Nigerian scholar and PhD student Ugochukwu Madu has been awarded the 2024 Student Impact Award by the University of Iowa, marking the third major funding recognition for his project exploring the intersection of journalism, culture, and public health in Nigeria. The announcement, made on April 17, 2024, follows his earlier receipt of the Easton Collaborative Research Award in February and the prestigious Stanley Fellowship in March, both supporting the same research endeavour.
The Student Impact Grant is jointly funded by the University of Iowa Office of the President, the Student Advancement Network, and the Centre for Advancement. It supports student-driven research, service, and travel initiatives that foster academic impact beyond the classroom.
Madu’s award-winning project, titled “Ọgbanje the Sickle Cell Disease Misinformation in Nigeria: Media as a SOURCEtainable Solution,” investigates the role of journalists in reshaping public understanding of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) in light of traditional beliefs rooted in the Ọgbanje myth. The study combines media and health communication approaches to better understand how information gaps and cultural narratives influence healthcare-seeking behaviour, especially in rural Nigerian communities.
Reacting to this, Madu said, “This recognition is deeply affirming. It shows that when we challenge dangerous cultural myths through rigorous research and public engagement, institutions take notice. And that can lead to real change.”
Conducted in collaboration with Dr. Rachel Young, the project uses qualitative interviews with media professionals in Nigeria to examine reporting practices, ethical dilemmas, and community engagement efforts related to health misinformation. The funding from the Student Impact Award will contribute toward research dissemination efforts in the fall of 2024.
The University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication also shared news of the award in a tweet: “Ph. D. student @UgochukwuCFR received the Student Impact Grant for his project Ọgbanje the Sickle Cell Disease Misinformation in Nigeria: Media as a SOURCEtainable Solution. This grant will help support his research over the summer. The Student Impact Grant is funded by a partnership between the @UIAdvancement, the University of Iowa Office of the President, and the @UIowaSAN. Congrats Ugo!”
With three consecutive awards in less than three months, Madu’s scholarship continues to receive recognition across academic and philanthropic circles. His work sheds light on how local journalists can serve as agents of change in correcting myths about SCD, which remains a major public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa.
