Nigeria’s most widely read newspaper, PUNCH, received ample rewards for its commitment to the highest ideals of journalism at one of the country’s biggest media awards over the weekend.
At the 22nd edition of the Nigeria Media Merit Award held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Saturday, PUNCH won the newspaper industry’s most prestigious awards.
Also, the immediate past Chairman of Punch Nigeria Ltd., Chief Ajibola Ogunshola, bagged the Special Media Industry Achievement Award for Commendable Management of A Media Organisation.
PUNCH won the Babatunde Jose Prize for Newspaper of the Year Award. Editor, The PUNCH, Mr. Adeyeye Joseph, retained the Dele Giwa Prize for Editor of the Year, which he also won last year. The newspaper’s Editorial Board also won the Editorial of the Year award.
A senior business correspondent with The PUNCH, Dayo Oketola, won the MTN Prize for Telecommunications Reporter of the Year, while Saheed Olugbon of the Photo Desk emerged winner in the News Photographer of the Year category.
An Assistant Editor on the Business Desk, Mr. Layi Adeloye, emerged runner-up for the Bukola Saraki Prize for Agriculture Reporting and the Head of the Feature Unit, Mr. Akeem Lasisi, also missed the Adamu Mu’azu Prize for Tourism Reporter of the Year.
To retain the Babatunde Jose Prize for Newspaper of the Year, The PUNCH beat The Guardian and The SUN.
In the editorial writing category, the paper, widely respected for its pungent and topical editorial, had two nominations. Joseph beat The Guardian’s immediate past Editor, Mr. Debo Adesina, and The SUN’s Editor, Mr. Steve Nwosu, to emerge winner in the current edition.
While Mr. Sam Omotseye of The NATION won the Columnist of the Year, TELL bagged the WEMCO Prize for Newsmagazine of the Year.
BUSINESSDAY won the First Bank Prize for Business Publication of the Year.
Olatunji Lateef of THE NATION and TELL’s Adekunle Yusuf respectively won the Ernest Ikoli Prize for Newspaper Reporter of the Year and Cecil King Print Journalist of the Year awards.
Among other prizes in the broadcast category, Channels Television won the TV Station of the Year Award.
The Acting Chairman of the NMMA Panel of Assessors, Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye, noted that entries were assessed independently and collated by the sub-committees where they (entries) were assessed and agreed upon before recommendation to the General Assembly of the Award Panel.
