The best writers and reporters have found a home in The Nation, it was confirmed last night.
Of a record 35 nominations, this newspaper won in 13 categories at the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Awards (NMMA)– the highest by any publication.
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.
Former Lagos State Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was given a Special Recognition Award.
The Punch, which won the Newspaper of the Year, had nine awards from 13 nominations.
Assistant Editor (News) 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 story “ 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 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, which was won by The Punch’s Abioye Oyetunji Kennedy.
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. The category was won by Tell’s Anthony Akaeze.
Apart from winning the Newspaper of the Year and Aviation Reporter of the Year, The Punch also won Keystone Bank’s CSR Reporter of the Year Award (Adedayo Oketola), Insurance Reporter of the Year (Adenike Popoola), Real Estate Award ( Eric Dumo), Cartoonist of the Year (Bennet Omeke), Feature Writer of the Year (Eunice Adesola), Business Reporter of the Year ( Iyatse Geoff Omokhafe) and Editorial Writing of the Year.
Channels TV won the TV Station of the Year – for the 10th time.
In all, 1043 entries were received from 726 entrants from print, radio and television categories.
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