Selected alongside other journalists for the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP) Fellowship in South Africa, Guardian Woman Editor Ijeoma Thomas Odia embarked on a nine-day journey of reflection and discovery. Her visit included stops at historically significant sites such as the Apartheid Museum and Nelson Mandela Foundation. Before departing for South Africa, Odia had expressed apprehension due to the nation's association with xenophobic attacks and hostility toward fellow Africans. However, during a pre-departure meeting at MTN Nigeria's headquarters in Lagos, the Acting High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria, Prof. Bobby Moroe, encouraged the group to look beyond the media noise.
The visit also provided an opportunity for Odia to meet with MTN Nigeria's CEO, Dr. Karl Toriola. As a gender advocate and editor of Guardian Woman, Odia was particularly interested in Toriola's emphasis on the organization's commitment to gender parity, especially at the executive level. According to Toriola, women account for almost 50 percent representation at the executive level, promoting gender equity and inclusion. To further ground their perspectives, the group visited the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), where Director-General Prof. Eghosa Osaghae provided crucial historical context on apartheid, political struggles, and international perceptions.
Upon arrival in Johannesburg, Odia and her colleagues were greeted by the quiet efficiency and warm reception of border officers at O.R. Tambo International Airport. While awaiting luggage, an elderly woman approached Odia, speaking Yoruba, and asked for help contacting her son. This encounter served as a reminder that migration is not merely a political statistic but a deeply human experience. The group also met their driver, Mr. Sam, who shared humorous memories of his previous visit to Onitsha, Nigeria, helping to bridge the cultural gap.
The itinerary included SIM registration at the MTN office, where the group was gifted 100GB of data. They also explored Johannesburg's vibrant cultural footprint, noting the disciplined orderliness of partygoers queuing patiently outside clubs. A visit to the Constitutional Court, built on the grounds of a former prison complex, provided a somber look at the country's history. The group walked through stark, oppressive cells, illuminating the deep racial disparities woven into South Africa's past.
The Apartheid Museum visit was equally impactful, with guided details of the regime's brutal reality bringing several fellows to tears. This experience reinforced the vital truth that to comprehend contemporary South Africa, one must first confront its painful past. The group also engaged in high-level discussions on Nigeria-South Africa relations, geopolitics, and continental integration at MTN South Africa's corporate headquarters.
MTN Group Chairman, Mcebisi Jonas, delivered a compelling address on Africa's demographic advantage and rich mineral resources, challenging the group to think beyond national borders and consider themselves as Africans. Jonas emphasized the need for visionary thinkers to build unified solutions for the continent and called for journalism to be liberated from political and economic elites. This sentiment was echoed by Consul-General of Nigeria to South Africa, Amb. Ninikanwa Okey-Uche.
The summit, held at the University of Johannesburg's Auckland Park Kingsway Campus, brought together fellows and South African peers for discussions on technology, media, and bilateral relations. Odia spoke on a panel titled "The Business of Constructive Journalism: Making Positive African Stories Newsworthy," addressing the challenge of pitching nuanced, constructive narratives within a digital landscape obsessed with clickbait and virality. Keynote speaker and former High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria, H.E. Thami Msleku, noted the importance of African unity and urged governments to tackle root economic causes rather than symptom management.
Key points
- Ijeoma Thomas Odia and other journalists visited South Africa for the MTN Media Innovation Programme Fellowship.
- The group visited historically significant sites, including the Apartheid Museum and Nelson Mandela Foundation.
- The experience aimed to promote understanding and constructive journalism about Africa.
