About Us

Dr Yemisi Akinbobola is an award-winning journalist, academic, consultant and co-founder of African Women in Media (AWiM). AWiM’s vision is that one-day African women will have equal access to representation in media. Joint winner of the CNN African Journalist Award 2016 (Sports Reporting), Yemisi ran her news website IQ4News between 2010-14.

Yemisi holds a PhD in Media and Cultural Studies from Birmingham City University, where she is an Associate Professor of Women’s Rights and Media Development. She has published scholarly research on women’s rights, African feminism, and journalism and digital public spheres. She was Editorial Consultant for the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 commemorative book titled “She Stands for Peace: 20 Years, 20 Journeys”, and currently hosts the book’s podcast.

She speaks regularly on issues relating to gender and media. In 2021 she was recognized as one of 100 Most Influential African Women.

Bamidele is a gender and development expert with more than 10 years of experience leading capacity building and advocacy initiatives that place women empowerment at their core. As co-founder and COO for AWiM, Bamidele oversees the organisation’s operations. Dele is the lead on AWiM’s Visibility project an ambitious multi-year initiative to promote African women’s visibility on Wikipedia.

Bamidele has a BSc (Hons) from Babcock University, an MSc from North South University and holds a research degree from the University of East Anglia.

Irene Odera is a passionate project management professional, leader, evaluator, strategist, student, and traveller. She has close to 10 years’ experience working in implementation, research, and managing multi-faceted women-centered development programs for international non-governmental organisations.

Her vision is a world of equal opportunity where every girl and woman, no matter where they are or what they do, can be the best version of themselves. Working with AWiM is yet another step towards this vision.

Joy Anwulika Adigwe has a Bachelors degree in Mass Communication from Babcock University. She has a Masters degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan.

Joy is an avid reader, a dreamer, a freelance writer, a researcher and a member of the first Co-hort of She Creates Change Nigeria, 2021. One of her many life’s dreams is to change her society for better as much as she can, which is part of her role with AWiM.

Bukola is an experienced accountant with more than three years of dedicated work as a finance officer. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Education from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Additionally, she is currently in the final stages of completing her professional exams with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

Besides her professional pursuits, Bukola actively engages in her creative interests during her spare time. She specialises in designing and crafting beautiful female African dresses. Moreover, she passionately imparts her knowledge and skills by providing training to aspiring young ladies who share a similar love for fashion.

Blessing Udeobasi is the Podcast and Media Production Officer at African Women in Media (AWiM). She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication and a Master of Arts in Multimedia and Journalism, both from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Her career spans broadcast radio, television, and digital journalism. She has reported for the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, producing work focused on gender, social justice, and institutional accountability.

Beyond her production work, Blessing is a passionate advocate for gender-based violence prevention, digital safety, and the equal inclusion and representation of women in media and public life.

John Okwubi is the Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation Officer at African Women in Media (AWiM), where he leads donor engagement, builds strategic partnerships, and drives fundraising efforts to support gender-responsive media development across Africa.

With over 10 years of experience spanning both nonprofit and for-profit sectors, he has successfully contributed to securing and managing grants across thematic areas including education, climate change, and gender equality.

He is strongly committed to advancing an equitable society and advocates for inclusive, sustainable solutions that address gender-based violence. At AWiM, his work supports the organisation’s strategic priorities by aligning resource mobilisation with programmatic goals, cultivating lasting partnerships, and strengthening financial sustainability.

John holds a Master’s degree in Post-Harvest Management and Physiology of Crops from the Centre for Food Technology and Research, Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria; a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the National Teachers’ Institute, Kaduna, Nigeria; and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria. His interdisciplinary academic background enhances his capacity to approach development challenges with both technical insight and a people-centred perspective.

He is also a project manager with a track record of delivering internationally funded projects on time and within budget. In addition to his work at AWiM, John facilitates training on grant writing, project design, and fundraising, and continues to lead initiatives focused on technical skills development and climate education for young people and underserved communities.

Lobna Msilini is a Tunisian-Moroccan project manager and digital rights advocate with a background in IT and a focus on gender justice and civic engagement. She currently serves as Program Support Coordinator at African Women in Media (AWiM), where she supports cross-regional projects and works across research and community engagement.

Lobna has previously led and supported diverse initiatives focused on youth, gender, and cultural rights.

She cares about work that’s grounded, practical, and people-first. She is an alumna of several regional programs focused on feminist leadership and sustainable development.

Ogunlade Oluwasefunmi is an experienced accounting professional with over two years of service at AWiM, where she currently works as an Account Officer II. She holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Banking and Finance and possesses professional proficiency certifications from the Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered).

She is skilled in financial reporting, account reconciliation, and maintaining accurate financial records. Ogunlade Oluwasefunmi Elizabeth is also proficient in modern accounting techniques and remains committed to integrity, efficiency, and supporting sound financial management within the organization.

Abubakar Ahmed serves as Policy, Research & Observatory Team Lead at African Women in Media (AWiM), where he leads and supports research, policy development, knowledge products, and strategic initiatives that advance gender-responsive media ecosystems across Africa. He works at the intersection of research, policy, and advocacy, translating evidence into actionable recommendations, developing fundable project concepts, supporting the implementation of the Kigali Declaration, and contributing to the development of the AWiM Observatory as a platform for evidence generation and policy influence.

His professional interests include policy & regulatory, governance, gender equality, digital rights, and evidence-informed advocacy.

Esther Alaribe serves as the Communications and Movement Building Lead at African Women in Media (AWiM), where she leads strategic communications and movement-building efforts that strengthen the organisation’s visibility, engagement, and influence across Africa. She develops and implements communication strategies, manages digital and media engagement and supports initiatives that amplify the voices, leadership, and contributions of African women in the media space.

With over six years of experience in journalism, strategic communications, and development communications, Esther is passionate about using storytelling to drive advocacy, inspire action, and foster inclusive conversations around gender equality, media development, and social change. Her work focuses on building engaging communities, strengthening organisational narratives, and creating meaningful opportunities for collaboration across the continent.

Esther holds a master’s degree in mass communication from the University of Lagos and a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Olabisi Onabanjo University. She is committed to advancing AWiM’s vision of a more equitable and inclusive media landscape where African women thrive as leaders, storytellers, and changemakers.