Buhari lauds NMMA on media excellence

President Muhammadu Buhari says the Nigeria Media Merit Award has helped to foster media excellence across the continent.

President Buhari said this at the 30th edition of the Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA) held in Lagos on Sunday night with the theme: “Projecting Lagos as centre of excellence beyond Africa”.

Represented by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Buhari said: “the Nigeria Media Merit Award has helped to foster media excellence and has emerged as the foremost in Africa.”

He said that the city of Lagos has become an undisputable hub for music, sports and enterprise, just as it is home for world class tourist attractions and fashion capital of Africa.

“Lagos has become an undisputable hub for music, sports and entertainment not only in Nigeria but Africa at large.

“Lagos provides a beautiful mix of business and culture and boasts of being a world class tourist attraction. It is also the fashion capital of Africa, the president said.

Earlier, Lagos state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu who expressed delight as the host of the event, urged media practitioners on news reporting ahead of the 2023 election.

According to Sanwo-Olu, ”this is where all the melting points of all media engagement, all the rough edges, all the good points, that has happened is inside my Lagos, your Lagos, thank you for bringing it to Lagos one more time.

“I can attest to the fact that the NNMA has upheld the vision of its founding fathers and surpassed their expectation of many and I’m therefore delighted to be associated with this frontline organisation.

“Let me use this opportunity to lend my voice to the appeal of well-meaning compatriots to the media, on the need to exercise a high level of professionalism and commitment to ethics of this great profession.

“Especially as the 2023 general elections draw near which we all participants in one form or the other.

“Even as media owe the powerful institutions to account, you must also reserve some of these scrutiny for yourselves and ensure that there is no room for bad eggs and those who seek to bring this noble reputation into disrepute.

“Your standards must never be lower for anything and definitely not in this age of which social media and internet has enabled the amplification of fake news and malicious that are intended to give undue political advantage,” Sanwo-Olu said.

It was reported that multiple award-winning station Channels Television, won the Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA) Television Station of the Year prize for a record 15th time.

In the print category, Punch emerged as the newspaper of the year while the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), picked the Radio Station of the year.

The Head, Investigation Desk, Tessy Igomu, won the Environment Reporter of the Year, while Afeez Hanafi, formerly of The PUNCH, and Innocent Duru of The Nation emerged as runners-up.

Francis Juliana of the New Telegraph won the female reporter.

Oladimeji Ramon of the Punch, won the Telecommunications and Real Estate Reporter categories.

In the Telecommunications category, Oladimeji Ramon of the Punch, won again and he also won the Real Estate reporter of the year.

Hanafi Azeez of the Punch, also won Tourism reporter of the year

Dauda Oluwakemi of The Nation won the Business category, while Dare Adekanmbi of Sunday Tribune won the Political Reporter of the Year category.

Also, Olatunji Obasa, of The PUNCH, won the News Photographer of the Year. Another photojournalist of The PUNCH, Kayode Jaiyeola, was a runner-up in the category.

The Agriculture category was won by Gbenga Akinfenwa of The Guardian; while the Money Market prize went to Collins Nweze of The Nation.

Agriculture Reporter of the Year went to Gbenga Akinfenwa of The Guardian. And Entertainment category was won by Innocent Duru of The Nation.

Gboyega Alaka of The Nation won the Defence category.

Education category went to Iyabo Lawal of The Guardian.