The University of Ibadan Medical Students’ Association (UIMSA) Press recorded a strong outing at the Union of Campus Journalists, University of Ibadan (UCJ-UI) Dinner and Awards Night, named the best departmental Local Press Organisation in the University of Ibadan for the second successive year and winning seven awards from 13 nominations at the event held on Wednesday, 19th December, at the Music Concert Hall, University of Ibadan, with the programme commencing almost two hours behind schedule.
The ceremony was attended by several notable figures in journalism and media, including AMB Taiwo, investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo, Martin Isaac, Tobi Odeyinka, Alao Abiodun, Michael Williams, Alimi Azeez, Samuel Olowolayemo, all finalists in the essay category, as well as the UI’SU President, Covenant Odedele and PRO, Ezekiel Adekanmbi.
Under the Local Press Organisation (LPO) category, UIMSA Press emerged as a major winner, clinching Best Departmental Local Press Organisation, Most Innovative Local Press Organisation, and Best Editorial, marking one of the highest organisational recognitions of the night.
In the individual categories, Osakwe Okojie, E-i-C of UIMSA Press, won the Best News Writer award. He had been nominated alongside Sunday Precious, the organisation’s News Editor. Ladapo Wisdom secured the award for Best Entertainment Writer, while Rodiyah Khidir, deputy E-i-C Preclinicals/Health Editor, won Best Health Writer. Rodiyah Khidir further distinguished herself at the event by emerging as Second Runner-Up in the J6 Awards for the Best Three Female Campus Journalists, adding to UIMSA Press’s tally for the night. Utibe Emmanuel of UIMSA Press, inaugurated as Editor-in-Chief of the Union of Campus Journalists on the night, also emerged as the best Editor of the outgoing UCJ Editorial Board. Other UIMSA Press nominations included Osakwe Okojie for Most Energetic Campus Journalist (Editorial), best Editor-in-Chief and best Politics Writer, Peter Adeyemo for best Entertainment Writer, Ogunleye Moboluwarin for best Features Writer, UIMSA Press for Overall best LPO, and Rodiyah Khidir and Wisdom Ladapo for the Abimbola Ojenike Prize for most promising Investigative Campus Journalist.
Speaking on the recognition of UIMSA Press on this stage, Osakwe Okojie, Editor-in-Chief, commented, “This is all that we hoped for—to build on the successes of the last tenure. I’m glad to see UIMSA Press still producing writers of a very high standard. It is my hope that we continue to establish ourselves on this campus in the coming years, and awards like these become routine. At the end of the day, though, it’s not necessarily about the awards, and I’m just happy to see us resonate with students at all. Long may that continue.”
The awards and nominations placed UIMSA Press among the most recognised organisations at the ceremony, reflecting its growing influence and consistency in campus journalism within the University of Ibadan.
