Again, Nigeria’s most widely read newspaper, The PUNCH, on Saturday retained its leadership position in the journalism profession in the country as it won five prestigious awards, including the Newspaper of the Year, at the 24th edition of the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence.
The ceremony, one of the biggest award ceremonies in the country, took place on Saturday night at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, and was graced by eminent journalists and dignitaries from across the country.
Apart from winning the coveted Newspaper of the Year Award, its Editor, Mr. Martin Ayankola, also won the Editor of the Year category, beating Mr. Martins Oloja and Mr. Gbenga Omotoso of The Guardian andThe Nation newspapers respectively.
Again, Nigeria’s most widely read newspaper, The PUNCH, on Saturday retained its leadership position in the journalism profession in the country as it won five prestigious awards, including the Newspaper of the Year, at the 24th edition of the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence.
The ceremony, one of the biggest award ceremonies in the country, took place on Saturday night at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, and was graced by eminent journalists and dignitaries from across the country.
Apart from winning the coveted Newspaper of the Year Award, its Editor, Mr. Martin Ayankola, also won the Editor of the Year category, beating Mr. Martins Oloja and Mr. Gbenga Omotoso of The Guardian andThe Nation newspapers respectively.
Two PUNCH correspondents won the prizes for Insurance and Development Journalism while the PUNCHEditorial Board also clinched the Editorial Writing prize.
A Chief Correspondent with The PUNCH, Nike Popoola, who had the only two nominations for the insurance reporting category, opened the door of awards for the leading newspaper organisation when she was named the Insurance Reporter of the Year. She won with her article titled, ‘Sick Health Insurance Scheme Leaves Patients Helpless.’
Popoola, who emerged winner unopposed, retained this title which she won in 2010, and which had not been awarded to any reporter since then.
Saturday PUNCH Eric Dumo’s work titled, ‘Harrowing Experiences of Communities Where Killer Stones Fly Freely,’ was adjudged the winner of the Development Reporter of the Year. Dumo defeated Sebastine Ebhuokhan of the National Mirror and The Nation’s Seun Akinoye, who came second and third respectively.
The PUNCH’s quality and thorough editorial writing was recognised when it won the first and second positions for Editorial Reporting, leaving the third position to The Nation Newspaper.
The PUNCH was named as the Newspaper of the Year, beating The Nation and The Guardian to the coveted prize.
A member of the newspaper’s Editorial Board, Mr. Obafemi Obadare, received the prestigious awards on behalf of the organisation.
Reporters of the PUNCH also got nominations in several categories of this year’s DAME Award.
A photojournalist with The PUNCH, Olatunji Obasa, narrowly lost to Ayodele Adeniran of The Guardian, who won with his work titled, ‘Parental Care.’
A correspondent with Saturday PUNCH, Jesusegun Alagbe, also narrowly lost the award for Child Friendly Reporting to Gboyega Alaka of The Nation, whose article titled, ‘Wild, Wild World of Dogs;’ was adjudged the best in the category ahead of Alagbe’s ‘Tale of Children Who Survive on Firewood.’
The Guardian got the prize for the Most Child-friendly Media while Daily Trust and The PUNCH were named the first and second runners-up respectively.
Dumo of The PUNCH was named the second runner-up in the Business Reporting category while The Nation and Tell emerged the winner and first runner-up respectively.
The News Editor of Saturday PUNCH, Dayo Oketola, and Correspondent, Gbenro Adeoye of the samePUNCH title, lost the Health Reporting category to The Nation’s Olatunji Ololade and Kunle Akinrinade, who won with their work titled, ‘Deadly Portions: Nigeria’s Herbal Gin Nightmare.’
An online medium, The Cable, got the prize for Sport Reporting category, beating Tell and The Nation to the second and third positions respectively.
Niyi Akinwande earned the second runner-up prize for The PUNCH, while New Telegraph and The SUNwere named first and second respectively for Editorial Cartooning.
PUNCH columnists, Tolu Ogunlesi and Bayo Olupohunda, won the first and second runners-up prizes respectively after they narrowly lost the prize to The Nation.
The Nation also won the Judicial Reporting award, defeating New Telegraph and another nomination fromThe Nation.
Voice of Nigeria won the prize for Radio Drama of the Year and Radio Presenting, while Solomon Adebayo of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria won the prize in the Radio Reporter of the Year category.
Television Continental, popularly known as TVC, won the prize for Television Documentary and the Television of the Year awards.
Dr. Doyin Abiola of Journalism and Media Education and Senator Akin Odunsi of Marketing Communications were given Life Time awards.
Awards were not given in six categories which include Political Reporting, Telecoms, Energy, and Press Investigative awards because the organisers considered entries into these categories as sub-standard.
The Chief Executive Officer, Dame Publications, Mr. Lanre Idowu, expressed worries that reporting was not enjoying the serious attention that it deserved.
He however commended the works of the winners.
“The works that are being honoured are full of enterprise and speak of the Nigerian condition. They explored themes such as social justice, human right, attack with impunity, good governance and security, the enveloping of fear, they speak of love and pain in the industry and Nigerian society,” he said.
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