The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Dame

  • DAME makes Babarinsa, Jimoh, Lakemfa honorary fellows

    DAME makes Babarinsa, Jimoh, Lakemfa honorary fellows

    • The Nation’s Okereocha wins Energy Reporting prize

    The Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) has conferred the Honorary Fellow on three veteran journalists – Dare Babarinsa, Nojeem Jimoh, and Owei Lakemfa.

    They were honoured at the 34th DAME presentation in Lagos on Tuesday night.

    DAME organisers said Babarinsa, co-founder of Tell Magazine, through his writings “continues to serve as a thought leader, guiding the public on issues of national importance”.

    Regarding Lakemfa, formerly of Vanguard, the organisers said his “voice shaped national conversation for over four decades”, adding that his legacy continues to inspire others.

    DAME Trustees said Jimoh’s legacy is mentorship and ethics. Jimoh was a former Editor of The Punch.

    An Assistant Editor at The Nation, Chikodi Okereocha, won the Energy Reporter of the Year on the night.

    His entry, “Electricity Act: Will states walk the implementation talk?” published on June 10, 2024, was adjudged the best in the category.

    The story examined the implementation challenges that faced the passing of the Electricity Act, raising questions about costs and balancing promises with risk.

    Other nominees in the category were Olawin Oladare of The Punch and Moyosore Salami of The Guardian.

    The Nation was a runner-up in many categories.

    This newspaper was the first runner-up in Editorial Writing, won by The Punch. Vanguard was the other nominee.

    The Nation was the first runner-up in the Newspaper of the Year category, which was won by The Punch.

    ThisDay, The Sun and Premium Times were joint second runners-up in the Newspaper of the Year category.

    The Nation Editor, Adeniyi Adesina, was the first runner-up in the Editor of the Year category, won by Tunji Abioye of The Punch.

    Shaka Momodu of ThisDay, Iheanacho Nwosu of Daily Sun and Idris Akinbajo of Premium Times were joint second runners-up in the Editor of the Year category.

    The Nation’s Taiwo Alimi was a runner-up in the Sport Reporting category, won by Peter Akinbo of The Punch.

    Read Also: DAME to hold 34th Awards November 25 in Lagos

    Serial winner and The Nation Assistant News Editor (Weekend), Innocent Duru, was a finalist in the Health Reporting category, won by Sodiq Ojuroungbe of The Punch.

    A former staff member of The Nation, Ibrahim Adam, was a runner-up in the Lagos Reporting category, won by Johnson Idowu of The Punch.

    Folashade Ogunrinde of Premium Times won the Solid Minerals Reporting category with a story on how illegal mining led to the Ibadan fatal explosion.

    Rakiya Muhammad of RM Times won the Child-Friendly Reporting. Sahara Reporters and ICIR journalists had the other nominations.

    Elliot Ovadje of The Punch won the News Photography category. He had two nominations. A Blueprint photojournalist had the other.

    Temitope Aina of The Sun won the Child-Friendly Photography category, beating Dayo Oyewo of The Punch.

    Godfrey George won the Judicial Reporting category, in which The Punch had the three nominations.

    ‎AbdulRasheed Hammad of Ripples won the Investigative Reporting category, ahead of The Punch and HumAngle reporters.

    ‎Omolabake Fasogbon of ThisDay won the Education Reporting category. Premium Times and Prime Progress reporters were runners-up.

    ‎Vanguard won Child-Friendly Medium. The Sun and Independent were the other nominees.

    ‎Daily Trust won Best Designed Newspaper ahead of ThisDay and Leadership.

    ‎The Guardian was named the Best Designed Media Website, beating BusinessDay and ThisDay.

    ‎Abimbola Adelakun of The Punch won the Informed Commentary category.

    Lasisi Olagunju of Nigerian Tribune and Azu Ishiekwene of Leadership were the other nominees.

