# Sandra Ezekwesili

Sandra Sopuluchukwu Ezekwesili is a Nigerian broadcast journalist, radio host, brand communications executive, and media personality. She is best known for her role as the former anchor of the "Hard Facts" show on Nigeria Info FM Lagos. In August 2023, she resigned after advancing to the position of Group Brand Manager for Nigeria Info FM stations nationwide within the AIM Group, which owns Cool FM Nigeria, Wazobia FM, and Nigeria Info. Her advocacy for women's rights and issues earned her the Her Network Woman of the Year in Journalism award in 2021.
On March 25, 2020, Ezekwesili made history by becoming the first Nigerian broadcaster to host a talk radio show from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. This action was in compliance with the Lagos State Government's directive for all participants of the 2020 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards (AMVCA) to self-isolate after confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported among attendees, including Ezekwesili herself.
Ezekwesili is also an outspoken feminist.

## Early life and career

Sandra Ezekwesili was born in Port Harcourt and hails from Nara-Unateze in Nkanu-East Local Government Area, Nigeria. She spent the first seven years of her life in Enugu, where she attended NAOWA Nursery and Primary School. In 1997, her family relocated to Port Harcourt following her father's transfer by the Nigeria Bottling Company.
She attended Holy Rosary College, a boarding school in Enugu, and later earned a bachelor's degree in mass communication from Enugu State University of Science and Technology. During a prolonged lecturers' strike at the university, she secured an internship at the Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS). Initially hired as a production assistant, her performance impressed the management, leading to opportunities as a presenter. After completing her degree, she was invited to return to the station.
Following her graduation, Ezekwesili served at Katsina State TV during her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) year, before moving south to work for Radio Bayelsa and Ray Power FM Yenagoa.

### Cool FM

Ezekwesili gained attention from Cool FM Port Harcourt after submitting an audition tape recorded on her smartphone. She was invited for a formal audition and was hired in March 2013.
She quickly became a popular on-air personality, earning several nominations and awards in her first year at Cool FM, Including the Female On-Air Personality of the year award from Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo in August 2014. In 2015, she received recognition from the Stefano Piotti Foundation.

### Nigeria Info FM

In November 2018, Sandra transitioned from Cool FM Port Harcourt to its sister station, Nigeria Info 99.3FM Lagos, a news and current affairs talk radio station. She became the host of "Hard Facts," the station's evening prime time (3 pm to 7 pm) talk program. The show was highly rated, attracting more than 1,015,714 daily listeners as of February 2021. Ezekwesili has spoken openly about the challenges she faced in transitioning from an entertainment talk radio host to anchoring one of Nigeria's most popular political show.

## Notable Interviews

Throughout her career, Ezekwesili has interviewed numerous high-profile guests and political figures, including:
* Dr. Bukola Saraki, President of Nigeria's 8th Senate. April 18, 2022.
* Franck Riester, France's Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economics.
* Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, former Vice-president of the World Bank. June 24, 2021.
* Ajuri Ngelale, former Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Public Affairs and Senior Special Advisor to President Tinubu on Media and Publicity. November 11, 2019.
* Claire Pierangelo, former U.S Consul General in Nigeria. September 5, 2019.
* Harriet Thompson, former British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos. July 30, 2020
* Onyema Ogbuagu, Associate professor at Yale School of Medicine and Principal Investigator on the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 Vaccine trials. February 2, 2021.
She also moderated a presidential town hall panel during the 2023 presidential election, featuring the three leading candidates: H.E Peter Obi of the Labour Party, H.E Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, and H.E Atiku Abubakar of the People's Democratic Party.

## Other Activities

Ezekwesili is an accomplished event host and MC, as well as a public speaker, having delivered a TEDx Youth talk in 2014. She hosted the 2019 edition of "The Nigeria Symposium," organized by The Future Awards (TFA) for young and emerging leaders, and moderated a panel discussion with Prof. Oluremi Sonaiya and Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, both presidential candidates in the 2015 and 2019 elections, respectively.
Ezekwesili created and hosted the first series of the I Beg to Differ Debate Tournament for students during the prime-time slot of Hard Facts on Nigerian Info FM.
She also created, twice hosted and produced "Glass Ceiling Conference" to commemorate the International Women's Day, focusing on identifying barriers to equality and inclusion for women across Nigeria's socio-economic and political landscapes.
In 2019, Ezekwesili moderated the 2nd National Conference on Inclusivity, Equality, and Diversity in University Education, organized by TIERS Nigeria. Following the sexual assault incident on Big Brother Nigeria, her advocacy for consent education and her opposition to sexual harassment gained increased recognition

## Themes
### Equality and Social Justice

A key focus of Sandra Ezekwesili's work as a broadcast journalist is equality and social justice. She often leads discussions on cultural identity, personal identity, workplace environments, and the socio-economic and political power of women, exploring the intersection of gender, class, and religion. Sandra often contrasts traditional Nigerian ideas with perceived Westernization, effectively conveying her message to thousands of intergenerational listeners.

## Awards and Nominations

| Year | Event | Prize | Result | Ref |
| 2021 | HER Network | Woman of The Year Journalism | Won | . |
| 2021 | Women In Journalism Africa | 25 Most Powerful Women in Journalism Nigeria | Honorable Mention | . |
| 2021 | 9to5 Chicks | Top 100 Career Women in Nigeria | Honorable Mention | . |
| 2019 | Avance Media | 100 Most Influential Young Nigerians | Honorable Mention | . |
| 2019 | The Future Awards Africa | Prize for OAP(Audio & Visual) | Nominated | . |
| 2018 | ELOY | OAP- of the year (Radio) | Nominated | . |