BBC World Service appoints new leaders for East and West African Languages
The BBC World Service has appointed Rachel
Akidi Okwir and Toyosi Ogunseye as heads of language services for East
and West Africa respectively. The appointments are part of the BBC
World Service’s continuing expansion in Africa.
Rachel Akidi Okwir, Head of East Africa
Languages, is based in Nairobi, Kenya and oversees services in Afaan
Oromo, Amharic, Somali, Swahili and Tigrinya.
Head of West Africa Languages, Toyosi
Ogunseye, is based in Lagos, Nigeria will be starting in January 2018
where she will be managing Afrique, Hausa, Igbo, Pidgin & Yoruba.
Rachael was the Editor of the flagship radio programme Focus on Africa. She joined the BBC World Service as a producer in 2002 and has worked across various platforms and programmes including Network Africa, The World Today, Focus on Africa TV and the website bbcafrica.com.
In recognition of her leadership qualities
and potential, Rachael was selected for the inaugural ‘BBC News
Leadership Programme’. Born in Uganda her career in journalism started
as a freelance contributor to Ugandan newspapers and radio stations
whilst a student at Makerere University.
Rachel said: “I am deeply honoured to be
leading the BBC’s expansion and digital transformation in the East and
Horn of Africa. The media landscape in the region is rapidly evolving.
It is a vibrant, challenging and competitive market, but with massive
potential and opportunities. I am excited to be part of the team that
will be at the forefront of this transformation.”
Toyosi Ogunseye was the Editor of the Sunday Punch, one
of Nigeria’s most widely read newspapers. She was the first female
editor in the 45 year history of the company. An award winning
journalist with a passion for investigative reporting, she has won over
30 awards and was the first Nigerian to win the prestigious Knight
International Journalism award.
Toyosi is a fellow of President Barack
Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative and currently sits on the board
of the World Editors Forum. She holds an MSc in Media and
Communication and is currently studying for a PhD in Politics and
International Relations at the University of Leicester.
Toyosi said: “It is a huge honour to be
appointed Head of West of Africa for the BBC. I’m excited about this new
role and I look forward to working with BBC’s amazing journalists in
the region. I have no doubt that we will continue to produce the quality
journalism that our audiences love us for.”
Solomon Mugera, Regional Editor for BBC
Africa said: “Rachael and Toyosi are talented journalists, each with an
impressive track record of strong editorial focus and inspiring
leadership. They are passionate about original journalism and finding
creative ways of engaging with the audience.”
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