Ghana’s freelance journalist, Mr. Kofi Akpabli, has this year been adjudged the Africa’s best journalist in the Arts and Culture category at the 16th CNN/Multichoice African Journalists Awards held in South Africa last Saturday.
Mr. Akpabli, who won the same category in last year’s awards with his spell-binding article on “The Serious Business of Soup in Ghana”, defended his title in the 2011 with his article: “What is Right with Akpeteshie?”

The citation following Mr. Akpabli’s award read: “Kofi Akpabli’s story uses the most enriching and fantastic language to explain why Akpeteshie, a local brew, is the equivalent of a liquid national heritage. Kofi not only educates and enlightens us to the history and best practices of this national beverage – but he also does it with humour and style. A worthy return winner.”

Another Ghanaian journalist, Ms. Portia Solomon of TV3 Network, was also nominated for the awards with Mr. Kofi Akpabli but she could not win in her category. She was however awarded a cash prize and received a certificate for commendation.

This year’s CNN/Multichoice African Journalist of the Year was awarded to Fatuma Noor from Kenya
Fatuma Noor, who works for The Star Kenya, won for her investigative three-part series on the ‘Al-Shabaab’, which was chosen from among 1407 entries from 42 nations across the African continent.

The series tells the story of the young men who give up their freedom abroad to return and fight for the ‘Al-Shabaab’ in one of the world’s most dangerous places on earth – Somalia.

Fatuma Noor was one of the 27 finalists at the Awards ceremony on Saturday evening and was a winner in the category ‘General News Award (Print).’
“I want to thank my mum and my boss Catherine, who believed in me when no one else did. There was a time in my life when I thought about giving up, but with this Award I'm not giving up any time soon," Fatuma said after picking up her award.
Chair of the judging panel, journalist and media consultant Joel Kibazo said: “The judges were impressed with the high quality of entries to the competition this year, and this intrepid young journalist has shown great courage and determination in going the extra mile to tell this fascinating story. Fatuma Noor’s three-part series on the Al-Shabaab provides a detailed and personalised portrait of the young men who leave their comfortable western lives to join one of the world’s most ruthless militant groups in Somalia.”
This year’s recipient of the Free Press Africa Award was awarded to Mahamud Abdi Jama for his work in Somalia. He wrote a critical article about the government there and was jailed for just over a month and released when pressure was put on the government of Somalia.

Winners in the individual competition categories are:

ARTS & CULTURE AWARD: Kofi Akpabli, Freelance for DailyGraphic,Ghana.

DIGITAL JOURNALISM AWARD: The Dispatch Online Team on behalf of ‘The Daily Dispatch’ in South Africa.
ECONOMICS & BUSINESS AWARD: Sylvia Chebet and Kimani Githae, Citizen TV,Kenya.
ENVIRONMENT AWARD: Lamia Hassan, Business Today Egypt, Egypt.
FRANCOPHONE GENERAL NEWS AWARD: PRINT: Rabin Bhujun, L'Express Dimanche,Mauritius.
FRANCOPHONE GENERAL NEWS AWARD: TV / (RADIO): Claudine Efoa Atohoun, ORTB, Benin.
FREE PRESS AFRICA AWARD: Mahamud Abdi Jama,Waaheen Media,Somalia.
HIV/AIDS REPORTING IN AFRICA AWARD: Beryl Ooro, K24 TV, Kenya.
MSD HEALTH & MEDICAL AWARD: Oluwatoyosi Ogunseye,Sunday Punch,Nigeria.
MOHAMED AMIN PHOTOGRAPHIC AWARD: Norman Katende, freelance for The New Vision, Uganda.
PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE GENERAL NEWS AWARD: Selma Marivate, TV Miramar, Mozambique.
PRINT GENERAL NEWS AWARD: Fatuma Noor, The Star,Kenya.
RADIO GENERAL NEWS AWARD: Melini Moses, SABC,South Africa.
SPORT AWARD: Kamau Mutunga, DN2 Magazine, Daily Nation, Kenya.
TELEVISION – GENERAL NEWS – FEATURE/CURRENT AFFAIRS AWARD: Lindile Mpanza, e.tv,South Africa.
TELEVISION – GENERAL NEWS – NEWS BULLETIN AWARD: Farouk Kayondo, UBC,Uganda.
TOURISM AWARD: Benon Herbert Oluka, DailyMonitor,Uganda.

Credit Manasseh Azure Awuni/www.maxighana.com with additional files from CNN