By Joseph Ugochukwu
Nigerian writer and journalist, Izunna Okafor has been awarded the Outstanding Journalist of the Year in the 2024 Anambra Media Excellence Awards (AMEA)
Okafor received the award on Friday at the 6th edition of AMEA, which held in Awka, the Anambra State capital.
Powered by the Association of Digital Media Core Advocates (ADMCA) and hosted by the Igbowood Arts Exhibition and Film Festival, this year’s edition of the annual award event, also saw other individuals and brands emerge winners in different categories.
Speaking at the event, Founder and National President of the Association of Digital Media Core Advocates (ADMCA), Comrade Harris Chuma-Odili said AMEA has grown to become the longest-running media recognition in Southeastern Nigeria, adding that they are spurred to do more, as according to him, media is ideally instrumental to the growth of any society when it is used for positive rather than destructive tendencies.
According to him, “Information in the digital age has become a weapon, but its impact is dependent on how it is deployed. If it is deployed for good, it rubs off positively on the society. However, if it’s deployed wrongly, it could exacerbate situation, leading to chaos and bloodshed.”
Decrying the alarming rate of fake news in the society today and its destructive negative effects, Comrade Chuma-Odili called on digital information creators and purveyors to always cross-check their information well before sharing, which he said, could be done by fact-checking the authority, accuracy, and timeliness of the content before spreading.
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He emphasized that ADMCA is at the centre of changing the narrative in the media landscape by engaging ethics, transparency and integrity in the media ecosystem, as well as recognizing and rewarding media professionals who are doing outstandingly well in the media industry and their different fields of endeavours.
Earlier in his speech, the Southeast Vice President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Vice President, Comrade Emma Ifesinachi, gave an overview of fake news, further acknowledging that the menace has been on the increase, given certain factors, including lack of fact-checking of information, and the infiltration of the media space by unprofessionals as a result of the present advancement of the digital age.
Some elites and stakeholders at the event, including former Commissioner for Information and Culture in the State, Chief Maja Umeh; former Anambra Fire Chief Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth Development, Engr. Martin Agbili; political juggernaut, Chief Michael Nweke Okechukwu (Akaeze Ịgbakwụ), among others also shared their views on the alarming rate of fake news in the society today, and also suggested ways of curbing it.
The well-attended event, which also featured “presentation” of a paper, titled “The Adverse Effects of Fake News” by Izunna Okafor, had many dignitaries, top government functionaries, media experts, and other members of the public in attendance.
Aside Izunna Okafor, who was awarded the Outstanding Journalist of the Year 2024; other awards presented at the event and the awardees include: Public Service Meritorious Award (Anambra State Head of Service, Barr. Mrs. Theodora Igwegbe); Outstanding Commissioners of the Year (Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Hon. Tonycollins Nwabunwanne; Commissioner for Environment, Engr. Felix Odimegwu; Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs. Ify Obinabo); Outstanding Social Media Personality of the Year (Eche Kenny C.); Outstanding Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Ms. Obioma Obidiegwu, who’s also the Founder of Digi Diva Stores; and Media Man of the Year (Press Secretary to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Mr. Christian Aburime.)
Speaking shortly after receiving the Award, Izunna Okafor, who is a diglot writer, the 2015 Winner of Nigerian Writers Award and a 2022 Fellow of Ebedi International Writers Residency, said the newest award made it a total of 38 national and international awards he has won in journalism and creative writing.
While appreciating the organizers of the Award, Okafor, who has authored and edited many books in Igbo and English languages, with over a thousand online publications, said the Award would spur him to do more, with a belief that his good works are recognized and rewarded.
His previous awards include: Heritage Icon Award/Young Writer of the Year Federal Republic of Nigeria 2016; Anambra Exclusive Youth Choice Award/Outstanding Youth of the Year 2017; Youth Writer of the Year 2016; NAPAS Essay Competition 2017; Starlett Entertainment Award/Creative Writer of the Year 2016; Young Author Award, 2018; Creative Crew Africa/Young Talent of the Year 2018; Campus Best Writer 2018/Campus Best Journalist of the Year 2018; Young Achievers Award/Best Young Writer of the Year 2019; Staff of the Year (Anambra Newspapers and Printing Corporation); Pita Nwana Prize for Igbo Literature, 2015; 1st Prize Winner, NAPAS Essay Competition, 2017; ACORA/Awka Diocese Media Personality (November 2021); 2nd Runner-up NUJ/Prof. Chinyere Stella Okunna for Ethical Journalism 2023; Recognition Award at the 2020 Anambra Art Exhibition, among others. At the age of 22, he was also nominated for The Future Award Africa 2016.
Okafor is the Project Coordinator, Chinua Achebe Literary Festival and Memorial Lecture, as well as the Editor-in-Chief of Chinua Achebe Poetry/Essay Anthology, which is an international poetry and essay anthology published in honour of Chinua Achebe.
Okafor, who hails from Ebenator in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, is the Managing Editor of Onyokomita News, and also writes for 247Ureports, Igbo Radio, Ekweanaedo and many other news platforms.
It was gathered that the President-General of Ebenator Community, Ambassador Chigozie Anadi, has shared the community’s felicitation and goodwill message to Okafor, who is also the Public Relations Officer of the community.
More photos from the event:
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