Four media awards have so far been named after journalist and media career development specialist, Lekan Otufodnrin. Details of the awards and the reactions of the past winners highlighted in this report.
The first time a media award was named after accomplished journalist and media career development specialist, Lekan Otufodunrin was in 2018 by the Nigerian Universities Merit Award organisers at the Obafemi Awolowo University.
The award was for the Best Campus Journalist of the Year won by Adejumo Kabir a student of English Language then who has since become an accomplished young journalist.
Otufodunrin, Executive Director, Media Career Development Network in 2019 launched a National Mass Communication Students Quiz Competition to mark his 55th birthday.
The competition was won by the duo of Ado Adeboye Phillip and Christiana Omorinkoba Folakemi of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State.
The University of Lagos, (UNILAG), Nigerian Institute of Journalism, (NIJ), and Lagos State Polytechnic, (LASPOTECH), tied in the second position.
Other institutions that participated in the competition included Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Bayero University, Kano, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos and Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun State
In December 2020, the Students Media Personalities of Nigeria (SMPN) named its Rising Star Award after Otufodunrin, former Managing Editor of The Nation Newspaper as a distinguished media personality, mentor, leader and friend of the organisation.
The award for the most promising student and also the most versatile in SMPN was won by Tolulope Egun of the University of Lagos.
SMPN is an organization that seeks to train, create opportunities and platforms for aspiring media personalities with special emphasis on Students across various tertiary institutions.
Early this 2021, two former junior colleagues of Otufodunrin at The Nation Newspaper where he was Managing Editor, Online and Special Publications, Olayinka Shehu and Late Yinka Akintunde initiated the Otufodunrin Student Journalists Award for outstanding student journalists in the country.
The award winner and runner ups will be announced on May 9, 2021, as part of the 57th birthday celebration of Otufodunrin.
The first-prize winner will receive N70,000, the Second prize winner, N50,000 and the third prize, N30,000. There are other cash prizes for other winners.
Otufodunrin said he is grateful and feel much fulfilled to have the awards named after him considering the opportunities student journalists have to compete and get recognised for their knowledge and skills.
He thanked all the individuals, organisations and participants who have been involved in the events in various ways.
RESPONSES BY AWARD WINNERS
We asked winners of the awards for their reactions and the opportunities it has afforded them.
Kabir Adejumo
Winning the Lekan Otufodurin award for best campus journalist in Nigeria during my days as a student-journalist in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife was one of the best things that have happened to me in my journalism career.
The reasons for my joy back then were simple. First, it was my first national recognition. I have won some awards in OAU including being adjudged best article writer and campus journalist on campus. But Lekan Otufodurin award allowed me to compete with student journalists in other tertiary institutions in the country.
Two, it was named after someone I admire from far. I have always wanted to work with Mr Otufodurin and the award gave me the opportunity. Since then, he has adopted me as one of his sons. The award gave me confidence and courage to do more ground-breaking reports including exposing Professor Richard Akindele enmeshed in sex-for-marks scandal even as a student.
The award also gave me my first salary job as a journalist. A week after the award, I was contacted to take a job at Ife City News, a website that focused its report on Ife and its environs. It is owned by the ex-commissioner of information in Lagos, Kehinde Bamigbetan.
My interest in the activities of Mr Otufodurin and his constant check up on me led to the writing of the Campus Journalism Beginners’ handbook which he supported. We launched the campus press hub; an initiative for training of students journalists and he also supported the project.
I am not sure I can tell my journalism career story without appreciating the moment I won the Lekan Otufodurin award for best student-journalist in Nigeria.
Philip Adeboye
The quiz competition was held at the School premises anchored by Mr Eni Akinsola who was an erstwhile Chief Press Secretary, to the immediate past Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko. The epoch-making gathering was a little bit filled to the brim. However, Mr Akinsola rolled out the rules of the competition. Earlier, I and my colleague embarked on vigorous reading.
Surprisingly, the questions were brain-tasking and tactically set. A cold shiver ran down my spine, But we were able to thrash the questions because of prior knowledge and what we had garnered from the four walls of the classroom. With an unfettered curiosity to know the outcome, the news filtered from a respected lecturer from our Department, Mr Adedayo Oluodo. It was an atmosphere filled with seventh heaven. However, we got a cash gift of #50, 000 for each person. This benevolence is unprecedented.
The competition has helped me not to wane myself. Before, I thought our performance would cringe-worthy, but God took the glory.
Without a shadow of a doubt, Mr Lekan Otufodurin has impacted my life. His sole magnanimous gesture revamped the moribund passion for journalism as I felt that journalism is meant for some selected members of the public. To be honestly honest, without being sarcastic, no one like Mr Lekan Otufodurin.
Christiana Omorinkoba Folakemi
Hmmm…Where do I even begin from?
Well, the Otufodunrin mass communication quiz competition was held to mark the 55th birthday anniversary of a father, a great media icon, a media career development specialist, a journalist and a role…Mr Lekan Otufodunrin took place on the 9th of May 2019. It was the first edition of the competition.
It was an amazing competition that I never believed in my entire life could have a winner from my great institution, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo Ondo State Nigeria.
The competition was indeed a brain opener and a mind sharpener. It gave me this strength I never believed I had because all along, I had no passion or love for mass communication. All I wanted was to study law.
My school bagged the first position out of eight institutions that participated scoring 18 points out of 20 questions. I was so happy, my joy knew no bound, my fears were no longer there and I had this special love for mass communication immediately.
This came with an attractive price.
I’d really want to appreciate Mr Lekan Otufodunrin for this rare opportunity he has granted the students of mass communication to be able to explore their potentials and I pray he doesn’t get tired of it. The competition actually made me a better person and I hope this year’s edition will be another great one. God bless Mr Lekan Otufodunrin
God bless Otufodunrin mass communication media quiz competition
God bless Nigeria… It is my earnest prayer that you’ll never fail sir and you’ll continue to wax stronger. Happy super, great and amazing birthday in advance to my father and role model Mr Lekan Otufodunrin.
Toluwalope Egun
“Awards: Recognition for Excellence”. I still don’t buy that quote, but maybe just maybe it might be true, My name is Toluwalope Egun, I was a recipient of the Lekan Otufodurin Rising Star Award For The Student Media Personalities Of Nigeria Organisation.
The Nomination for the award caught me by surprise, I was caught up in two minds on How/What to feel? I have never been recognised for excellence, even if I do excellent things, I have always felt that doing the right thing is just normal for humans, at least it is what is right.
I did hesitate on collecting the Award, there was a feeling that there were more people who were deserving, because of the length of time they had been with the organisation and body of work. Winning the award has motivated me or driven me to hunger for more, it gave me the belief that if I put my head down, everything I touch is Gold.
I also thank the Organisation and Mr Otufodunrin for the innovation, this is just the start.
