Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) Anambra State Council has decorated the Traditional Ruler of Ogidi in Idemili North Local Government Area, Igwe Alex Onyido as the 2023 NUJ Man of the Year.
Igwe Onyido, a pharmacist, defeated other nominees to emerge the winner of the award after a very rigorous selection process, a
position previously held by the Deputy Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc, Dr Adaora Umeoji (the NUJ 2022 man of the year).
The 2023 NUJ Man of the year, Igwe Pharm. Alex Onyido, while speaking, thanked the union for the honour, assuring that he would not relent in impacting the world in various ways as always.
At the event which marked the end of 2023 NUJ press week, the correspondent of The Sun newspapers in Anambra State, Mr Obinna Odogwu, emerged the 2023 Prof. Chinyere Stella Okunna Prize for Ethical Journalism while the
Odogwu, an investigative journalist, was announced the winner of the prize at the grand finale of this year’s Press Week of the state council of the NUJ held at Godwin Ezeemo International Press Centre, Awka.
His entry, ‘Anambra health centres where humans share facilities with snakes, rodents’ was adjudged the best by the award committee headed by the former Managing Director and Editor-In-Chief of National Light newspapers, Chief Chuka Nnabuife.
Nnabuife also announced David Eleke of ThisDay newspapers and Izunna Okafor of 247ureports.com as first and second runners up respectively.
The investigative journalist thanked God for blessing his hard work with that special honour and also commended the NUJ for that beautiful initiative.
He equally commended Prof. Okunna, the first female professor of Mass Communication in sub-Saharan Africa, for endowing the award aimed at promoting ethical journalism and encouraging hard work in the media industry.
National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Hon. Sly Ezeokenwa, in his keynote address, urged journalists to be objective in their reportage at all times.
Ezeokenwa, a lawyer, who spoke on the theme: Pragmatic Media Practice as an Antidote to Sustainable Development in a Distressed Economy: A Focus on Anambra State, said that “pragmatic media practice is characterised by its emphasis on practical solutions, stakeholder engagement and long-term impact.”
Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Chinyere Okunna and Chairman of the NUJ Anambra state, Dr Odogwu Emeka Odogwu in their separate remarks commended journalists in the state for always doing their jobs well and for upholding the sanctity of truth, while encouraging them to do more.
The event was attended by the National President of the NUJ, Chief Chris Isiguzo, represented by the Vice President (South East), Sir Emmanuel Ifesinachi; Chief Judge of Anambra State, Hon. Justice Onochie Anyachebelu; and the state chairman of APGA, Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye.
Others are the Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Somtochukwu Udeze, represented by the member representing Dunukofia Constituency, Chuks Azotani, and Dr Adaora Umeoji represented by the DGM of Zenith Bank, Princess Nkiru Okolo, among others.
