By Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim
A Kano-based Nigerian writer and photographer, Mrs. Safiyya Muhammad Daba has been announced as winner of the Agenda 2063 Women Photojournalism Award.
The award was organised by African Women In Media (AWiM) in collaboration with African Union and German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).
The Hijab-wearing Muslimah was announced the winner by AWiM during the Agenda2063 Women’s Photojournalism Awards virtual award ceremony held on July 28, 2021.
Muslim News findings revealed that Mrs Daba and winners in other categories will each get the sum of $2000.
The amateur photographer won the award for her photo under agriculture and rural environment, land rights and skills development category.
Mrs. Daba took her time to travel around Kano state, documenting the beauty of Africa through photography.
She revealed that the award-winning photo was taken during her tour to Takai in 2019 after having an intensive training by Equal Access International and National Geographic Photographers.
Reacting on winning the award during the ceremony, Mrs. Daba said, “my picture represents agriculture and rural environment, and it shows how agricultural we are in Africa and how the rural environment looks like”.
Similarly, while speaking with Muslim News, she expressed her excitement on winning the award.
“When I got the email from them, telling me to get prepared and set up my Microsoft Teams app, that I’ll be required to speak should I win the competition in the category I entered to compete in.
I was so happy and I couldn’t believe my eyes and ears on the day of the award ceremony. It is really a great pleasure competing alongside professional photographers and photojournalists, and i am really humbled”.
Commenting on how the award has impacted her journalism career, she stated that, “the award is really a great achievement for me. It has inspired me to take pictures, especially those that will bring positive change to my society.
“I also want to encourage more women from the north to break this barrier of not having women in the so called ‘men’s profession'”, she added.
