PREMIUM TIMES, Nigeria’s main digital newspaper, emerged as one of many standout newsrooms on the thirty fourth Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME), held on Tuesday on the Sheraton Lodge, Lagos.
The award, which started in 1992, is an annual scheme designed to encourage media duty, high quality reporting and improve professionalism within the Nigerian media trade by rewarding expertise and enterprise.
Folashade Ogunrinde, a reporter on PREMIUM TIMES’ investigations desk clinched the primary prize within the Stable Minerals Reporting class with her entry ‘Inside unlawful operations of mining agency answerable for Ibadan deadly explosion’.
The proof led investigation report not solely uncovered the actual culprits answerable for the explosion that killed at the very least 5 individuals in Bodija, Ibadan Oyo State, but in addition sheds mild on how unlawful miners function and supply explosives.
The report dropped at mild the corruption that has eaten deep into the mining sector and the loopholes rogue miners exploit to embark on unlawful mining actions. Extra importantly, the multi-media investigative piece sparked societal consciousness and debate on the hazards of unlawful mining.
Yakubu Mohammed emerged the second runner-up in the identical class together with his report titled ‘The Digital Black Market: Nigeria’s illicit lithium commerce uncovered,’ whereas a former ICIR reporter, Ijeoma Opara, was named first runner-up for her reporting on unlawful mining in Nasarawa State.
Within the Schooling Reporting class, one other PREMIUM TIMES investigative reporter Qosim Suleiman emerged as the primary runner-up for his report, ‘Colleges Below Siege: How insecurity is robbing Nigerian youngsters of training’. ThisDay’s Omolabake Fasogbon received the Schooling Reporting class whereas Nanji Venley of Prime Progress positioned third.
Editor of the Yr
PREMIUM TIMES’ Managing Editor, Idris Akinbajo positioned third within the Editor of the Yr class. He was a finalist on the thirty second Diamond Awards in 2023. This 12 months, he shared the place with Shaka Momodu of Thisday Newspaper and Ihenacho Nwosu of Each day Solar.
Niyi Adesina of The Nation completed in second place, whereas The Punch’s Tunji Abioye claimed the highest prize.
Newspaper of the 12 months
PREMIUM TIMES emerged third place within the Newspaper of the Yr class, sharing the spot with ThisDay and Each day Solar. The Punch emerged first place whereas The Nation got here second place.
Different classes
Within the broadcast section, Veronica Dan-Ikpoyi claimed the Tv Reporter of the Yr award, with Channels Tv’s Will Ibong ending as runner-up.
Within the Judicial Reporting class, Godfrey George of The Punch emerged the Judicial Reporter of the Yr for his report, ‘Requires justice reforms heighten as minors spend productive years behind bars’.
Mr George’s second entry additionally completed third place in the identical class. Victor Ayeni of The Punch completed first runner-up for his report, ‘Defiled victims’ long-wielded combat for justice as rapists exploit little one abuse regulation’s loopholes’.
Within the Lagos Reporting class, Johnson Idowu from The Punch received the primary prize, whereas Ibrahim Adam of The Nation Newspaper and Emmanuel Uti of the Basis of Investigative Journalism (FIJ) emerged runners-up.
Sodiq Ojuroungbe of The Punch clinched the highest prize within the Well being Reporting class for his report titled, ‘Mattress areas: Lagos high hospitals the place sufferers get admitted by luck’.
PM Occasions’ Rakiya Muhammad received the Little one Pleasant reporting class for her story on the truth of kid labour in Sokoto State, the way it manifests, what’s accountable and the way it may be successfully addressed.
AbdulRasheed Hammad of Ripples clinched the highest prize within the Investigative Reporting class, outperforming nominees from The Punch and HumAngle. Within the Little one-Pleasant Pictures class, The Solar’s Temitope Aina emerged winner, forward of The Punch photojournalist Dayo Oyewo.
Peter Akinbo, a senior correspondent with The Punch, took house the Sports activities Reporter of the Yr award for his piece on blind judokas rebuilding their lives by sport after surviving suicide makes an attempt. His entry topped entries from The Nation’s Taiwo Alimi and Prime Progress’ Nanji Venley.
Elliot Ovadje of The Punch received the Information Pictures class together with his entry, ‘Overcoming Odds: Ilaje ladies navigates waters to vote in Ondo polls’
Abimbola Adelakun of The Punch emerged winner of the Knowledgeable Commentary class, forward of fellow nominees Lasisi Olagunju of the Nigerian Tribune and Azu Ishiekwene of Management.
Within the Investigative Reporting class, Abdulrasheed Hammad emerged winner for his report, ‘For Sokoto communities, promise of healthcare is akin to loss of life sentence’.
In the meantime, Chikodi Okereocha of The Nation received the highest prize for Power Reporting.
Company awards
The Guardian was named the Greatest Designed Media Web site, beating BusinessDay and ThisDay.
Vanguard received Little one-Pleasant Medium award. The Solar and Unbiased had been the opposite nominees.
Each day Belief received Greatest Designed Newspaper award forward of ThisDay and Management.
Within the Editorial Writing class, The Punch emerged winner, beating The Vanguard and The Nation newspapers.
Honorary Fellows
DAME conferred the title of honorary fellows on three veteran journalists: Dare Babarinsa, Najeem Jimoh, and Owei Lakemfa.
In keeping with the organisers, Mr Babarinsa, a co-founder of Inform Journal, has remained a distinguished public thinker whose commentary helps form nationwide discourse.
“By his writings, Babarinsa continues to function a thought chief, guiding the general public on problems with nationwide significance. His expertise highlights the power of historic perspective, moral reporting. and mentorship in surmounting challenges,” DAME Awards wrote.
Mr Lakemfa, who spent many years writing for Vanguard, was praised for a profession that influenced public debate for greater than forty years. DAME mentioned his legacy continues to encourage generations of writers, activists, and media professionals.
“For his distinctive contribution to journalism and nationwide improvement, we proudly current Owei Lakemfa as an Honorary Fellow of the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence,” the award organisers mentioned.
DAME additionally highlighted Mr Jimoh’s enduring influence on newsroom tradition, noting that the previous Punch editor is widely known for his dedication to moral journalism and mentorship.
“Najeem Jimoh is an effective illustration of how a Nigerian journalist has remodeled the face of Nigerian journalism as an activist to multimedia management. Jimoh was bestowed the identify “Strato” (abbreviated from technique) because of his means to train good tact in scholar protests,” DAME mentioned.
For 34 years, DAME mentioned it has offered 643 title awards, alongside 31 lifetime honours in 19 years and 11 honorary fellowships previously 5 years.
