Alex Ibru gets lifetime media award

Alex-Ibru_copyFOR the management and staff of The Guardian, whose publisher, Mr. Alex Ibru ended his earthly journey on November 20, 2011, there is refreshing news that offers inspiration to enter the future with hope.      

The newspaper’s achievements in the past one decade have not gone unnoticed. Indeed, fresh recognition came to the newspaper   as it clinched four awards at the 20th Diamond for Media Excellence Award (DAME) held in Lagos on Sunday.

While the publisher of The Guardian received the post-humous award of “Lifetime Achievement, Media Entrepreneurship”, the newspaper jointly won the “Newspaper of the Decade Award” with The Punch Newspaper. The Guardian also won the award for the “Best Editorial Writing of the Year” and “Child Friendly Reporting” award.

In this year’s DAME, there were 25 categories that cut across print, broadcasting and advertising.

While The Punch won the “Newspaper of the Year Award,” the Tell Magazine won the “Newsmagazine of the Year Award,” and Ayodeji Adeyemi, also of TELL, won the “Developmental and Sport Reporting Award.” Tony Nmuaka won “Agricultural Reporting Award” while Ololade Lateef of The Nation clinched the “Judiciary Reporting Award” and Armsfree Ajanaku of The Guardian won the “Child Friendly Reporting Award.”

According to the Chief Promoter of DAME, Chief Lanre Idowu, over the years, those who have won the DAME awards have improved in their different fields.           

Before the award ceremony, there was heroes’ night, where media practitioners who have passed on were celebrated and the Publisher of The Guardian, Alex Ibru, was celebrated with fireworks. During the award, a minute silence was observed in memory of Ibru.               .

More tributes continued to pour in for the late Alex Ibru. Foremost Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark who was at the Lagos residence of the deceased yesterday, said he would rather reserve his comments because Alex was a son to him.                  

“Alex Ibru is like a son to me. When your son dies before you, you will not know how to comment. So, you can see how I feel. But who are we to question God? God did not consult any of us before sending us here, so, he will not consult us before we go. We will all go. When, where, how, we do not know, “ he said.

Also in attendance were Chief Alex Duduyemi and his wife, a legal luminary, Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN), Mr. Babatunde Ososami, the Primate of The Church of the Lord (Aladura) Worldwide (TCLAW), His Eminence, the Most Rev. Rufus Ositelu, Managing Director, Sparta Contractor, Femi Oshoniyi, Tayo Ogunsanya, Major Wale Kuku, Chike Clark, Tolu Ighodalo, Sonny Suzanne and Adekunle Akintayo.

Duduyemi described Ibru as a dear friend whom he would personally miss because they shared the same name.

Babalakin said the late publisher had a pioneering spirit. In the condolence register, he wrote, “may your great and pioneering spirit continue to rest in perfect peace.”

Most Rev. Ositelu described Ibru as a respected public servant,  “ a giant and a devoted ambassador of press freedom.”

According to Mr. Ademola Odunlade who led the Culbeat New Concepts (CNC) delegation to the Alex Ibru’s residence yesterday, his organisation was glad to associate itself with Ibru and the good legacy he left behind.