By Rhoda Olorunfemi
Winners have emerged for the 2016 Nigeria Media Merit Awards (NMMA) with The Nation topping with 13 prizes out of its 26 nominations.
The New Telegraph won four prizes, Nigerian Tribune, three, while The Punch, Daily Trust and The Guardian won two Prizes each.
Associate Editor, Olatunji Ololade, The Nation, won three awards; Bashorun MKO Abiola Prize for Sports Reporter of the year, Gani Fawehinmi Prize for Human Rights Reporting and Sonny Odogwu prize for Business reporter of the year.
Head Investigative Desk, also from The Nation, Adekunle Yusuf, won two awards; Adamu Mu’azu Prize for Tourism and Chevron Nigeria Prize for Oil and Gas, while Assistant Editor, Seun Akioye, won the Olagunsoye Oyinlola Prize for Culture and Tradition.
Other journalists from The Nation who won awards include; Gboyega Alaka, Desk Feature, Olu Aboderin Prize for Entertainment, Senior Correspondent, Collins Nweze -Union Bank Prize for Banking and Finance and UBA Prize for Money Market Reporting.
Assistant Editor, Business Desk- Lucas Ajanaku won MTN Prize for Telecommunications Report, Senior Correspondent, Adeyinka Aderibigbe- The Abubakar Imam Prize for Newspaper Feature Writer, Abiodun Willaims won the Photographer of the Year and Hannah Ojo won the Etisalat Prize for most Innovative Reporting while other five journalists were runner ups.
New Telegraph got three awards out of 13 nominations, media winners includes; Assistant Editor and Head, Investigations, Isioma Maika had two awards- Energy Reporting and Insurance Reporting, City Editor, Ms. Oluwatosin Omoniyi- Bukola Saraki Prize for Agriculture Reporting and Head of Crime Desk, Juliana Francis- Buba Marwa Prize for Defense Reporting.
Nigerian Tribune journalists were not left out as Saturday Editor, Lasisi Olagunju won Best Columnist, Dare Akanmbi, Political Reporting and Segun Adebayo, Best Investigative Report of the year.
Punch’s Sub Editor, Dayo Oketola won Peter Odili Prize for Power Reporting and a Senior Correspondent, Arukaino Umukoro- Nigerite Prize for Real Estate Reporting.
The Daily Trust Editor Nasir Lawal won Dele Giwa Prize for Editor of the year while the paper was also declared Babatunde Jose Prize for Newspaper of the Year.
Raypower FM for the fourth time won the best Radio station and Channels Televisions won the best TV stations of the year for the 11th time in the broadcast category.
Designed to encourage excellence in journalism, Chairman of the event, Board of Trustees, Mr. Vincent Maduka, said, new media would be included on next edition and this will help NMMA to strengthen the media to discharge duties effectively.
According to him, “More vibrant media is needed to discharge stories aimed at combing challenges our country is facing presently. Although we can’t deny that past events have not been colourful.”
Chairman of NMMA, Panel of Assessors, Professor Ralph Akinfeleye, expressed disappointment over the credibility of stories, though total number of 894 entries were received out of which print category were about 700 and other entries were broadcast category.
“Quality of many entries was poor and stories were far beyond the expected national newspaper standard. Most stories lacked credibility and quality of entries were not different from the previous year,” he said.
