PUNCH journalist Adetutu Sobowale has emerged as the 2026 winner of the Reporter Slam Nigeria, using her presentation to highlight the challenges journalists face when reporting breaking news in the digital age.
Sobowale clinched the title at the event held at Alliance Française, Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday, ahead of other journalists who competed in the storytelling contest.
The event, themed “Journalism and the Nigerian Story”, was organised in collaboration with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Nigeria and brought together media executives, journalists, broadcasters, journalism educators and campus journalists.
Veteran broadcaster and Reporter Slam Nigeria jury member, Bimbo Oloyede, presents the Slampion trophy to Adetutu Sobowale, winner of the inaugural Reporter Slam Nigeria, in Lagos on Wednesday…Photo Credit: Samuel Omotere.
Sobowale’s presentation centred on her experience as a journalist and fact-checker after reporting a sensitive development concerning Nigeria’s relations with the United Arab Emirates.
She recounted how the post disclosing the development, made by a spokesperson for a high-ranking elected government official, was deleted after she had reported the information, and was subsequently labelled fake news by the aide.
The experience, she said, left her embarrassed and worried about the professional consequences of reporting information that was later disputed, despite her experience in fact-checking.
Explaining the inspiration behind her presentation after her victory, she said the experience had left a lasting impression on her because she had previously worked as a fact-checker, scrutinising claims made by others.
“Actually, that story traumatised me. You know why? I am a fact-checker, I wrote a story, a breaking news and it was a big story, then all of a sudden it was tagged fake,” she said.
Sobowale said she was excited by the recognition despite initially feeling uncertain about presenting her story before an audience.
“I’m confused at the same time, excited, because I was not expecting this. I’ve never spoken like this before. I am always typing, writing, but now I have to talk to the crowd, and there are people to judge me,” she said.
Adetutu Sobowale of PUNCH with her Slampion trophy and gift box after emerging winner of the inaugural Reporter Slam Nigeria in Lagos on Wednesday…Photo Credit: Samuel Omotere
She said the experience had strengthened her commitment to telling stories that reflected the experiences of journalists and others whose struggles often remained unseen.
“It means a lot. Now I know that I can go out there to tell my story and it will resonate with people because I know a lot of people are also going through that,” she said.
Sobowale urged journalists to share the experiences behind their work rather than allow their bylines and headlines to define their professional lives.
“Let people know that you have a story behind that byline, behind the headline. There is a lot more to writing a story. So we need to come out and tell people our story so that they will see the value in what we do,” she said.