Kwara State Governor Ahmed Abdulfatah has congratulated The Nation.

Ahmed, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahab Oba, described the award as an endorsement of The Nation's robust editorial policy and professional excellence.

The governor said The Nation, since its establishment, had not only remained steadfast in its commitment to the ideal of balance reportage but parades a crop of columnists, whose opinions and analysis have continued to define the nation's political and economic landscape.

He urged the paper not to rest on its oars.

Former Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu also congratulated the management and staff of The Nation for winning the Newspaper of the Year and other categories at the 21st edition of the Nigeria Media Merit Awards (NMMA).

The frontline politician urged the management and workers to maintain the standard and win more laurels.

The Nation won the Babatunde Jose Prize for Newspaper of the Year and five other awards at the NMMA in Ikogosi-Ekiti, Ekiti State, last weekend.

Tinubu, in a letter to the newspaper, noted that the honours were well-deserved.

Editor Gbenga Omotoso won the Dele Giwa Prize for Editor of the Year. The newspaper's Editorial Board, which has won laurels for its editorials on critical issues, won the prize for Editorial Writing. Three of its editorials were finalists in the category. The winning entries were Systemic rot; The Real Sacrifice and A Time To Clean the Augean Stables.

Assistant Editor (News) Olukorede Yishau won the Intercontinental Bank Prize for Capital Market Reporter of the Year. Assistant Editor (Investigations) Joke Kujenya clinched the Peter Odili Prize for Power Reporter of the Year, with her entry, Why Govt, Workers Quarrel Over PHCN, which gave rare insights into why workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and the Federal Government were bickering over the agency's privatisation.

Senior Correspondent Collins Nweze won the UBA Prize for Money Market Reporter of the Year with his report, titled: National Assembly vs CBN.

This newspaper's reporters were also finalists in categories, such as Columnist of the Year, Tourism Reporter of the Year, Human Rights Reporter of the Year, Telecoms Reporter of the Year, Oil and Gas Reporter of the Year, Columnist of the Year, Investigative Reporter of the Year, Newspaper Reporter of the Year and Foreign News Reporter of the Year.

Omotoso and Editorial Board Chairman Omatseye were finalists in the Columnist of the Year category.

Serial award winner Olatunji Ololade was runner-up in three categories — Foreign News Reporter of the Year, Newspaper Reporter of the Year and Investigative Reporter of the Year.

Assistant Editor (Arts) Ozolua Uhakheme was runner-up in the Tourism Reporting category. Kunle Akinrinade was also a runner-up in the Human Rights Reporting category.

Assistant Editor Lucas Ajanaku was a runner-up in the Telecoms Reporter of the Year category. Also, Assistant Editor Emeka Ugwuanyi was a runner-up in the Oil and Gas Reporting category.

Tinubu's letter reads: "Job well done. Let me specially congratulate the staff and management of The Nation for their impressive showing at the 21st Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA). The Nation deservedly won six prestigious awards that night. The recognition is a resounding validation of the contribution the newspaper has made to journalism and particularly in disseminating news and information in a comprehensive, timely, robust and professional manner.

"That you won the Babatunde Jose Newspaper of the Year award particularly gladdens me. It confirms that the newspaper has more than come of age. It is the coronation of the paper as a national paper with formidable reach and coverage and as a clear leader. Besting long established papers like of The Guardian and Punch, means that we have come far in a relatively brief period. This is a testament to the hard work and commitment to excellence of all involved in turning the idea of The Nation newspaper into the current reality.

"Your success in five other top categories viz Dele Giwa Prize for Editor of the Year, Capital Market Reporter of the Year, Money Market Reporter of the Year, Editorial Writing Prize and Power Reporter of the Year confirms your fine performance and reputation as a superior all-round newspaper.

"We now move forward into a critical moment in our nation's journey. Our commitment to democracy and good governance will be tested. To a material degree, The Nation's progress will depend, I daresay, that Nigeria's development will depend largely on how organisations discharge their role as the fourth estate.

"Thus, I urge staff and management not to rest on their oars. This is just a glimpse of what can be accomplished if you remain true to your mission.

"In the years to come, we should witness a more brilliant performance. The newspaper must stake its position as an exemplary paper, a champion for democracy and the rule of law, and a voice for the voiceless. Without sacrificing your neutrality, the paper must seek to shine the light of knowledge in a way that it brings justice to the greatest number of our people."

Editorial Board celebrates its award

At its meeting yesterday, The Nation's Editorial Board clinked glasses of wine. Members of Nigeria's elite corps of editorial writers had good reasons to exchange banters and drinks to the health journalistic intellectualism.

In this season of laurels, The Nation stood peerless and proud.It won the Newspaper of the Year, Editor of the Year award and others. But the Editorial Board showed especial snob quality in both the Diamond Award for Media Excellence and the Nigeria Media Merit Award.

It scooped up a record five nominations in two award nights and crowned it with the NMMA editorial writing prize.

For the NMMA, The Nation had all three nominations for editorial writing. It was the only prize all who attended knew had been decided because the list of nominees already was in the brochure for the awards night. The three editorials were: "Systemic rot," relating the contradictions in the firing of the former Power Minister Barth Nnaji. The others were "Real sacrifice" and "Cleaning the Augean stable."

"It was a crowning endorsement of a year of hard work, imaginative richness and elegance of style," said Sam Omatseye, chairman of the Editorial Board.

For DAME, The Nation did not win the first prize, but had the first and second runner-up positions. The Punch won the prize.

"With five nominations and one grand win, we could ask for more," said Omatseye, "but we must be thankful for the reward for an exceptional year."