The immediate past governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has bagged a Lifetime Achievement Award on Media Empowerment by the national body of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.
The award was bestowed on him on Saturday, at the union’s 70th anniversary, and a book presentation held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
Senator Smart Adeyemi, a former president of the NUJ who represented Kogi West senatorial district in the 9th National Assembly, received the prestigious award on behalf of the former governor.
According to the president of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, who signed former Governor Bello’s letter of nomination alongside his deputy, Mrs. Abimbola Oyetunde, the honour was in recognition of the former governor’s outstanding contributions to the welfare of journalists, especially in Kogi State, under his watch.
“We also acknowledge your immense contributions to journalism through the GYB Annual Workshop for Correspondents and Editors,” the letter said.
According to the NUJ, former Governor Bello’s yearly event encouraged and trained no fewer than 200 media professionals across Nigeria per edition on developmental journalism and how to sharpen their writing skills.
Seasoned media chiefs and professors of journalism were also on the ground as members of the jury in the essay competitions that followed the workshops, with cash and other prizes won each year.
While receiving the award, Bello thanked the NUJ’s national body for the recognition and promised to continue supporting Journalists’ welfare.
Speaking through Senator Smart Adeyemi, the former governor also praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for its current economic policies, which he said were already yielding visible results.
He specifically said Kogi State, under the watch of Governor Usman Ododo, would deliver presidential victory to Tinubu in 2027, 100 per cent, noting that there was no space for opposition in the state.
The colourful anniversary and awards night had many dignitaries across all sectors in attendance.
Some of those who graced the occasion included the minister of information and national orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, who represented President Bola Tinubu; former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba; former minister of youth and sport and special adviser on media and public communications to the president, Mr Sunday Dare.
Others were governors of Kano, Gombe, Ondo, Oyo, Bauchi, Imo, Akwa Ibom, and Bayelsa states, some of whom were represented by their deputies.
