Temitope Obayendo, the online editor of Pharmanews, has won the Nestlé Nigeria Media Award 1st Prize for the Best Story in the Youth Empowerment category.
The recognition took place at the 4th Annual Nestlé Nigeria Media Award ceremony on Thursday, held at the 157 Gardens & Event Centre, Ikorodu Road, where Obayendo was celebrated for her compelling solutions journalism piece, titled, “How Nestlé is Empowering, Shaping Future of Nigerian Youths”. Hyacinth Nwafor of the Hybrid News, secured the 2nd Prize in the category for his story titled, “Nurturing young talent throughh Nestles Development Programmes.”
Recalled that Obayendo was one of the winners at the maiden edition of the Nestlé Nigeria Media Award in 2021, when she won the Best Story in Nutrition and Affordable Foods Solutions category, second position.
The esteemed event attracted a remarkable 285 entries, all of which were evaluated by a panel of knowledgeable judges, including Dr Chioma Emma-Nwachukwu, programme lead of the Lagos Chapter of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria; Rosemary Otalor, account director at APO Group; Dr Sunday John, senior lecturer at the School of Media and Communications, Pan-Atlantic University; Oreva Atanya, director at the LBS Sustainability Centre; and Victoria Uwadoka, an award-winning leader in corporate communications and public affairs at Nestlé Nigeria.
In her congratulatory speech to the award recipients, Uwadoka emphasised that the purpose of the ceremony was to recognise professionalism and excellence in media practice, as well as to acknowledge the media’s support of Nestlé throughout the past year.
She expressed her appreciation for the high-quality articles submitted for the awards, stating that they “highlight some of the most exemplary pieces of work that have captured the essence of truth, integrity, and social responsibility. I would like to thank each of you and our collaborators.”
Uwadoka reflected on the power of words and imagery in journalism, acknowledging how storytelling can effectively shape perceptions, challenge societal norms, and promote accountability.
Dr Nwachukwu, commenting on the standout qualities of the awarded stories, noted the significant improvement in the caliber of submissions this year. She highlighted originality, depth, engagement, balance, impact, adherence to ethical standards, and captivating introductions as key elements that distinguished the winning entries.
Dr John emphasised the importance of originality and depth in storytelling, stating that these elements contribute to a story’s uniqueness and its impact on communities. He also criticised the use of AI-generated content in journalism when it lacks human voices, arguing that a compelling story must convey authentic perspectives to resonate with readers.
For Otalor, concluding a story with a call to action or an active voice is essential, leaving the audience with a meaningful takeaway.
The event culminated in the presentation of award plaques, laptops, and phones to the winners, marking a celebratory evening for the recipients and the media community at large.
Other awardees and the categories of their awards are highlighted below:
BEST STORY ON FINANCE
Odume Festus Azubuike of Financial Edge, was adjudged 1st Prize winner, for his entry titled, “Navigating Turbulent Times: Nestle Nigeria’s Journey To Recovery,” Joan Chioma Obinagwam of Confiance News took 2nd Prize, for her article on “How Nestlé Nigeria can leverage Hedging in mitigating currency risks,” and Nkiruka Nnorom of Vanguard Newspaper, was the 3rd Prize winner, for her submission titled “Top manufacturers list woes, incur N266bn losses in 1yr.”
BEST STORY ON AGRICULTURE
Godwin Anyebe of Consumers Assembly, went home with the 1st Prize, for his entry “Nestlé Nigeria’s Agricultural Ventures: A Model for Multinational Corporations in Nigeria,” and Edet Udoh of The Revealer Online, was adjudged 2nd Prize winner, with his story on “Nestle Supporting Regenerative Agriculture, Guaranteeing Food Security.”
BEST STORY ON ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Vivian Ihechu of the News Agency of Nigeria, was the 1st Prize winner, for her story titled “How WASH Facilities foster hygiene practice in Ogun State,” Usukuma Ntia of Brand Communication emerged the 2nd Prize winner, for his entry titled “Why Environmental Sustainability Remains The Core Of Business Operations At Nestle Nigeria,” and Obinna Odogwu, working with The Gavel took the 3rd Prize Winner, for his entry, “Nestlé: How we’re tackling climate change, promoting environmental sustainability globally.”
BEST STORY ON NUTRITION
Edet Udoh, publisher of The Revealer Online, got the 1st Prize, for his story on “Enhancing Nutritional Levels To Achieve Sustainable Growth,” Innocent Eneta of the Daily Global News, took the 2nd Prize, for his entry titled “Combating Malnutrition in Nigeria Through Accessible and Nutritious Food Solutions, A Collaborative Approach – Daily Global News.”
BEST STORY ON WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
Edet Udoh, The Revealer Online, grabbed the 1st Prize, for his article on , “Assessing Nestle Nigeria’s Contributions To Women’s Empowerment In Nigeria”, while Bonny Amadi of NewzMile Africa, got the 2nd Prize for his entry, “Beam of Light in Nigeria’s Extreme Austere Era.”
BEST STORY ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Usukuma NTIA of Brand Communicator, won the 1st Prize, for his story titled “Nestlé’s Commitment To Development: Empowering Needy Citizens In Our Communities.” And Chikama Roseline working with the African Brands, bagged the 2nd Prize, for her story with the headline “Nestle Nigeria: Championing Community Development Through Sustainable Initiatives.”
BEST PHOTO STORY
Nurain Aliu of the Legend News took 1st Prize for his submission, “Nestlé Provides Water And Sanitation Facilities In Community Schools, Ogun State,” Shaba Gbenga of Omonaija Blog, got the 2nd Prize for his Photo story: “Nestlé Nigeria supports media practitioners with challenges, families of deceased journalists, and Olawale Amoo of BusinessDay, bagged 3rd Prize, for his entry “MILO Basketball Championship- A losers pain”.
