About Me – Sharon Ijasan

Sharon Ijasan

My journey in journalism began in the print medium, where I cut my teeth as a cub reporter with Leadership Newspaper. I then moved to Premier Newspaper, where I rose to the position of feature editor, before working with Galaxy Television. For the past decade, I have been with Television Continental (TVC), where I work as a Senior Correspondent for Labour and Education. My work at TVC has allowed me to explore a wide range of stories, from weekly and daily reporting to producing and hosting my own programme, “Labour Lens.” On this programme, I pitch stories, raise necessary funds, and partner with organizations to ensure the continued success of the show. “Labour Lens” focuses on the stories of workers, analyzes government policies, and provides insight into the organized labour and private sectors. I am also a humanitarian who enjoys volunteering

Experience

My work has consistently led to action. One notable example is my three-part story on organized kidnapping in Nigeria. Within 24 hours of airing the first part, the commissioner of police in Zamfara State was redeployed, a testament to the power of journalism in effecting change. Another major piece I worked on involved the child sex trade, for which I won a grant of 2 million naira. I am also an aspiring integrated marketing communication strategist. I have a unique way of writing and a strong grasp of understanding who a client's target audience is, pitching and presenting ideas/promos/call-to-action messages that can be advertised across various platforms

Top-rated

Earlier in 2023, I was honoured to be recognized as the 7th most powerful woman journalist in Nigeria by Women in Journalism Africa. This recognition is testament to my dedication to the craft and my consistent efforts to shed light on critical issues that affect our society. In October 2021, I received an Honorary Mention as one of the most powerful women in journalism in Nigeria, further solidifying my standing in the industry.

Industry expert

As a Fellow of the Report Women: Female Reporters Leadership Programme, I have received immersive training in leadership and gender mainstreaming for news. I have used this platform to train interns and female colleagues on the importance of women aiming for leadership positions and the need for gender-sensitive language in reporting. My documentary, "Women Emancipation: The Struggle, the Challenges, and the Gains Made," released in March 2022, is a call to action for gender balance and womenfriendly legislation.