Samuel Ogunsona, a Nigerian journalist with Irohinodua, has been named one of six recipients of the 2024 Mongabay Y. Eva Tan Conservation Reporting Fellowship, a globally competitive programme aimed at empowering young environmental journalists from tropical countries.
Mongabay, a U.S.-based non-profit environmental news platform, made the announcement recently, revealing that Ogunsona was selected from a pool of 529 applicants from across the world.
The fellowship, designed to build the capacity of early-career journalists reporting on biodiversity and conservation in some of the world’s most vulnerable ecosystems, offers training, mentorship, and a platform to publish in-depth environmental stories with global relevance.
Ogunsona was selected alongside five other journalists: Fernanda Biasoli Paredes (Brazil), Shradha (India), Kasereka Makuta, Lee Kwai Han, and Manuel Fonseca.
The fellowship will provide them with opportunities to report on pressing environmental issues, backed by editorial guidance and support from Mongabay’s seasoned editors.
Speaking during a virtual meeting with the fellows, Karen Coates, the Fellowship Editor, highlighted the rigour of the selection process, stating that only six candidates were chosen from hundreds of applications.
Ogunsona’s selection is widely seen as a recognition of his commitment to environmental reporting. A graduate of Lagos State University, where he studied Zoology and Environmental Biology, his foray into journalism began during his internship with Journalists for Democratic Rights (JODER).
He has since contributed to several media platforms, including The Crest NG and the International Press Centre, focusing on media monitoring, fact-checking, and environmental advocacy.
In recent years, Ogunsona has gained international recognition, covering major global events such as the Biodiversity Conference in Canada, the 2023 UN Climate Change Summit (COP28) in the UAE, and is expected to report from COP29 in Azerbaijan and COP30 in Brazil.
The fellowship, named in honour of Y. Eva Tan, supports 12 young journalists annually and aims to enhance coverage of underreported environmental issues, especially in regions most affected by biodiversity loss.
By Dare Akogun
