Family fund in memory of journalist EBERE AHANIHU
Donation protected
My name is Robert Peck and I am a former Canadian diplomat who served in Lagos, Nigeria, on my first posting in the early 1980's. I also lived as a child with my family in the former eastern region of the country in the 1960's where my father taught for many years.
Today I read with great sadness about the sudden passing of Ebere Ahanihu, a Nigerian journalist who came to Canada as a refugee and later completed both a Master of Journalism degree and Ph.D. at Carleton’s School of Journalism and Communication.
Ebere died suddenly on Friday at his home in Ottawa of apparent heart failure.
He is survived by his wife Bisi Ahanihu, his oldest daughter Nneka Ahanihu, son Obinna Ahanihu, daughter Ngozi Ahanihu and six grandchildren.
As a friend of NIgeria I decided to create this Go Fund me Campaign to provide critical financial support to his family and to off-set funeral expenses.
ABOUT JOURNALIST EBERE AHANIHU
My friend, Allan Thompson, who heads the Journalism Progam at Carleton University was Ebere’s first point of contact at the University back in 2008 when he got in touch to ask about enrolling in our Master of Journalism program.
"As the graduate supervisor at the time, I oversaw our admissions process. Ebere was already living in Canada, in Edmonton as I recall, as a protected person. He had fled Nigeria when his work as a journalist brought him under threat. There was something in Ebere’s file that made me decide this man deserved a chance.
The first thing you would notice about Ebere is how his stern face would literally transform when he smiled. He always called me ‘prof,’ with great deference, even though he was a few years older than I am.
Ebere was, until 2006, the Features Editor of The Guardian newspaper in Lagos, where he spent 18 years working as a reporter. He was a graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism and had also obtained a degree in Sociology from the University of Lagos. Over the years, he traveled extensively within and outside Nigeria, reporting issues on human rights, development and HIV/AIDS.
Ebere received several media awards over the course of his career, including the Fletcher Challenge Paper Commonwealth Media Award in the Crime and Justice category, the Journalists Against AIDS in Nigeria Red Ribbon Media Award in three different categories, The Guardian Merit Award, and a commendation from the Nigeria Media Merit Award in the category of Investigative Reporter of the Year.
He was also the author of The Gathering Storm of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria: The Story So Far, a historical record of the country's struggle against the epidemic from 1986 to 2003.
When Ebere fled Nigeria he had no choice but to leave his wife and three children behind. He managed to sneak in a visit with them when he traveled to nearby Ghana on a research trip for his MJ thesis. And later, Ebere was reunited with his wife Bisi and daughter Ngozi here in Canada when he was successful in sponsoring them.
Ebere worked diligently at his studies and went on to do his Ph.D. in Communications at Carleton, eventually receiving his Doctorate in 2017 with the publication of his dissertation, Digitizing Failure: Power and Development in Nigerian e-Schools. His supervisor on that project, Prof. Chris Russill, recounted to me today how hard Ebere fought for that project. Chris was in touch with Ebere last year about beginning work on another project. Ebere's Elections In Democratic Consolidation: The challenge of the Nigerian media, was published by Lambert in 2010.
I will never forget how proud he was of receiving his Doctorate, a triumph given the struggles he had faced as a refugee, finding his place in Canada, and navigating the academic scene.'
Today I read with great sadness about the sudden passing of Ebere Ahanihu, a Nigerian journalist who came to Canada as a refugee and later completed both a Master of Journalism degree and Ph.D. at Carleton’s School of Journalism and Communication.
Ebere died suddenly on Friday at his home in Ottawa of apparent heart failure.
He is survived by his wife Bisi Ahanihu, his oldest daughter Nneka Ahanihu, son Obinna Ahanihu, daughter Ngozi Ahanihu and six grandchildren.
As a friend of NIgeria I decided to create this Go Fund me Campaign to provide critical financial support to his family and to off-set funeral expenses.
ABOUT JOURNALIST EBERE AHANIHU
My friend, Allan Thompson, who heads the Journalism Progam at Carleton University was Ebere’s first point of contact at the University back in 2008 when he got in touch to ask about enrolling in our Master of Journalism program.
"As the graduate supervisor at the time, I oversaw our admissions process. Ebere was already living in Canada, in Edmonton as I recall, as a protected person. He had fled Nigeria when his work as a journalist brought him under threat. There was something in Ebere’s file that made me decide this man deserved a chance.
The first thing you would notice about Ebere is how his stern face would literally transform when he smiled. He always called me ‘prof,’ with great deference, even though he was a few years older than I am.
Ebere was, until 2006, the Features Editor of The Guardian newspaper in Lagos, where he spent 18 years working as a reporter. He was a graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism and had also obtained a degree in Sociology from the University of Lagos. Over the years, he traveled extensively within and outside Nigeria, reporting issues on human rights, development and HIV/AIDS.
Ebere received several media awards over the course of his career, including the Fletcher Challenge Paper Commonwealth Media Award in the Crime and Justice category, the Journalists Against AIDS in Nigeria Red Ribbon Media Award in three different categories, The Guardian Merit Award, and a commendation from the Nigeria Media Merit Award in the category of Investigative Reporter of the Year.
He was also the author of The Gathering Storm of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria: The Story So Far, a historical record of the country's struggle against the epidemic from 1986 to 2003.
When Ebere fled Nigeria he had no choice but to leave his wife and three children behind. He managed to sneak in a visit with them when he traveled to nearby Ghana on a research trip for his MJ thesis. And later, Ebere was reunited with his wife Bisi and daughter Ngozi here in Canada when he was successful in sponsoring them.
Ebere worked diligently at his studies and went on to do his Ph.D. in Communications at Carleton, eventually receiving his Doctorate in 2017 with the publication of his dissertation, Digitizing Failure: Power and Development in Nigerian e-Schools. His supervisor on that project, Prof. Chris Russill, recounted to me today how hard Ebere fought for that project. Chris was in touch with Ebere last year about beginning work on another project. Ebere's Elections In Democratic Consolidation: The challenge of the Nigerian media, was published by Lambert in 2010.
I will never forget how proud he was of receiving his Doctorate, a triumph given the struggles he had faced as a refugee, finding his place in Canada, and navigating the academic scene.'
Organizer and beneficiary
Robert Peck
Organizer
Ottawa, ON
Ngozi Ahanihu
Beneficiary