    ‎Veronica Dan-Ikpoyi won the Television Reporter of the Year. Will Ibong of Channels was the runner-up.

    ‎‎DAME Trustee Lanre Idowu said 665 names have entered the DAME Hall of Fame since its inception.

    ‎He paid tribute to DAME Lifetime Achievement awardees who passed on recently, including Doyin Abiola, Christopher Kolade, Dan Agbese; as well as a DAME judge, Joseph Agboola and a DAME Ambassador, Evelyn Osagie (who was a journalist at The Nation).

    ‎Idowu urged the media to continue to hold those in authority accountable, adding that a change in national orientation was needed for national rebirth.

    ‎Regretting that many journalists unfortunately undermine the system, he stressed that good journalism plays a significant role in repositioning the country.

    ‎”Our media is trying, but there is a lot more for the media to do,” Idowu said.

  • UNICEF, NGE, DAME hold dialogue on safeguarding Nigerian child

    UNICEF, NGE, DAME hold dialogue on safeguarding Nigerian child

    The media partnership of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Diamond Awards for Media Excellence, and UNICEF will host a one-day symposium on Tuesday at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja.

    The meeting will bring together media leaders, policymakers, and child-rights advocates to examine Nigeria’s readiness to secure the future of its children.

    The event, themed “Equipping the Nigerian Child for the Future: How Prepared Are We?”, comes at a time when millions of children across the country face increasing risks in education, nutrition, health, safety and climate-related emergencies.

    READ ALSO: Only Nigerians can save the country, not Trump – Ex-Foreign Affairs Minister

    Recent incidents,including attacks on schools, rising child malnutrition, and continued displacement caused by conflict and flooding, have underscored the urgent need to expand access to quality education, strengthen child protection systems, and ensure adequate health and nutrition services.

    During the symposium, participants will discuss practical solutions for improving safe learning environments, enhancing welfare and protection systems, building climate resilience for children, and advancing ethical, child-focused media reporting.

    UNICEF representatives note that children continue to bear the greatest burden of insecurity and poverty despite contributing the least to the crises affecting them. The organisers express hope that the dialogue will inspire stronger partnerships, evidence-based policymaking and increased national commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian child has the opportunity to thrive.

  • DAME to hold 34th Awards November 25 in Lagos

    DAME to hold 34th Awards November 25 in Lagos

    The Trustees of the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) have announced that the 34th edition of the Awards will take place on Tuesday, November 25, at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja.

    Prizes will be presented across key competitive categories of journalism, spanning reporting, commentary, and design.

    DAME will also confer honorary fellowships on three veteran media professionals whose contributions have left a lasting mark on Nigerian journalism.

    The honourees are: Najeem Jimoh (former editor of The Punch), Dare Babarinsa (co-founder and former executive editor of TELL Magazine), and Owei Lakemfa (respected columnist, labour advocate, and former Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity).

    For 34 years, DAME has served as a platform that celebrates journalism which informs, educates, challenges, and inspires the Nigerian public.

    Since its inception in 1992, the Awards have recognised more than 600 distinguished media professionals and organisations committed to upholding and elevating the standards of the craft. With every edition, DAME reinforces the conviction that credible and responsible storytelling is essential to nation-building and the preservation of democratic values.

    Read Also: Tinubu orders Matawalle’s relocation to Kebbi over school abduction

    The 2025 ceremony will convene journalists, editors, broadcasters, industry leaders, policymakers, development partners, and friends of the media to honour excellence across print, broadcast, and digital platforms. Beyond the accolades, the event provides an opportunity to acknowledge the dedication, courage, and creativity journalists bring to their work each day, often under demanding circumstances.

    DAME extends its appreciation to its esteemed partners, including UNICEF, the Lagos State government, the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited, the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, the Nigerian Guild of Editors, and others whose enduring support strengthens the mission of the Awards. DAME maintains that good journalism matters — by advancing ethical reporting, deepening accountability, and serving the public interest.

