NMMA, Coke, others showing path in Nigerian journalism
The Coca Cola prize for Brand and Marketing reporter of the year at the Nigerian Media Merit Award, 2014, held at the classy International Conference Centre, Owerri last weekend was clinched by Omoike Amina Omokhefue of Newswatch. Her report – “Like adults, kids also ‘fall’ for foreign brands” convinced the judges that it was a good brand story. The prize was N100,000 and a plaque.
Apart from the prize, Amina who was winning her first award in journalism was enthused. She said: “Today I feel on top of the world as a journalist. This award will continue to encourage and inspire me to continue to look for those stories that will uplift the society”. Amina with three children whose husband is also a journalist was also grateful to Coke for instituting the brand award category in the NMMA menu of annual awards.
The multinational beverage company with global brand value of over $81.6 billion had in 2010 endowed the award with the objectives in line with that of NMMA. They are to encourage, promote and recognise excellence in Nigerian journalism. There are also other several endowments by various companies and individuals to support the course of NMMA in lifting spirits of Nigerian journalists into nation building.
At the awards, BusinessDay for the umpteenth time won the Business Publication of the year sponsored by First Bank of Nigeria. The leading business newspaper won for its balanced and research-oriented news reporting, analyses and consistent redefinition of the business reporting climate in the country.
Assessing the role of journalists in the society and the need for such encouragements, the Director, Public Affairs and Communication, Coca Cola, Clem Ugorji told BusinessDay at the venue of the 2014 NMMA awards that Coke believes that journalism and journalists have a role to play in nation building. “We believe that journalists are significant members of the society and critical change agents. We believe that the role they play is important for building sustainable communities and because we are interested in supporting everything that supports the building of sustainable communities we feel that it is important to support anything that helps capacity building for journalists”.
With the objective of NMMA in mind, Ugorji advised the organizers to continue in the tradition of excellence and professionalism which is the goal of the body. “We think that an award like this is a good incentive for journalists. But we also think that it should go beyond the award to also ensure that everything that will make journalists work and excel are provided”, he said.
“The award is one way to inspire and motivate them but it is also important for the media industry as a whole to also ensure that the various media houses provide environment conducive for journalists to work and excel. Provide capacity building platforms on the work so that journalists have the opportunity to be exposed to best practices”.
Ugorji further explained that Coke sponsorships and CSRs are not necessarily to create direct impact on the company. He said “for us as a company we see ourselves as integral part of the Nigerian nation. The things we do we do first and foremost because we believe that they have a positive impact on society and not necessarily that they have direct bearing on our business. We believe that when we have a vibrant media, when we have the media that compares with media industry anywhere in the world, the society will be better for it. This is because the role the media plays in the society benefits every segment of it. If media puts pressure on government or businesses to act responsibly, at the end of the day, the society benefits as a whole”
The chairman of NMMA Board of Trustees, Vincent Maduka, who was delighted at the successful hosting of the award by Imo State said the 2014 entries marked the largest number recorded in the history of the awards.
A total of 1,307 eligible entries were received from 886 entrants for the NMMA 2014. Out of the total figure, 1,124 entries were received from 774 entrants in print categories, 97 entries came from 74 entrants in the radio categories and 86 entries were received from 63 entrants in the television categories.
Stating how the board arrives at the winners, Ralph Akinfeleye, Chairman, Panel of Assessors said entries are assessed independently and collated by the sub-committees where outstanding entries are assessed and agreed upon by the sub-committees before recommendation to the general assembly of the award panel. Such entries are also screened and discussed before final recommendations to the board of trustees.
The host and governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha who treated his guests with the hospitality of Imo made cash donations to two highest award winners in all the categories. He also made another cash donation to an indigene of Imo State who won award. This is in line with his drive for education in Imo State.
Yemi Akeju, chief administrator, NMMA said from the establishment of the award in 1990 to the award presentation in 1992, the entire NMMA system has fully braced up to the challenges of providing a powerful platform through which the society and the media could come together annually to commend, appreciate and celebrate our media practitioners and institutions for their excellent works and greate contributions to the development of our citizens, society and Nigeria.
“The programme stabilized impressively in Lagos between 1992 and 2002. There arose the need for greate inclusiveness, to wit, the need to reach out to all parts of Nigeria to greate impact and benefits to all concerned” since then, Lagos, FCT, Rivers, Bauchi, Kwara, Osun, Kano Enugu, Ondo and Ekiti have hosted the awards.
Daniel Obi