Ayo Alonge
Three reporters with The Sun Newspaper, Ayo Alonge, Rita Okoye and Funsho Arogundade, have emerged Business Writer of the Year, Entertainment Writer of the Year and Society Writer of the Year, respectively, at the 13th edition of Nigeria Media Nite-Out Awards (NMNA).
The event which was held at Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, on Sunday, and themed: “The Nigerian Economy and Political Development: Finding the Missing Piece,” had the keynote address delivered by a former presidential aspirant, John Onche Shaibu, with Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle, who was special guest of honour, recognised as the Most Security-Conscious Governor of the Year.
Among the 17 journalists drawn from both the print and electronic media, as recipients of the award, three reporters in The Sun Newspaper walked up the stage to be honoured.
While Ayo Alonge emerged as Writer of the Year in the Business category, Rita Okoye won the Entertainment Writer of the Year, as Funsho Arogundade was recognised as the Society Writer of the Year.
Over the last 13 years of its existence, the NMNA has been acknowledged as a platform which seeks to recognise the sterling performances of journalists and all media professionals across the country. Organisers, at the event, said all awardees deserved their respective laurels, as adjudged by the jury, having played their parts in the development of their careers and the profession of journalism in general.
One of the high points of the event was the posthumous recognition of Late Precious Owolabi, the corps member with Channels Television who was killed in Abuja, during the clash between the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, popularly known as Shiites, and the police.
Late Owolabi was honoured with the award of the Reporter of the Year. A property development agency, Revolution Plus, also gifted a plot of land in Lagos to his parents who could not hold their tears, while receiving both the plague and gift.
Explaining the rationale behind the gesture, the Chief Executive Officer of Revolution Plus, Bamidele Onalaja, said: “We are giving the late Precious Owolabi, a journalist who lost his life a full plot of land in Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos, to put on record his contributions to journalism during his brief career and to let it be known that no effort is in vain, no matter the outcome.”