Guardian, Brand Intelligence Shine at NB Golden Pen Awards Foremost brewer, Nigerian breweries Plc once again promoted professionalism, objective reportage and excellence among journalist this year at the fourth edition of the Golden Pen Awards which took place last week at the Grand ball room of Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. Among the winners at this prestigious awards ceremony was Mr. Usukuma Ntia, The Editor of Brand Intelligence, a brand-focused segment in The Saturday Guardian. He emerged the Overall winner of the Journalist of the Year category, smiling home with the grand prize of N500, 000, an Apple iPad and a plague. Mr. Victor Famuyibo, Executive Director, Head of Human Resource, NB Plc, who represented the Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries, Mr. Nicholas Vervelde spoke extensively on the modalities of the Golden Pen Award prize ceremony. Giving a short background behind the awards, he revealed that the gathering was to reaffirm Nigerian Breweries’ partnership with the media - a partnership he confessed, had endured over the years”. Highlighting the steps taken to ensure transparency in the awards process, Nigerian Breweries MD said, “we constituted a jury made up of distinguished professionals led by Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, a distinguished journalist and Public Relations Expert; Professor Ralph Akinfeleye, renowned Professor of Mass Communication and Mrs. Nkechi Ali- Balogun, a former chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR). This year, we introduced Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, President, Nigeria Guild of Editors who happens to be true professional and tested journalist.” He also stated that the four year old award has so far produced four winners in the Journalist of the year category and two others from the Photo journalist of the year category. “We have no doubt that our jury did a professional work by analyzing reports and photographs for their originality, News value, use of resources, credibility and factuality. They would have also considered info-graphics, layout or headline, clarity and social responsibility”. The eventual winner of the fourth Golden Pen Award organized by Nigerian Breweries plc, Mr. Usukuma Ntia who was also named NB Golden Pen Journalist of the Year was full of encomiums for NB Plc. “I want to specially thank Nigerian breweries for organizing an epoch making event like this. Sincerely, in all my fifteen years as a journalist, I have never won any award as great as this. I want to thank almighty God who has made me the winner of this prestigious award”. Mr. Ntia carted home the cash prize of N500, 000 (five hundred thousand naira) and a 64GB Apple ipad 2. Other winners in the journalist of the year category include Mr. Okuhu Ikem (1st runner up) from BusinessWorld and Mrs. Neta Nwosu of Sun Newspaper, (2nd runner up). There were also consolation prizes of one iPad each for five other writers. The photo journalist of the year, Mr. Suleman Hassan won the first prize of N250, 000 and a 64GB ipad while both the 1st runner up and 2nd runner up went home with a cash prize of N200, 000 and a 64GB ipad respectively. Delivering the vote of thanks, Mr. Edem Vindah, NB’s Media and Public Affairs Manager thanked the media for the sustained and productive relationship with Nigerian Breweries over the years. In his words “Thank you all, gentlemen of the media for the continued reportage of objective and original news content. Nigerian Breweries Plc is proud to be associated with the media and we promise to encourage excellence and professionalism in the industry”.