At Massey School’s sixtieth anniversary celebrations remaining weekend, we stuck up with Patrick Egwu about his enjoy because the 2021-2022 Gordon N. Fisher / JHR Journalism Fellow. Patrick is an award-winning investigative journalist from Nigeria who has written widely about human rights, social justice, migration, and world well being in sub-Saharan Africa. He prior to now finished the Open Society Basis fellowship on Investigative Reporting on the College of Witwatersrand, South Africa.
Right here’s what subsequent for Patrick:
JHR: Patrick, we heard you could have some improbable information to proportion with us.
I can be becoming a member of The Globe and Mail in the summertime. That’s some thrilling information for me and I’m taking a look ahead to becoming a member of the staff. That is an important alternative to do journalism in Canada and be told extra about how the media panorama works. I’ve had the possibility of assembly mavens from various backgrounds since I moved to Toronto remaining yr. Those contacts will surely come in useful throughout my new function at The Globe.
JHR: That’s superb, Patrick! Congratulations. What are you maximum taking a look ahead to on this thrilling function?
I can be becoming a member of the Record on Trade table, which is without doubt one of the premier sections at The Globe. This can be my first time doing most commonly industry tales. My reporting is initially on the intersection of human rights, social justice, world well being, migration, and war in sub-Saharan Africa. However writing about industry or the economic system could also be a fascinating and thrilling activity as a result of deficient insurance policies in those sectors at once impact everybody, particularly inclined communities. So, I’m excited to be doing this and taking a look ahead to getting began. I specifically hope to do tales on industry that impact other folks such because the have an effect on of the COVID-19 pandemic on small companies, Canada’s housing disaster, and the way value will increase are converting food-buying behavior of voters within the nation. Those are subjects that impact everybody and tales that spotlight those problems are crucial.
JHR: This additionally signifies that your time as a Massey Fellow is coming to an finish. How used to be your enjoy?
Spending a yr at Massey School has been probably the most perfect highlights of my journalism occupation. I had the possibility of assembly other other folks from various backgrounds together with mavens, politicians, activists, attorneys, marketers, lecturers, Canadian media executives, and publishers. I audited classes on human rights, world well being, and politics from other departments on the College of Toronto. Taking a yr from paintings and loopy time limits to have some private reflections and do readings on other topics is healing and simply unbelievable. As well as, Massey is house to one of the vital brightest younger minds you can ever meet available in the market. I name Massey a mini-United Countries since you meet other folks from various fields and backgrounds. I’m honoured to have shared an area with them and tapped some wisdom from respective fields equivalent to medication, track, regulation, and politics no longer simply in Canada, however world wide. Most significantly, I bonded with 4 superb Canadian newshounds throughout the fellowship, together with having some memorable occasions throughout journeys in Newfoundland and Berlin. Friendships and relationships like those remaining an entire life.
JHR: Do you could have any recommendation for the incoming Fisher fellow and the opposite newshounds who will follow for this chance someday?
It’s vital to get immersed in this system, attend all occasions, begin concepts for your colleagues, meet other folks and simply have a laugh. This fellowship has had an incredible have an effect on on my occupation and I imply it. Final yr, I had some newshounds throughout Africa achieve out to me for steerage throughout the appliance procedure for this yr’s fellowship. I spent a while reviewing their programs and telling them how that is an important alternative that may exchange the path in their occupation. I additionally instructed them how extremely coveted the fellowship is and why they shouldn’t surrender hopes of making an attempt once more if their programs don’t seem to be thought to be. I do not know who the incoming fellow is, however he/she would surely have a good time right here. Caveat: get ready for wintry weather and be careful for the raccoons.
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