Media Relations Consultant and Chairman, Governor Hope Uzodimma Media Excellence Merit Award Committee, Chief Fidel Onyeneke has commended Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma on the success of the second edition of the Merit Award.
Onyeneke gave the commendations during the Media Award Dinner Party hosted by the Governor, in Government House, Owerri.
He also applauded Uzodimma for maintaining a cordial relationship with Imo Journalists, recalling the governor’s hummer bus donation when he was a Senator of Orlu zone.
Onyeneke, a former Chairman of Imo NUJ, said the governor did not influence the selection of winners of the award and commended him for giving the committee a free hand to do the job.
He informed that the committee copied a template from Nigeria Merit Award and United States Merit Award, in carrying out the exercise.
The media relations consultant revealed that the committee received not less than 100 entries, adding that the competition was very competitive.
Whilst informing that 10 professional Journalists were engaged to execute the task, Onyeneke thanked all those who applied and urged them to try again next time.
He listed the winners.
According to him, Ugwumba Chris Anucha, Editor of The Statesman Newspaper emerged the (Best Investigative Journalist); Ngozi Ejimmadu of the IBC took the (Best Documentary Radio Journalist) award while Mary Omeni Nwode of MyRadio (Most Outstanding Radio Presenter (English) and Akunna Azuike of the IBC (Most Outstanding TV Presenter)
Other winners were Ozisa FM presenter and producer Adaeze Opara-Anyanwu popularly known as (Adaigbo) – the Most Outstanding Radio Presenter (Igbo), Faith Chichi Igwilo of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) – the Most Outstanding State Correspondent award while Reginald Mbajunwa of the Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) emerged winner of the Best Documentary TV Journalist of the Year.
The rest were Cosmas Chukwuemeka of Darling FM (Best Sports Reporter) and Chigozie Emeremgini of the IBC (Most Creative Cameraman TV).
Governor Hope Uzodimma at the occasion promised each of the winners, one million naira and charged Imo NUJ leadership to set up a Disciplinary Committee in other to restore sanity in the journalism profession.
Top government functionaries, Imo State NUJ Chairman, Comrade Ifeanyi Nwanguma, NUJ Zonal Secretary – Eze Adiuku and some media executives were present at the occasion.