Port Harcourt-based journalist and THISDAY Newspaper correspondent, Blessing Ibunge, has emerged as the winner of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Prize for Niger Delta Region’s Oil and Gas Print Reporter of the Year at the 13th Bayelsa Media Awards (BMA), held in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
Ibunge was honoured for her outstanding contributions to journalism, particularly in reporting developments in the oil and gas industry and the economy of the Niger Delta region. Her recognition placed her among distinguished media professionals celebrated for their commitment to credible reporting and public enlightenment.
The awards ceremony coincided with activities marking the 30th anniversary of the creation of Bayelsa State and attracted journalists and other media practitioners from across the Niger Delta, including Rivers, Cross River, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Edo and Delta states.
The NCDMB-sponsored awards featured three categories, with each winner receiving a cash prize of N1 million and a brand-new laptop in recognition of their professional contributions to economic and oil and gas reporting.
Other recipients included Joseph Kunde of TVC Yenagoa, who won the NCDMB Prize for Niger Delta Region’s Report on Economy, and Ebitimi Zitimiyola of NTA Yenagoa, who emerged as the winner of the NCDMB Prize for Niger Delta Region’s Oil and Gas Broadcast Reporter of the Year.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the board’s Manager of Government Relations, Teddy Bai, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to promoting professionalism and excellence in journalism.
Ogbe, who also participated as a panellist at the event, acknowledged the media’s contributions to the establishment, growth and visibility of the board. He emphasised the importance of journalism in communicating development initiatives, promoting accountability and shaping informed public discourse.
He noted that the board valued its longstanding partnership with the media and recognised the critical role of credible reporting in deepening public understanding of developments in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
The NCDMB executive secretary also commended the organisers of the Bayelsa Media Awards for sustaining a platform that celebrates professional excellence, encourages healthy competition and motivates journalists to maintain high standards in their work.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the awards, Victor Binawari, explained that the initiative was established to recognise media professionals who devote their careers to promoting individuals, businesses and institutions but often receive little recognition for their own contributions.
“We started because we noticed that media professionals will do so well to promote people, promote politicians, promote businesses and don’t get the opportunity to be promoted,” Binawari said.
He expressed appreciation to the NCDMB for supporting the awards, describing the board as a dependable partner in efforts to encourage professionalism and excellence within the media industry.
Binawari further disclosed that the organisers maintained a transparent and rigorous judging process, with an adjudication committee comprising experienced professionals and academics evaluating submitted entries on their merits rather than the identities of the journalists.
According to him, the independent assessment process has helped strengthen the credibility of the awards while encouraging wider participation among journalists from across the Niger Delta.
In the keynote address, the Bayelsa State Government underscored the importance of a professional and responsible media in promoting accountability, transparency and good governance.
Represented by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Alfred Nimizigha, the Secretary to the State Government acknowledged the media’s contributions to public enlightenment through coverage of government policies, development projects and security-related issues.
The state government urged journalists to uphold professional ethics while continually improving their skills in digital journalism, data analysis, fact-checking and investigative reporting to meet the demands of an increasingly dynamic media environment.
The 13th Bayelsa Media Awards further reinforced its position as a platform for celebrating journalistic excellence across the Niger Delta, recognising media professionals whose work contributes to public awareness and informed reporting on critical economic, industrial and developmental issues affecting the region.
Ibunge’s recognition as the NCDMB Oil and Gas Print Reporter of the Year highlights the importance of specialised journalism in documenting developments in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and bringing critical industry issues to the attention of the public.
-Emeka Amaefula —+234(0)8111813069
