Tag: NMMA

On Tuesday night, The Nation newspaper won in 13 categories at the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Awards (NMMA)– the highest by any publication. It had a record 35 nominations.

In the kitty are Editor of the Year, Investigative Reporter of the Year and Columnist of the Year. It was all  at a colourful ceremony, which took place at the Eko Hotels in Lagos.

The harvest came on a night the former Lagos State Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu got a Special Recognition Award.

The Punch, which won the Newspaper of the Year, had nine awards from 13 nominations.

The Nation Editor Gbenga Omotoso is Editor of the Year. He won in the same category two years ago. This newspaper was a finalist in the Newspaper of the Year category.

Assistant Editor (News)ý Olukorede Yishau won two prizes. Yishau won the Columnist of the Year, with a piece titled “Time to deploy Mbu to Maiduguri”. He also won the Olu Aboderin Prize for Entertainment Reporter of the Year with his entry titled “October 1 and other stories”.

Head of Investigative Desk Adekunle Yusuf won the Investigative Reporter of the Year category with his story on how lead poisoning has killed many in Zamfara.

Yusuf last month won the Wole Soyinka Investigating Reporter of the Year.

Senior Finance Correspondent Collins Nweze won two awards: Banking and Finance Reporter of the Year and Money Market Reporter of the Year.

Head of Capital Market Desk Taofik Salako won the Capital Market Reporter of the Year prize.

This newspaper’s South-South Editor, Shola O’Neil, won the Buba Marwa Prize for Defence Reporter of the Year with his storyý “ Inside the mess soldiers call home in Warri”. O’Neil was also runner-up in the Environment Reporter of the Year category.

Versatile Reporter Evelyn Osagie won the Female Reporter of the Year prize. She was also runner up in the Education Reporter of the Year category.

Assistant Editor Sina Fadare, who is a multiple award winner, won the Olagunsoye Prize for Culture Reporter with his story “ Magun: Myth or reality”.

Group Political Editor Emmanuel Oladesu won the Lateef Jakande Prize for Political Reporter of the Year.

The Ernest Sisei Ikoli Prize for Newspaper Reporter of the Year was won by Joseph Jibueze, who a fortnight ago won the Diamond Award for Media Excellence (DAME) in the judicial reporting category.

He won both prizes with his piece “How sabotage, blackmail and undue delays are killing the judiciary”.

Chikodi Okereocha, also a serial award winner, won the Chevron Prize for Oil and Gas Reporter of the Year.

This newspapers’ reporters were also finalists in many other categories.

Associate Editor and past recipient of the CNN African Journalist of the Year in the health reporting category Olatunji Ololade was a finalist in the Cecil King Prize for Print Reporter of the Year, which went to The Guardian’s Chukwuma Muanya.

Star Reporter and Assistant Editor Seun Akioye was runner-up in two categories: Etisalat Prize for Innovative Reporter of the Year and Tourism Reporter of the Year.

Cross River State Correspondent Nicholas Kalu was also a finalist in the Etisalat Prize for Innovative Reporter of the Year, which was won by Nigerian Tribune’s Sanya Aderonke Temitope.

Adegboyega Alaka was runner-up in the Gani Fawehinmi Prize for Human Rights Reporting, which was won by Adeyemi Ayodeji of Tell. Alaka was runner-up to O’Neil in the Defence Reporting category.

Assistant Editor Lucas Ajanaku was runner-up in the Telecomms Reporting category, which was won by The Guardian’s Ajibola Hamzat.

Another Assistant Editor with this newspaper and past recipient of the NMMA, Muyiwa Lucas, was runner-up in the Aviation Reporter of the Year category.

Reigning winner of the Quills award Taiwo Alimi was runner-up in the MKO Abiola Prize for Sports Reporter of the Year for his expose on the travails of ex-footballers, published in  The Nation on Sunday.

A fortnight earlier, the newspaper won five awards at the DAME.  Of the 14 awards in the print category, this newspaper won five at the colourful ceremony, which took place at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos.

The Nation Editorial Board Chairman Sam Omatseye, for the fourth time, won the Nigerian Press Council Prize for Informed Commentary, with his entry “For Citizen Fahat and Zaharu Africa”, published on December 29, last year. Omatseye beat The Punch’s Tolu Ogunlesi and Bayo Olupounda.

Ololade and Chief Correspondent Kunle Akinrinade’s joint entry “Deadly potions: Nigeria’s herbal gin nightmare” published on April 12, last year clinched the Heath Reporting category prize. The entry last year won the Health Reporting category of the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Journalism. Ololade’s and Akinrinade’s work defeated the works of Dayo Oketola and Gbenro Adeoye, both of The Punch. Last year, Ololade won the CNN African Journalist of the Year in the Medical and Health Reporting category.

The UNICEF Prize for Child Friendly Reporting was won by The Nation’s Gbenga Alaka, with his entry “Wild, wild world of dogs” published on October 26, last year.

