Babatunde Okunlola is an internationally recognized investigative  & development journalist whose groundbreaking work bridges traditional storytelling with innovative digital methodologies to amplify underreported environmental crises. He brings over a decade of experience in development journalism, documentary production, and strategic communications to his academic and research pursuits.

A Legacy of Impactful Journalism

Over the years, Babatunde’s work has been recognized in Nigeria and by international media organizations. He is a 2023 winner of the Nigeria Media Merit Awards, 2022 Winner: Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting (Radio category), 2021 INTERNEWS Health Journalism Network Ambassador, 2021 Nominee in the One World Media Awards (radio category), 2019 Mandela Washington Fellow, 2018 ICFJ Fellow: Early Childhood Development, & 2018 ICFJ Fellow: Migration & Climate change program, 2017 YALI west Africa RLC Fellow, YIAGA Bounce Corruption Ambassador among other awards. 

Babatunde is an M.A. student of Journalism in the College of Journalism and Mass Communication at UNL, USA. He received his M.A. in Peace and Development Studies from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria, and his B.A. in English Language from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Nigeria.

The Genesis of Environmental Advocacy

Babatunde's passion for environmental journalism crystallized during his investigation of the Osun River crisis; a story that would define his career trajectory. The Osun River, revered by millions of Yoruba people worldwide and housing a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005, became the focal point of his most significant work. His award-winning documentary "Saving the Osun River" exposed the devastating impact of illegal gold mining activities and other activities on this sacred waterway, which serves over 20 communities with more than two million residents.

Digital Humanities Innovation

The "Saving the Osun River Project" represents Babatunde's innovative fusion of traditional investigative journalism with cutting-edge digital humanities methodologies. This comprehensive digital archive consolidates scattered investigative reports, environmental assessments, and activist documentation spanning 2015-2025, employing text transcription, metadata tagging, mapping, and topic modeling to create a searchable repository that preserves authentic voices while identifying key thematic patterns.

The project serves dual purposes: as an accessible information resource for communities affected by environmental degradation and as a pedagogical tool for emerging environmental journalists, and demonstrates how innovative storytelling techniques can bridge the gap between investigative journalism and academic research, creating resources that serve both immediate community needs and long-term educational goals.

Through the Osun River project, Babatunde aims to establish a model for environmental journalism that other reporters and scholars can replicate, contributing to a global movement toward more accessible, comprehensive, and impactful environmental reporting.

Contact Information

• Babatunde Okunlola - Lead Journalist

• Portfolio: Muck Rack Profile

• Email: tundeenglish@gmail.com 

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