Gender equity activists in Nigeria are in a happy, celebratory mood following the elevation of one of theirs, Husseina Akila Bangshika to the position of Director of News of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, (FRCN). Bangshika who returned from a year-long study at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, (NIPSS) in late 2021 was announced Director of News May 30th, 2022, throwing colleagues and gender equity warriors into a frenzy.
This cuts across her numerous spaces of circulation such as the Nigerian Union of Journalists, (NUJ) in which she has been a Chapel Chairperson at the Adamawa Television, (ATV); Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) where she has been the Adamawa State Chapel Chairperson; the National Council of Women Societies, (NCWS) in which she has been the Publicity Secretary and the Nigerian Guild of Editors, (NGE) where she a member of the Standing Committee and on which platform she went to NIPSS.
They are not calling anybody for drinks but Intervention is reliably informed that colleagues and associates are intensely happy over the elevation which, in their view, sends a clear message that merit can be rewarded, irrespective of one’s gender. It is not clear why the view that a woman could easily be denied persists, given that the FRCN has five women in the hierarchy. These are the two Zonal Directors, (Ibadan and Abuja Operations) and headship of two strategic sections – Programmes and Research and Planning. The spaces of power controlled by women in the corporation now rises to five with the coming of Husseina, a Mass Communication graduate of Bayero University, Kano, aka BUK and a Masters Degree holder in Public Administration from the University of Maiduguri, aka UNIMAID.
Her one year at NIPSS can be argued to complete her initiation into the club of those whom a national broadcaster in much of Africa can entrust the processing of news. Although Intervention did not speak to Bangshika to confirm this, it is understood her research topic at NIPSS is “Fake News and Hate Speech: Its Implications on National Security in Nigeria” which even prepares her better for the job.
The Adamawa born broadcaster is assuming her new position from the additional background of an activist in dissemination of information about HIV/AIDS, preservation of the Environment, wellbeing of the Girl Child, ending Human Trafficking, promoting Regular Migration, civil/political education and rule of law.