For the second year running, Jibueze won the Justice Omotayo Onalaja Award for Judicial Reporting with his two-part series “How sabotage, blackmail and undue delay are killing the judiciary”. With the series, published on December 10 and 11, last year, he beat New Telegraph’s Juliana Francis and The Nation’s Precious Igbonwelundu to second and third places.

Nweze won the Aliko Dangote Prize for Business Reporting, with his entry “Banking in a digital world”.

With a haul of eight top awards from a record 17 nominations, The Nation was the toast of the industry at the weekend in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

It was all at the 22nd Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA) at the International Convention Centre.

The newspaper proved that it parades some of the best commentators in the industry, with Editorial Board member Steve Osuji emerging the Columnist of the Year. Editor Gbenga Omotoso was runner-up in this category.

Investigations Desk head Adekunle Yusuf won the Olagunsoye Oyinlola Prize for Culture and Tradition Reporter of the Year and the Chevron Nigeria Prize for Oil and Gas Reporter of the Year. He won the Culture and Tradition Prize with a story titled “Help, Nigerian languages are disappearing!” published on November 13, 2013. His story, “How Nigeria lost $11b to vandalism and theft” won the Oil and Gas Prize.

Yusuf, who joined this newspaper last year, also won a third prize as the Cecil King Memorial Prize for Print Journalist of the Year with an entry published by his former employer, TELL. His sterling achievements caught the attention of the host governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, who rewarded him with an additional N500,000 cash.

Yusuf, earlier in the year, won the Promasidor Prize in the Industry reporting category and was sponsored for a course on Digital Journalism at the Pan-Atlantic University.

Okorocha also rewarded Assistant Editor Muyiwa Lucas with N500,000 cash for winning three awards with stories published by his former employer, Tell. Anthony Akaeze of Tell also got part of this largesse. Though he won two awards, Okorocha said he was including him on the list for being an Imo indigene.

Serial award winner, an Assistant Editor Olatunji Ololade , who a fortnight ago won the CNN African Journalist of the Year award in the health and medical reporting category, got two awards.

His “Kalakuta Republic: A decade after” published on October 26 won the Olu Aboderin Prize for Entertainment Reporter of the Year. He also won the Gani Fawehinmi Prize for Human Rights Reporter of the Year with his “Fractured lives”, published on September 14, 2013.

A Senior Correspondent on the Judiciary Desk, Joseph Jibueze, was runner-up to Ololade.

The reigning Golden Pen Reporter of the Year, Seun Akioye, also did this newspaper proud, emerging winner in two key categories. Akioye emerged the Alex Ibru Investigative Reporter of the Year, with his entry, “Money, money everywhere, yet flood pains remain”, which traced how donations made by governments and philanthropists after the last major flood in the country was spent. He also emerged winner of the NAFCON Prize for Environment Reporter of the Year. His entry, “Even the rich envy us the way we live”, was published on April 20, 2013. Akioye won the Golden Pen Reporter of the Year with the same story.

In August, Akioye emerged the winner of international environment award, the WASH Media Award organised by the Water Supply & Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), Geneva  and the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI). The award was presented during the World Water Week in Stockholm.

Akioye also clinched the third position at the Hala Nigeria Story Contest on Friday. The contest  was organised by the International Centre for Journalists (ICFJ) a non- profit organisation that advances quality journalism worldwide with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The contest : “Hala Nigeria: Many Voices, Better Lives,” is designed to increase public engagement and amplify citizen voices in health news. The project, which means “Speak Out, Nigeria,” focused on the use of new digital tools to spur citizen engagement, promote data-driven reporting to take advantage of Nigeria’s new open data movement, organize public events around key health issues, and engage citizen journalists to expand coverage into neglected regions.

The Nation also clinched the Maritime Reporter of the Year Award. Maritime Correspondent and past NMMA winner in Agriculture Reporting category Oluwakemi Dauda, shrugged off the challenge from The Guardian’s Moses Ebosele and Nigeria Today’s Rotimi Williams to clinch the prize.

This newspaper’s reporters were also finalists in other categories. Collins Nweze was runner-up in the Banking and Finance category. Innocent Duru was runner-up in the Feature Writing Category, which went to this newspaper’s Deputy Political Editor Raymond Mordi, who won with an entry from his former employer, Tell.

Assistant Editor Lucas Ajanaku was also runner-up in the Telecommunication Reporter of the Year category, which was won by Isioma Madike with an entry from his former employer, Sunday Mirror.

A senior cartoonist with this newspaper, Muyiwa Adetula, was also runner-up in the Nnamdi Azikwe Prize for Cartoonist of the Year.

The Nation’s performance is an improvement on last year’s record when it won six top awards, including Newspaper of the Year.

Omotoso won the Dele Giwa Prize for Editor of the Year. The Editorial Board, which has won laurels for its editorials on critical issues, won the prize for Editorial Writing. Assistant Editor (News) Olukorede Yishau won the Intercontinental Bank Prize for Capital Market Reporter of the Year. Assistant Editor (Investigations) Joke Kujenya clinched the Peter Odili Prize for Power Reporter of the Year and Senior Correspondent Nweze won the UBA Prize for Money Market Reporter of the Year.

