Twenty–four talented Nigerians were on Sunday, December 9, 2007, at the Ikeja Sheraton Hotels & Towers, conferred with media awards in recognition of outstanding works done at the 16th edition of the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME). They join 288 past recipients in the DAME Hall of FAME. The event was attended by mass media stakeholders and representatives of corporate organizations.
Mr. Lanre Idowu, DAME trustee and CEO of Diamond Publications Limited, in his address of welcome, reaffirmed the confidence at DAME that Nigeria will be greater when the culture of appreciation for positive achievements is enthroned. He said it was human nature to appreciate reward for good work as it is the tangible expression of high standard attained by the individuals in a chosen field of endeavour.
The winners of the 16th DAME are Sikiru Adeoye-Yusuf of Nigerian Tribune, a third time winner of the Action Photography prize, having won it in 2000 and 2005. Nik Ogbulie, formerly with Daily Champion, now editor of BusinessWorld Intelligence weekly, won the Capital Marketing Reporting Prize. Two DAME prizes for Child- Friendly Journalist and HIV/AIDS Reporting went to Mrs. Ronke Olawale, Senior Correspondent (features) with The Guardian while Gabriel Erapi of Saturday Sun, with his humorous illustration of the Third Term saga, clinched the editorial cartooning prize.
Other individual winners in print journalism include Pini Jason, Vanguard columnist who emerges joint winner of the Informed Commentary category with Ijeoma Nwogwugwu, editor of Thisday on Saturday. Gbolahan Gbadamosi of The Guardian won the Judicial reporting prize while the duo of Akomalafe Mohammed and Tunbosun Ogundare of the defunct Comet won the prize in the Health Reporting Category. Emmanuel Mayah, assistant editor, Saturday Sun, with his report on the Niger Delta, won the Press Reporter of the Year prize.
The Sun won the Best Designed Newspaper prize, the New Nigerian Newspaper collected the coveted UNICEF prize as the Child friendly Media, carting home a desktop computer and printer. The Guardian Newspaper emerged the Newspaper of the Year, with an elated Debo Adesina, The Guardian editor, named as the Editor of the Year.
In Broadcasting, the winners are Maureen Anaeke, FRCN, Abuja for Radio Reporting, Eno Okon, Voice of Nigeria, Radio Presenting category, Gregory Odiakosa of FRCN, Enugu , Radio Drama prize while Gregory Odutayo of RoyalRoots Communications won the TV Drama prize.
In Advertising, STB-McCann won the TV Commercial (Consumer Goods), TBWA/Concept won in the TV Commercial (Services) category and Prima Garnet collected two prizes in the Press Advert Services and consumer Goods categories.
Apart from the 24 recipients rewarded at the 16th DAME, three respected veteran journalists namely; Dr.Babatunde Jose, retired chairman of the Daily Times, Hadj Alade Odunewu, chairman, Nigerian Press Council and Mr. Sam Amuka-Pemu, publisher, Vanguard, were conferred with Lifetime Achievement Awards. This Lifetime Award accords deserving recognition to these icons of journalism as living patrons of younger journalists.
The Diamond Awards for Media Excellence is a private initiative founded in 1992 to improve media practice by bestowing awards on outstanding works.
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