Winners have emerged at the 2019 Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA), held at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos on the 15th of December 2019.
The Chairman of the Awards Nominating Panel, Professor Ralph Akinfeleye, said only entries that scored 70 percent and above were qualified for nomination.
The 2019 Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA), is the 27th edition of the awards.
Giving a breakdown of the entries received, the Chairman, Professor Ralph Akinfeleye, said in the print category, there were 457 entrants, who submitted 671 entries across 39 categories.
In the Radio Category, he said there were 29 entrants who submitted 37 entries across the six categories; and in the television category, there were 34 entrants, who submitted 44 entries across the six categories.
According to him, the assessors were delighted that there was an increase in the number of entries, compared to the previous year.
However, he expressed worry that the quality of some of the entries received this year was poor, especially from the prism of investigative journalism.
Winners Of 2019 Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA)
The Nation newspaper won the Editorial Writing of the Year.
Deputy Editor Emmanuel Oladesu won the Lateef Jakande Prize for Political Reporter of the Year.
Assistant Editor Sina Fadare won the 9Mobile Prize for Innovative Reporter of the Year.
Innocent Duru won the Adamu Mu’azu Prize for Tourism Reporter of the Year.
Gboyega Alaka won the Ernest Sissei Ikoli Prize for the Newspaper Reporter of the Year.
Capital Market Editor Taofik Adeola Salako won the Capital Market Reporter of the Year with story entry, “Political uncertainties dominate outlook for stock market in H2’18”.
Daniel Eshiet clinched the Brand and Marketing Prize.
Medinat Kanabe won the Prize for Female Reporter of the Year.
- Vanguard Newspaper
Features’ Editor, Mike Ebonugwo won the Gani Fawehinmi Prize Award for the Human Rights Reporter of the Year (2019) with his story entry, “Justice on a slow lane”.
Olasunkanmi Akoni, Assistant News Editor emerged the winner of Nigerite Prize Award for Real Estate/Construction Reporter of the Year with story entry, “Inside new Oshodi”.
Emmanuel Ujah won the Peter Odili Prize Award for the Power Reporter of the Year with story entry, “Electricity: The high cost of living in darkness”.
Princewill Ekwujuru won the Keystone Bank for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Reporter of the Year, with story entry, “Divergent Views in the debate over the relevance of CSR”.
Ibrahim Shekarau Prize for Education Reporter of the Year was won by Ebele Dorothy, with the story entry, “Deepening rot in the education sector triggers the alarm”.
- New Telegraph Newspaper
Chukwunyem Chiedu won the UBA Prize Money Market Reporter of the Year award.
Chijioke Jideofor won the IGI Prize for Insurance Reporter of the Year award.
Energy Editor Adeola Yusuf won the Energy Correspondent of The Year Award with a story entitled; “The Big Power Scandal”.
Abraham Ogbodo won the Dele Giwa Prize for Editor of the Year.
Bertram Nwannekama won Features Writer of the Year.
Olugbenga Akinfenwa won Investigative Reporter of the Year.
Punch Newspaper won the Babatunde Jose Prize for Newspaper of the Year award.
Samson Folarin won the Cecil King Memorial Prize for Print Journalist of the Year with his entry, “How fruits ripened with carbide kill Nigerians”.
Jesusegun Alagbe won the Union Bank Prize for Banking and Finance Reporter of the Year with his report, “Nigeria, where it’s easier for churches to obtain loans than small businesses”.
Tunde Ajaja won the Nigerian Ports Authority Prize for Maritime Reporter of the Year with his two-part story, “Once upon a goldmine: Pathetic fate of Nigeria’s burdened seaports’ and ‘Ports: Agencies make a mockery of presidential directive as chaos continues one year after”.
Ife Ogunfuwa won the MTN Prize for Telecommunications Reporter of the Year with her entry, “Complaints as Ogun subscribers battle poor telecoms signals”.
Olatunji Obasa won the News Photographer of the Year award with his entry, “Hon. Boma good head, in face-off with an official of DSS”.
Abimbola Adelakun won the Alade Odunewu Prize for the Columnist of the Year.
- BusinessDay
Ifeoma Okeke won the Aviation Industry Reporter of the Year award.
Chika Abanobi won the Olusegun Mimiko Prize for the Foreign News Reporter of the Year with his story, “Flipside of the American Dream: Saturday Sun reporter’s odyssey among the US poor and homeless: Lessons for travel-eager Nigerians”.
- Electronic Media
Channels Television won the NBC Prize for Television Station of the Year.
Seun Okinbaloye of Channels TV won the Program Presenter of the Year for his entry, “Sunday Politics”.
Mike Okwoche of TVC won the Television Newscaster of the Year.
Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) won the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Radio Station of the Year.
Chinelo Ozoalor of FRCN won the Radio Reporter of the Year with her entry, “NECO – Paper leak Enugu.”
Oshin Bankole of Raypower won the Radio Presenter of the Year with her entry, “Repositioning local government councils for effective service delivery as from 2019”.
Oteri Omonigho of Lagos Radio 96.1FM won the George Bako Prize for Radio Broadcaster of the Year with his entry, “Dissecting the role of a regulator in the maritime industry.”
Akinsola Famakin of Metro FM won the Radio Production Reporter of the Year.
Owoseni Idris of Ray Power won the Radio Programme of the Year category with his entry, “Hook up show”.
Temitope Badmus of TVC News won the Television Production of the Year award with her entry, “Farmers/herders clashes: Plight of IDPs in Benue State”.
Deji Badamosi of TV 360 won the Cadbury Nigeria Plc Prize for Television Reporter of the Year.
- Lifetime Honorary Awards
Olusegun Osoba, Mallam Isma’ila Funtua, Dr. Biodun Sobanjo and Chief Onyema Ugochukwu.
