FRCN, NTA, DAAR, ASO Radio/TV endorse broadcasting awards

The Nigerian Broadcasting Awards (TNBA), which is scheduled to hold in October, received further endorsement, yesterday, with four new media houses joining the list.

In a statement issued, yesterday, by the Awards Steering Committee, members paid courtesy visits to the offices of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), DAAR Communications, owners of African Independent Television/Ray Power FM and Abuja Broadcasting Corporation, operators of ASO Radio and Television in Abuja.

The awards are being organised by Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) to recognise and reward excellence in the industry.

At FRCN, Dr. Mansur Liman, the Director-General, received the BON delegation, led by Mr. Bayo Awosemo of Arise News.

Speaking during the visit, Awosemo requested FRCN to support BON in its bid to deliver a high calibre awards ceremony to celebrate professional accomplishments in the Nigerian broadcasting industry.

Responding, Liman, who is also the vice chairman of BON, commended the decision to celebrate stellar broadcasting industry professionals whose talents, for long, have not been formally recognised and rewarded.

“The awards will recognise and reward the talents that abound in the Nigerian broadcasting industry, spur them to be better and inspire coming professionals to excel in the knowledge that they will someday be recognised and celebrated,” said Liman.

At NTA, the Director-General, Mallam Yakubu Ibn-Mohammed, who described The Nigerian Broadcasting Awards as an intervention necessary to raise practice standards in the industry, received members of the committee.

“We are delighted that this intervention is coming at this time. It is one that will bring about enormous professional improvement in the Nigerian broadcasting space,” said Ibn-Mohammed.

The NTA Director-General also promised to ensure that the event is a successful one by putting resources of the NTA at the disposal of the Steering Committee.

Earlier in the day, High Chief Tony Akiotu, Group Managing Director of DAAR Communications, delivered his organisation’s endorsement of the awards, in addition to advising the BON delegation on the need to recognise and reward broadcasting superstars of yesteryears, just as the current crop will be recognised.

“Broadcasting in Nigeria has come a very long way and broadcasters have made a lot of sacrifices. It is time we started celebrating broadcasters for their sacrifices. While it is important to celebrate those who are currently excelling, it is equally important to celebrate those who excelled in the past,” Akiotu said.

Managing Director of Abuja Broadcasting Corporation, Mallam Ibrahim Damisa, also made the same appeal as his DAAR Communications counterpart. He enjoined the delegation to remember sacrifices of previous stars of the industry.

“We need to remember the sacrifices of our heroes past, some of whom are no longer with us but whose works we should never forget. The awards, which represent rewards for excellence, will lead to growth in the Nigerian broadcasting sector as excellence rewarded usually leads to more excellence,” he said.