•John Momoh
The Chairman of Channels Media Group, Dr. John Momoh, has been honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the Nigeria Broadcasting Awards.
Momoh received the prestigious award at the second edition of the Nigeria Broadcasting Awards organised by the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) in Abuja yesterday for his impactful contributions and achievements in the broadcast industry.
Channels Television also won the Television Station Of The Year Award at the event, which was held at the NAF Conference Centre, Kado.
Also honoured alongside the celebrated newscaster were a former Director General of NTA, Shyngle Wigwe; a former MD of the NTA, Yemi Farounbi; and a former Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Malam Abubakar Jijiwa, for their lifetime achievements and initiatives in the broadcast industry.
Also included were the first female chairman of the BON and former Director General of Abubakar Rimi Television, Hajia Sa’a Ibrahim, and an astute broadcaster, Mrs Bimbo Oloyede.
Industry leaders who received posthumous awards included the founder of the DAAR Communications Plc, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Mr. Timawus Mathias, Mr. Okokon Ndem, Chief Anike Agbaje-Williams, and Mr. Patrick Ityohegh.
Also recognised were the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu; the Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal; the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani; and a former Executive Secretary of BON, Mr. Obadiah Tohomdet, for their support for the media industry.
The head of the steering committee, Bayo Awosemo, was also honoured for exemplary leadership.
In his remark, Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, thanked the organisers for recognising hard work, professional and impactful contribution in society.
“I believe the media has a role to play in shaping everything that we do, not just in Nigeria but all over the world,” Lawal stated.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who was the chief host, commended BON for conceiving and sustaining the initiative.
“The fact that over 200 entries were received for this edition speaks volumes about the vibrancy, talent, and dedication that exist within the broadcast space,” Idris said.
He said the awardees had distinguished themselves as presenters, reporters, or producers.
Idris also thanked BON for recognising him, saying it was a testament to the efforts of the ministry, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, whom he said remains committed to upholding professionalism in the media.
The outgoing Chairman of BON, Abdulhamid Dembos, said the ceremony was a special event dedicated to celebrating excellence.
He also congratulated the nominees and winners.
Similarly, the outgoing Executive Secretary of BON, Yemisi Gbamgbose, said the selection committee was thorough in the process of deciding who the awardees were.
He said BON was instituted in Kano in May 2021 to create a platform where real broadcasters will adjudicate the work of practitioners and honour excellence in broadcasting.
“The essence of the Nigeria Broadcasting Awards is to celebrate excellence; it’s to promote more innovation, research; it’s to promote diligence, accuracy, and it’s to promote productions that are compelling, that can be compared with any station or any nation of the world,” Gbamgbose added.
Earlier, the Chairman of the panel of judges, Danladi Bako, disclosed that 248 entries of 30-minute programmes were screened by the selection committee, and three nominees were selected, out of which a winner emerged.
He, however, decried the dearth of manpower in the industry, despite the availability of technologies.
“The ones that won were deserved winners. If you did not mean, it’s not that you were not good enough,” he added.