    As preparations progress for the 34th edition, DAME remains steadfast in its commitment to celebrating the stories that shape our nation and the storytellers whose work keeps the public informed, engaged, and inspired.

  • DAME invites entries for 34th edition

    DAME invites entries for 34th edition

    The Trustees of the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) Trust Fund, Africa’s longest-running media awards programme, have called for entries for media works published in 2024.

    The entries are for the 34th edition of the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) in the following categories.

    •Reporting (12): Business Reporting, Child Friendly Reporting, Education Reporting, Energy Reporting, Health Reporting, Investigative Reporting, Judicial Reporting, Lagos Reporting, Nutrition Reporting, Radio Reporting, Solid Mineral Reporting, Sports Reporting and Television Reporting

    •Commentary (Three): Editorial Cartooning, Editorial Writing and Informed Commentary

    •Documentary Drama (Three): Radio Drama, Television Drama and Television Documentary.

    •Aesthetics (Four): Best Designed Newspaper, Best Media Website, Child-Friendly Photography and News Photography.

    •Overall Awards (Three): Child Friendly Medium, Newspaper of the Year, Editor of the Year

    Entries should be uploaded to the DAME website – www.dameawards.com – on or before the close of business on Wednesday, September 17, 2025.

    Read Also: Nigeria’s Q1 cocoa exports soar to N1.23tr

    1. Entries in the Reporting categories should conform to DAME’s ABCADER principle of: Accuracy, Balance, Contextual Analysis, Depth of Research/Investigation, Engaging use of language, and Relevance of subject.

    2. Entries in the Commentary category (Editorial Writing and Informed Commentary) will be judged based on Subject, Substance, Significance, Structure, Style and Size. Works to be entered for this category must therefore have these essential sextets.

    3. An entry can only be entered in ONE category. The series will count as one entry. No one should enter more than two entries in any category.

    4. Any significant challenge to the honesty, accuracy or fairness of an entry, such as published rejoinders, corrections and retractions, should be addressed in the cover letter.

    A statement by Kehinde Taiwo said the DAME, first held in 1992, is a not-for-profit trust established to enhance professionalism in the Nigerian media. Apart from the 26 uninterrupted annual awards presentations to date, it holds periodic training for media professionals.

  • DAME awards: Don’t be complacent, Olatunji Dare advises The Nation reporters

    DAME awards: Don’t be complacent, Olatunji Dare advises The Nation reporters

    Emeritus professor Olatunji Dare has urged The Nation to sustain its winning streak at the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME).

    This newspaper won eight awards overall at the 32nd edition of the prestigious event held in Lagos on Sunday.

    The Nation was named Newspaper of the Year for the third time in four years. 

    It won it in 2020 and 2022 and was the runner-up for the category in 2021.

    The editor, Adeniyi Adesina, won the Editor of the Year prize, also for the third time in four years.

    In a congratulatory message, the professor of Journalism writes: “Reaching the top in an industry driven by fierce competition among the players is no mean achievement. 

    “Staying there year after year is even more difficult, given the turbulence in the enveloping political economy.

    “That is what The Nation has done again this year, winning the most coveted prizes for Newspaper of the Year for the second consecutive year, and Editor of the Year, as judged awarded by the leading industry monitor of performance and professional standards, the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME).

    “Along the way, The Nation also clinched the prestigious Editorial Writing Prize, a category that demands sound judgment and excellence in research and writing.  

    Read Also: Why The Nation swept all stakes at prestigious 32nd DAME

    “It also won the top prize in news photography, a category requiring not just technical skill, but also great imagination.

    “Once again, I have the immense satisfaction of congratulating all the prize winners for their achievement, and all the supporting staff for the teamwork that made it possible. The prizes belong to them as well.

    “Management is again to be congratulated on sustaining, despite operating constraints, an environment conducive to producing the prize-winning journalism for which The Nation is reputed, and on promoting innovation and enterprise.  

