THE news of Dele Olojede winning the Pulitzer Prize, journalism’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize, brought joy to the hearts of Nigerians. His story on Rwanda's genocide, published in News Day, a frontline New York-based newspaper - where he had worked for the last 17 years - brought home the horror of war.

Many still remember the young man who went on hunger strike when Newswatch was proscribed by General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), and co-author of late Dele Giwa’s book (with Onukaba Adinoyi-Ojo)...

You've served on the jury of the Pulitzer Prize on two different occasions, and you emerged, April this year, as the first African recipient of the awards. In your opinion, what are the immediate and future chances of Nigerians resident in America and Canada, clinching the awards?

There's always a very good chance for those who work. Especially, because they will have the same kind of opportunities that I did. Therefore, they can go as high as their skills and determination take them. There are no doubts that several more people will likely win. I know of many very smart young Nigerian journalists throughout American media: The Daily News, New York Times, Chicago Tribune and so many papers, doing very good job. I'm sure a lot of them will have the chance to win. The best of them, probably will win at some point.

When you received your prize from the president of Columbia University, what exactly was flowing through your mind?

A sense of pride and accomplishment...