BBC Africa Journalist, Kiki Mordi has been accused of sidelining her colleagues and taking all the credits for “Sex for Grade” undercover documentary.
KanyiDaily recalls that Kiki Mordi came to limelight following her ‘Sex for Grades’ documentary released last year 2019, when she uncovered sexual harassment in West African universities particularly Ghana and Nigeria.
Kiki Mordi has won several awards for the documentary published by BBC Africa Eye in October 2019, including bagging her first International Emmy Awards nomination in the News and Current Affairs category.
However, following her latest recognition as winner of the 2020 Michael Elliott Award for African Storytelling over the project, the 29-year-old journalist was accused of “wrongly” passing off the “Sex for Grades” documentary as hers.
A Nigerian investigative journalist, Ruona Meyer who uncovered the abuse of Codeine in Nigeria, made the allegation in reaction to Kiki’s latest recognition.
Meyer alleged that the documentary was pitched and sourced for by another female journalist, Oge Obi. But Kiki has refused to acknowledge and share whatever prize money accrued to the award with “O.O” whose intellectual property she “stole”.
Meyer stated that real journalists have honour and also hold themselves to account not just the government, as she recalled ”being in the room when the story was pitched.”
“Kiki, make sure this time you at least share whatever prize money there is with O.O and acknowledge her – given this was all her story as pitched, sourced/started. Real journalists have honour and also hold themselves to account, not just the government.
“O.O a fellow female journalist did not get a fair deal, and you remain complicit and a beneficiary of that. The facts, complaints, responses and even her thread are there. Better make it right because journalism can’t insist on ethics & fairness from others, yet cheat within.
“For any bright sparks, I was in that newsroom when N.O and O.O pitched that story, so don’t try me today… I suggest you try Jesus instead. He is a better option. #RealJournosHaveHonour.”
Kiki, make sure this time you at least share whatever prize money there is with O.O and acknowledge her – given this was all her story as pitched, sourced/started.
Real journalists have honour and also hold themselves to account, not just the government. #TruthIsSacrosanct https://t.co/gvmQ42IeFo— Ruona J. Meyer (@RGAMeyer) December 10, 2020
Mordi responded, saying Meyer has been bitter towards her because she (Kiki) ended ties with her (Mayer). She wrote:
Every new day I win an award, Ruona loses it. I will never understand what I did to this woman besides unfollowing her on Twitter.
“The fact that I’m blocked makes it harder for me to even know what she’s talking about. It’s always some bullshit, are you that bored?
“One minute you’re advising me on how to hog clout and not retweet Fisayo Soyombo’s story. Because I figured you were a vile person, you left me and found your next victim . 50 minutes call the first time you ever spoke to me was to tell me who to hate and who not to hate???
“The point of this particular tweet is that Ruona is a fisherwoman, if you chop her bait you’ll be taken for idiot. If you don’t, she’ll use the idiot that chopped her bait against you. It’s a sad life really.
“There is no side to any story. Investigative journalism is dangerous work. I am the reporter on #SexForGrades Any other questions will have to be directed to the BBC Don’t be roped into Ruona’s joblessness. This isn’t local media where people do what they like
“You must really be foolish to think Ruona is your go-to for “inside scoop” when she’s not even “inside”. Ma’am. Please.”
https://twitter.com/kikimordi/status/1336966871267094529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1336966871267094529%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.qed.ng%2Fkiki-mordi-accused-of-sidelining-colleague-in-sexforgrades-project%2F
KanyiDaily also recalls that Kiki Mordi had revealed that she was getting death threats following her investigations into the sexual harassment of female students.