    “To maintain its place in a competitive and rapidly changing field, management should explore every opportunity for training and re-training across the board.

    “Jubilation and celebration are perfectly in order, but even at the risk of being called a spoilsport, I must remind you that the competition for the next edition of the DAME trophies has already begun.  

    “In our business, there is no room for complacency. Again, congratulations. All the best in this season and throughout the coming year.”

  • The Nation is DAME Newspaper of the Year

    The Nation is DAME Newspaper of the Year

    • Adesina is Editor of the Year
    • Wins in Editorial Writing, Photography, four other categories

    Established on July 31, 2006, The Nation continues to grow in stature and influence

    The Nation last night retained its status as the best newspaper in the country.

    For the third consecutive year, it clinched the Newspaper of The Year honour at the  32nd edition of the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME).

    The organisers in a tribute said of The Nation: “Established on July 31, 2006, The Nation continues to grow in stature and influence.”

    This newspaper’s editor, Adeniyi Adesina, also won in the category of Editor of the Year. It was also for the third time.

    The Nation also won the Editorial Writing prize with the entry: “Stop the bleeding,” published on October 20, 2022. The Punch was the runner-up in the category.

    Editorial Board Chairman Sam Omatseye received the plaques for Editorial Writing and Newspaper of the Year of behalf of the organisation.

    The Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief, Mr. Victor Ifijeh, described the awards as rewards for high performance.

    Explaining how The Nation won the top prize, the organisers said: “In emerging as the Newspaper of the Year for the third successive year, The Nation recorded 27 points, made up of six first place positions, three second place positions, and three third-place positions. This amounts to six gold medals, two silver, and three bronze.

    “The gold medals are in Child friendly Reporting, Editorial Writing, Education Reporting, Lagos Reporting, Sports Reporting, and News Photography.

    “The silver medals are in Education Reporting, Health Reporting and Nutrition Reporting.

    “The bronze medals are in Insurance Reporting, Judicial Reporting and Niger Delta Reporting.

    “It is the fourth time in eight years that The Nation is winning this category. 

    “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, The Nation, the Newspaper of the Year.”

    The event was held at the Ballroom of the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The Nation beat The Punch and Premium Times to clinch the biggest prize of the night.

    Adesina, who won Editor of the Year, beat Dayo Oketola of The Punch and Idris Akinbajo of Premium Times.

    The Nation’s Frank Ikpefan won the Education Reporter of the Year prize.

    Ikpefan’s colleague, Grace Obike, was a runner-up in the category. Deborah Kolawole of The Punch was the other nominee.

    Read Also: 31st DAME holds Sunday in Lagos

    Ikpefan also won the Child-Friendly Reporter of the Year, beating Temitope Omogbolagun of The Punch and Ojoma Akor of Daily Trust.

    The Nation Taiwo Alimi was named Sports Reporter of the Year. He beat Peter Akinbo and Gift Habib, both of The Punch.

    Alimi was a runner-up in the Health Reporting category, won by Alfred Ajayi of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), with Ojomo Akor as the third nominee.

    The Lagos Reporting prize went to The Nation Associate Editor, Adekunle Yusuf, who beat Gbenga Salau of The Guardian and Ayoola Olasupo of The Punch.

    Head of The Nation photography unit, Isaac Jimoh Ayodele, won the News Photographer of the Year, ahead of Akeem Salau of Vanguard and Ayuba Raji of Blueprint newspapers.

    The Nation reporters were runners-up in other categories.

    Assistant Business Editor Collins Nweze was the second runner-up in the Insurance Reporting category, which was won by Ronald Adamolekun of Premium Times. Nike Popoola of The Punch was the first runner-up.

    The Nation’s Southsouth Regional Manager Shola O’Neil was the second runner-up in the Niger Delta Reporting category, won by Yekeen Akinwale of The Cable. Soni Daniel of Vanguard was the first runner-up.

