen! We greatly look forward to welcoming you here in Oxford in the next academic year.”

Soyombo is an award-winning investigative journalist who gained prominence for using his work to expose corruption and other ills in society.

In 2021, he was a finalist for the One World Media’s international journalist of the year award — the second time in a row.

In 2020, the investigative journalist won the Kurt Schork Awards in International Journalism and the People Journalism Prize for Africa 2019 (PJPA) with an undercover report on Nigeria’s judicial system.

Soyombo is a recipient of numerous international and national awards which include the Free Press Awards, Wole Soyinka Awards for Investigative Reporting and Zimeo Excellence in Journalism Awards.