It was a meeting of the best in the media industry at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos on December 3, 2015 when Mediagate Communications Limited bestowed honour on selected media owners and outstanding journalists.

The occasion was the second edition of the Nigerian Icons Merit Awards (NIMA), an annual event where icons of a particular industry are honoured to serve as an inspiration to the up-and-coming generation.

This year’s awards were in two categories – ‘Icons of Nigerian Journalism’ (for outstanding journalists) and ‘Iconic Promoters of Journalism’ (media owners).

The first category included three former state governors who were outstanding journalists, namely Alhaji Lateef Jakande (Lagos), Chief Olabisi Onabanjo (Ogun, who was honoured posthumously) and Aremo Olusegun Osoba (Ogun).

Others include Chief Olu Adebanjo, Special Adviser to President Shehu Shagari in the Second Republic (posthumous), Prince Henry Odukomaiya, a former editor of the old Daily Times and later founding Managing director/Editor-in-Chief of the Concord Group and Champion Newspaper organizations, Professors Idowu Shobowale and Ralph Akinfeleye, both, renowned journalism teachers.

The media owners who were honoured were former Abia State Governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, who publishes The Sun and New Telegraph newspapers and Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu of Champion Newspapers.