Zambian TV and radio presenter Dingindaba Jonah Buyoya has won the 2022 BBC News Komla Dumor Award.
At 25, Buyoya is the youngest recipient of the award, launched in 2015, and the first of the seven winners so far from southern Africa.
He is currently a TV host and reporter with Diamond Television in Zambia, where he started work five years ago.
The award was created to honour Komla Dumor, a presenter for BBC World News, who died suddenly aged 41 in 2014.
Buyoya follows in the footsteps of Victoria Rubadiri, Solomon Serwanjja, Waihiga Mwaura, Amina Yuguda, Didi Akinyelure and Nancy Kacungira.
The runner-up for this year’s prize is Ivory Coast’s Lindsay Aida Guei, who presents her own talk show on Canal+ Elles, an Africa-focused TV channel.
The Zambian reporter will spend three months working with BBC News teams in London across TV, radio and online. He will also receive training and be mentored by leading BBC journalists.
As part of the placement, he will travel to a country in Africa to report on a story that will be broadcast to the BBC’s global audiences.
“Finding out I’d won the BBC News Komla Dumor Award is one of the best things to have happened in my life,” Buyoya says.
“I have a huge admiration for Komla’s prodigious work. I’ve always wanted to be a journalist and I’d watch back Komla’s news reports, inspired by his powerful storytelling and his dedication to covering Africa authentically.
“I’m truly grateful to be part of Komla’s legacy.”
The judges praised Buyoya for his journalism, his charisma and his passion for sharing stories about the continent through digital platforms.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming Buyoya to BBC News. We’re excited by his journalistic talent, and seeing him flourish during his BBC placement,” says BBC Africa head Juliet Njeri.
“His dedication to ensuring important news stories from Africa are told in a compelling and engaging way, makes him ideal to help to continue Komla’s legacy – sharing nuanced and comprehensive stories about the continent.”
Source: BBC
Congratulations but why should we only praise our people when they are recognised by foreign elements.why can’t we honour our own and be proud of local awarding
Is it award for drunkards like him?
The Komla Dumor award to Jonah Buyoya has directly challenged MISA Zambia to say or do something.
Our television young achievers like Buyoya are not only following Costa Mwansa’s footsteps, but are reshaping reportage in Zambia.
However, it should be borne in mind that MISA and Komla are two different organisations using varied benchmarks to award a recipient.
Congratulations Dingi for clinching this prestigious award !! If you convert this once in a life time opportunity well,the sky is the limit for your journalism career…….Please continue to work hard and maintain discipline always as people where ever you go will look at you and see our great nation Zambia.God Bless you young man….
However, this young man is not 25 because he even looks older than me.
Hahaha a 25 year old, who started working 5 years ago under PF.
The youth Lusambo must be laughing as well.
Congratulation to Dingi. Indeed hard work and innovation pays. This is a mammoth achievement because in Zambia we fight each other so much that we pull ourselves down. I’m certain that this recognition didn’t have any input from Zambian journalists or media houses, it’s an individual achievement that can’t be taken away from the young man. You have done us proud. I wish you all the success in all your future endeavors
Am happy for you sir.
How did Pierre Buyoya’s son become Zambian?
“Buyoya follows in the footsteps of Victoria Rubadiri, Solomon Serwanjja, Waihiga Mwaura, Amina Yuguda, Didi Akinyelure and Nancy Kacungira.”
You also see that the previous winners are also from Francophone and War Hotspots of Great Lakes region.
So they planted this one @Diamond TV to scope the award and it a false look of being representative of Africa not Francophone.
Zamabia is for Zambians not Burundi refugees!
Xenophobia much?
Congratulations well done… The sky is the limit… What an honour to be part of a great legacy