    Former Health Correspondent, Moses Emorinken, was the first runner-up in the Nutrition Reporting category with a story published by this newspaper last year. Adesola Ikulajolu of Ripples Nigeria was the winner, with Adamolekun the second runner-up.

    Kemi Busari of Premium Times won the Investigative Reporter of the Year with a story on deadly herbal medicine. Tunde Ajala of The Punch and Ibrahim Adeyemi of Premium Times were runners-up.

    The Informed Commentary Prize went to Lasisi Olagunju, Editor of Saturday Tribune, whose column in the newspaper is published on Mondays. Ikechukwu Amaechi and Chidi Odinkalu, both of the Vanguard, were the runners-up.

    Other winners are The Guardian (Best Designed Media Website ahead of The Punch and BusinessDay), The Sun (Best Designed Newspaper ahead of Daily Trust and Thisday), and Damola Olufemi of The Punch (Judicial Reporting).

    Thisday publisher Nduka Obaigbena bagged the Lifetime Achievement award.

    Former The Guardian Managing Director Emeka Izeze and former Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun, Mike Awoyinfa, were named DAME Honorary Fellows, a tier lower than the Lifetime Achievement Award.

    Two television journalists, Esther Omopariola and Olayiwola Awakan, both of Television Continental (TVC), were recognised for their entries in DAME Television Documentary category.

  • The Nation sets record at DAME

    With two prizes and an awards record, The Nation had a good outing on Saturday at the 27th Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) in Lagos.

    Serial award-winning Associate Editor Olatunji Ololade clinched the Nestle Nigeria Plc Prize for Nutrition Reporting, becoming the first awardee to win a DAME prize eight times and in five categories.

    Ololade’s three-part entry in the Nutrition Reporting category, titled “Dangerous meat, toxic water (1)”, “Dangerous meat, toxic water (2)” and “Deadly meat in abattoirs (3)”, was published on August 12, 2017 and August 19, 2017.

    Other nominees in the Nutrition Reporting category are The Nation’s Medinat Olere Kanabe and New Telegraph’s Appolonia Adeyemi.

    Kanabe’s entry, “Weight loss could be harmful”, published on December 10, 2017, earned her a second runner-up place behind Adeyemi.

    Multiple award winner and Senior Judicial Correspondent Joseph Jibueze increased his DAME prizes haul to five by winning the Judicial Reporting category.

    Jibueze’s entry, titled: “Frustrated litigants groan over endless appeals”, was published on December 29, 2017.

    Punch’s Oladimeji Ramon and The Nation’s Senior Judicial Correspondent Eric Ikhilae were first and second runners up in the Judicial Reporting category won by Jibueze.

    This newspaper also got nominations in other categories, including Agriculture Reporting in which The Nation’s multiple-award winning Assistant Editor Sina Fadare was first runner-up.

    The Nation Editor Gbenga Omotoso was the first runner-up in Informed Commentary. Political Editor Emmanuel Oladesu was runner-up.

    Omotoso was also the first runner up in Editor of the Year category.

    The Nation also came as first runner-up in the Newspaper of the Year category.

    The paper won or was runner-up in nine out of 15 categories.

    Emeritus professor of mass communication and veteran columnist Prof. Olatunji Dare and former editor in chief of Newswatch magazine, Raymond Ekpu, were named Lifetime Achievement awardees.

    Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Diamond Publications Limited Mr. Lanre Idowu, described all the nominees as winners, saying the objective of the award was to deepen the culture of professionalism in Nigerian journalism.

    Idowu urged the media not to “join the purveyors of fake news” and challenged journalists to promote factual unbiased reporting in the build-up to the 2019 polls.

    “In this season of political campaigns, the media needs to be more even-handed in their assessment of political actors and their messages. They need to identify the issues early and seek clear answers from the candidates,” he said.

    The Punch won the Best Designed Newspaper.