Two other Assistant Editors – Sina Fadare and Chikodi Okereocha – got the Etisalat Prize for Most Innovative Reporter of the Year and Buba Marwa Prize for Defence Reporter of the Year. Though with The Nation, both won with stories published by their former employers, National Mirror and Tell. This newspaper’s Brands Correspondent and reigning winner of the Schneider Prize for Electrical Counterfeiting in Africa, Adedeji Ademigbuji, was runner-up in the Brands and Marketing category as well as the CSR Reporting category for entries published by his former employer, National Mirror.

Editor of the Year was won by Martin Ayankola of The Punch. The Newspaper of the Year  was also won by The Punch. Tell was declared Magazine of the Year. The Business Publication of the Year is BusinessDay.

The Prize for the Ernest Sisei Ikoli Prize for the Newspaper Reporter of the Year was won by ThisDay’s Features Editor Adeola Akinremi, a past winner of NMMA and DAME.

Other winners are: Bashorun MKO Abiola Prize for Sports Reporter of the Year – Anthony Akaeze (BSJ):  Lateef Jakande Prize for Political Reporter of the Year-  Gbenga Ogundare (National Standard);Peter Odili Prize for Power Reporter of the Year – Sulaimon Olanrewaju (Tribune); Ibrahim Shekarau Prize for Education Reporter of the Year Akaeze Anthony (BSJ); Keystone Prize for CSR Reporter of the Year Muyiwa Lucas (BSJ); Conoil Prize for Energy Correspondent of the Year Adedayo Oketola (The Punch); News Photographer of the Year Olaoluwa Chris Mimiola (Tribune). Olusegun Mimiko Prize for Foreign News Reporter of the Year Gesinde Oluseyi Opeyemi (Tribune); Adamu Muazu Prize for Tourism Reporter of the Year, Olapade Matthew (Tribune). IGI Prize for Insurance Reporter of the Year, Helen Eni (BSJ). Union Bank Prize for Banking and Finance Reporter of the Year, Amodu Adebayo Joseph (Newswatch). Intercontinental Bank Prize for Capital Market Reporter of the Year, Nnorom Nkiruka Eucharia (Vanguard). Aviation Industry Reporter of the Year, Olumuyiwa Lucas (Tell). UBA Prize for Money Market Reporter of the Year, Tunde Niyi-Akinmade (Newswatch); Coca-Cola Prize for Brand and Marketing Reporter of the Year, Omoike Amina Omokhefue (Newswatch); BAT Prize for Industry Reporter of the Year, Olumuyiwa Lucas (Tell). Sonny Odogwu Prize for Business Reporter of the Year, Tony Manuaka (BSJ). Nigerite Prize for Real Estate/Construction Reporter of the Year, Azuh Maureen (The Punch). Nnamdi Azikwe Prize for Cartoonist of the Year, Cornelius Emenike (National Mirror). Beatrice Bassey Ita Prize for Female Reporter of the Year, Juliana Uche-Okobi (Tell). Prize for Editorial Writing of the Year (The Guardian).

The winners in the broadcast categories are: Radio Reporter of the Year, (Adebayo Solomon of FRCN Abuja); Radio Presenter of the Year (Pepple Ibifubara of FRCN Network); George Bako Prize for Radio Broadcaster of the Year Jones Usen of Radio Continental; Radio Production of the Year (Yewande Iwuoha of Raypower); Radio Programme of the Year (Dominician Nwabufo of VON); Television Reporter of the Year (Ayoola Kazeem of Channels).

The others are: Television Newscaster of the Year (Oluseun Olagunju of NTA); Television Programme Presenter (Yvonne Bassey of DSTV/AfricaMagic); Television Production of the Year (Ozioma Godwin Okoli); Television Drama of the Year (Greg Odutayo); Television Station of the Year (Channels) and Radio Station of the Year (RayPower).

THE Board of Trustees and Administrators of Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA) has announced the rescheduling of the event holding in Owerri, Imo State.

The organisers noted that the earlier date of October 31 to November 2, was found to have some constraints that might deny the event “the full attention, space and glamour it deserves as the biggest media excellence event in Nigeria and Africa.”

In a statement yesterday, they said the event would now take place between Friday, 7 and Sunday, November 9.

The board added that it was postponed in agreement with the Imo State government, adding that all other arrangements remain the same.

The organising committee regretted any inconvenience the rescheduling caused media veterans, organisations and practitioners, including the nominees and guests of the NMMA.

The statement added that “the new date would enable much greater event and possibly one of the best ever held.”

The NMMA Grand Award Presentation Ceremony held in Lagos from 1992 – 2002 before moving across the six geo-political zones of Nigeria and was hosted in FCT Abuja (2003), Rivers State (2004), Bauchi State (2005), Kwara State (2006), Osun State (2007) and Kano State (2008).

It was also held in Enugu State (2009), Lagos State (2010 & 2012), Ondo State (2011) and Ekiti State (2013).

The media train will be hosted by Governor Rochas Okorocha in Owerri.