By Victor Bieni
Leadership Newspaper Editor (Assistant Business Editor) cum Journalist, Mr Anthony Awunor has emerged the best Aviation writer of the year 2019 at the 13th Nigeria Media Nite-Out Award.
The media guru spoke to our reporter today at DEOs Hotel, Asaba, Delta State Capital Stated that the annual award ceremony was held at the Lagos Airport Hotel, recently as witnessed by the crème-de-la-crème of the society, especially in politics, business, and entertainment, property, banking, ICT, media and others.
According to wunor, he was announced as winner of ‘Aviation Writer of the Year’ award after his nomination alongside five other journalists from Punch, Daily Trust, BusinessDay, Guardian and ThisDay Newspapers.
In his words: “After receiving the award, I commended the organisers for their objectivity and due diligence in picking me as the winner. Also I applauded the management of LEADERSHIP Newspaper for offering him the platform to exhibit his skills, while he dedicated the award to God”.
“No doubt, top personalities were also honoured at the event which included amongst others: Governor of Zamfara, Bello Matawalle who won the Best Security Conscious Governor of The Year. Others are: Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), the first lady of Ondo state, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu”.
“The theme of this year award is “Nigerian Economy and Political Development: Finding the Missing Piece” delivered by the former presidential aspirant, John Onche Shaibu, who was the Keynote Speaker”.
The best Aviation writer of the year in Nigeria stated further that the organizers of Nigeria Media Nite-Out Award also honoured late Precious Owolabi, the Channels Television Corp member who was killed with a stray bullet in Abuja during the clash between the Islamic Movement of Nigeria and the Nigeria Police Force.
Awunor added that NMNA which was put together by the convener, Sola Olugbemiro presented a post-humous award of reporter of the year to Precious’ parent at the event, while a property firm, Revolution Plus, also donated a plot of land to the parent in his name.
He quoted the Chief Executive Officer of Revolution Plus, Bamidele Onalaja: “The heroic act of the young journalist who tried to carve a niche for himself as a corps member with Channels Television must not be allowed to be forgotten”.
Leadership Newspaper Editor noted that others who spoke in that event includes: Semiu Okanlawon, the former Special Adviser to former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola who also bagged award for the Innovative PRMedia Relations Expert of the Year amongst other winners from TVC, Ayodele Ezekiel Ozugbakun, Babajide Kolade-otitoju, Zobi FM, and Seun Okinbaloye of Channels TV, Wazobia FM Kwara among others, adding those from the banking sector such as Fidelity Bank emerged Media Friendly Bank of The Year.
Biographically, Anthony Okechukwu Awunor is Ubulu Uku born Journalist in Aniocha South LGA of Delta State, born in 1970, and acquired his secondary Education in St Anthony’s College, Ubulu Uku, then proceeded to University of Lagos where he bagged a bachelor of Arts degree in Linguistics, the media guru started his journalism career with Financial Standard in 2006.
From Financial Standard, he joined National Mirror Newspaper. From there, he moved on to the “The Moment Newspaper as a Senior correspondent, covering Motoring and Aviation beats, thence moved to the Union Newspaper where he rose to the position of an Assistant Business Editor.
Awunor moved from Union Newspaper, relocated to Abuja where he was appointed as the Editor of Zest Travelers Magazine, an international tourism publication circulated all over the world, then from Zest Travellers, that leadership appointed him to work with the Newspaper as an Assistant Business Editor, a position that he is still holding till date.
Awunor has attended many professional courses home and abroad, including the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State, the Assistant Business Editor is currently, the Head of Media and Communications of the Umu Anioma Foundation Worldwide, a non-religious, non-for-profit socio-cultural organisation, made up of indigenes of Anioma in Delta State and has bi-sect headquarters in Asaba and Atlanta, Georgia U.S.A.
Awunor’s hobbies according to him includes: Volunteer services, reading and traveling, he is married and blessed with children, while mentioning other dignatories present at the award ceremony were: Vice Chairman NMNA, John Onche Shaibu; and different celebrities, media gurus, politicians and professionals graced this year Nigeria Media Nite-Out Award.