    The prize for Editorial Cartooning went to Daily Trust’s Mustapha Bulama for his September 2, 2017 entry “Hate Speech”.

    The Punch’s Saheed Olugbon won the News Photography category with his “Traders at Ojuwoye Market” published on July 3, 2017.

    “The Punch” came first in the Agriculture Reporting category with Kunle Falayi’s September 9, 2017 entry titled: “Rice farmers bemoan fate as 38 million hectares of land waste away”.

    Samson Folarin of The Punch won the prize in the Lagos Reporting category. His entry, “VIS men accused of burning impounded car in Lagos”, was published on March 23, 24, 29, 30, April 3, and November 20, 2017.

    The paper won in the Sports Reporting category with Eric Dumo’s “Gold in the midst of clay: Remarkable stories of female athletes shaming disabilities, published on April 1, 2017.

    Eniola Akinkuotu of The Punch won the Child Friendly reporting category. His story, “How stigma, government policies cause 60,000 HIV deaths annually, was published on December 27, 2017.

    Tribune clinched the Editorial Writing prize with an entry titled: “Being candid on Buhari’s absence”, published on February 17, 2017.

    Lekan Sote’s “Towards making Nigeria a nation”, published on June 7, 2017 in “The Punch”, beat Omotoso’s “Atiku visits Obasanjo” and Oladesu’s “The journey to nationhood” to second and third runner up.

    The International Center for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) was the winner in the Investigative Reporting category.

    Its entry was titled “Ghost hospitals, expired drugs, leaking roofs, waterlogged drug stores…the multi-million naira health centres in the Southeast are in tatters”.

    The Punch, with nine awards, won the Newspaper of the Year and its Editor Martin Ayankola Editor of the Year.

  • DAME names 17 judges for 27th edition

    Trustees of the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence have announced a panel of 17 judges to screen entries for the 27th edition of the awards.

    They include seven women and 10 men, drawn from the rank of veteran journalists, academics and other respected professions.

    The academics are:  Prof. Nosa Owens-Ibie (dean of Management Sciences, Caleb University, Imota; Dr. Bisi Olawunmi, senior lecturer at Adeleke University, Ede and Dr. Lola Akande, lecturer in English at the University of Lagos.

    Apart from Akande, the other women are Ms. Bunmi Sofola, veteran columnist; Mrs. Wale Sokunbi, columnist and editorial page editor of the Sun newspapers; Mrs. Tinuola Odugbemi, executive director, Headhigh International; Mrs. Chioma Emma-Nwachukwu, senior manager with Nestle, Ms. Victoria Ibanga, secretary of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, and Efiom Asuquo, a chartered insurer.

    Two advertising practitioners, Messrs. Emiko Aruofor, CEO of Pulsar Ltd and Joseph Afolabi, CEO, Extrabold Consult, are also members.

    Other judges are: Mr. Feyi Smith, executive director, Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN); Mr. Mudathir Ganiyu, a former editor of Nigerian Tribune; Mr. Jossey Ogbuanoh, a design specialist; Messrs. Victor Agunbiade, CEO, Volag Studios, a photography shop; Kehinde Taiwo, retired director from Radio Nigeria and Toyin Gbadebo, retired broadcaster from Ogun Broadcasting Corporation.

     

  • DAME to present book on media performance in Fourth Republic

    Media scholars and professionals are expected at the presentation of a book: Watchdogs or Captured Media: A Study of the Role of the Media in Nigeria’s Emergent Democracy 1999-2016, on May 22, at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in Akoka, Lagos.

    The book is the first of such effort to examine how well the media has performed its watchdog role since 1999.

    Published by Diamond Publications for the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) Trust Fund, the book is edited by Prof. Ayo Olukotun, who occupies the Oba Sikiru Adetona professorial chair in governance at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye in Ogun State.

    The book parades 14 contributors; 12 from Nigeria and one each from Ghana and Kenya.

