Filmmaker and host of the viral talk show #WithChude, Chude Jideonwo has announced his Culture Icon for 2024 – it’s award-winning investigative journalist and founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, Fisayo Soyombo.
Similar to the Person of the Year recognitions by media organisation, Jideonwo’s annual piece honours the one person in the culture who most signified what it meant to be Nigerian or a global citizen in the previous year.
“It tried captures the ethos and pathos of our reality in the past year,” Jideonwo said. “Either capturing its essence in a way that mirrors back to society who we really or, or speaking to our better angels as we stride to be better and do better.”
The 2024 honour was Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter, Rema (Divine Okunbor).
Writing in his article announcing the pick, Jideonwo said:
He is easily the most important investigative journalist alive in Nigeria today.
And Nigeria, as it stands today, doesn’t deserve Soyombo. It has coopted, corrupted and silenced enough voices to make it clear there is very little reward in fighting for it – even the people you fight for might end up attacking you.
But Soyombo doesn’t care. He is not afraid. There is something deeps inside him that drives him to fight and slay giants, even at the cost of his life, liberty and livelihood. He won’t back down.
When the central figure in the smuggling expose took him to court, slamming him with a N500 million lawsuit, he showed up and gave a robust defense of himself, confident in the work he has done and the spirit of that work. And when, confronted by his resolve, the figure sort to back out and have the court dismiss, Soyombo said no – he must finish what he started. Perhaps in proving this case, some justice could be served and some truth revealed.
When last did you meet a person with such chutzpah?
Nigeria doesn’t yet deserve a hero like him. We have eaten too many of our heroes alive. And because of that we must count ourselves lucky, blessed, exceedingly fortunate, that in the midst of such darkness, we have light like him – shining bright, blazing forth, and giving us true hope.
Soyombo provides hope that Nigeria and Nigerians desperately need today.
And for that, he is the Culture Icon for 2024.
Full article can be found here: https://ynaija.com/last-year-it-was-rema-and-this-year-fisayo-soyombo-is-chude-jideonwos-culture-icon-for-2024/