    Drawn from the academia and the media, the Nigerians are: Prof. Christian Ogbondah, of University of Northern Iowa in the United States of America (U.S.A); Prof. Lai Oso, of Lagos State University (LASU); Prof. Abiodun Salawu, of Northwest University in South Africa; and Prof. Ayo Olukotun.

    Others are Dr. Oluyinka Esan, of the University of Winchester, Hampshire in England; Dr. Tunde Akanni, of LASU; Mr. Lanre Idowu; of DAME; Mr. Edetaen Ojo, of Media Rights Agenda; Dr. Nathaniel Danjibo, of University of Ibadan (UI); Mrs. Funke Treasure-Durodola, of Radio Nigeria; Dr. Kayode Eesuola, of UNILAG; and Margaret Jesuminure, of Adeleke University, Ede in Osun State.

    Two Africans – Prof. Kwame Karikari, of Wisconsin International University College in Accra, Ghana; and Dr. Peter Kimani, of Aga Khan University in Nairobi, Kenya, offer comparative perspectives on media performance in their countries.

    The publication was the outcome of a Ford Foundation grant to carry out an international conference in Lagos last September, where the chapter contributors received feedbacks on their findings, followed by revision and book presentation.

    The book is expected to bridge the gap in media literature, extend understanding of ways the media promote or impede democracy, and offer insight into different aspects of the Nigerian media for better delivery.

  • The Nation’s writers win coveted prizes at DAME

    The Nation’s writers win coveted prizes at DAME

    The Nation shone brightly yesterday at the 26th Diamond Awards for Media Excellence ( DAME ), winning three coveted prizes of the 13 categories reserved for the print media.

    Multiple award-winning Associate Editor Olatunji Ololade clinched two awards – UNICEF Prize for Child-Friendly Reporting and Honorable Justice Moronkeji Onalaja Memorial Prize for Judicial Reporting.

    Ololade’s entry in the Child-Friendly Category is titled: This child has no blame, published on July 23, 2016. His entry for Judicial Reporting is titled: Life on death row: Tragic lives of Nigerian prisoners, published on June 4, 2016.

    Other nominees in the Child-Friendly category are The Nation’s Kunle Akinrinade and Hannah Ojo.

    Ace sport writer Taiwo Alimi won the S.O. Idowu Prize for Sport Reporting, beating The Punch’s Arukaino Umukoro and TELL’s Anthony Akaeze. Alimi’s entry, titled: The making of Olympic champions, was published on October 16, 2016.

    This newspaper also got nominations in other categories, including Sovereign Trust Insurance Prize for Insurance Reporting in which  The Nation’s multiple-award winning Head of Investigation Desk, Adekunle Yusuf, came as first runner up.

    Two Senior Judicial Correspondents – Joseph Jibueze and Eric Ikhilae – are first and second runners up in the Judicial Reporting category won by Ololade.

    The Nation also came as first runner up in the Newspaper of the Year category. The paper was nominated in Tunji Oseni Memorial Prize for Editorial Writing and UNICEF Prize for Child Friendly Medium.

    The Nation Editor Gbenga Omotoso was the first runner up in Editor of the Year category.

    Editor-in-Chief and publisher of Premium Times, an online newspaper, Mr. Dapo Olorunyomi, received Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the development of media practice and investigative journalism.

    Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Diamond Publications Limited Mr. Lanre Idowu, described all the nominees as winners, saying the objective of the award was to deepen the culture of professionalism in Nigerian journalism.

    For the first time since 1992, Idowu said DAME was not giving out prizes for all the categories in broadcasting, noting that all entries submitted for broadcasting prizes were of poor quality.

    On why the event was held in the middle of the week, the DAME boss said there was nothing unusual as it reflected the spirit of the time. Idowu said his organisation had been experiencing challenges, just has other organisations.

    “It is important to keep the ideals of the award alive despite the challenges,” Idowu said.