THISDAY Reporter Wins MTN Foundation Chairman’s Award

Peter Uzoho

A journalist with THISDAY Newspapers, Vanessa Obioha,  has been honoured with MTN Nigeria Foundation Chairman’s Award for her innovative reportage on the foundation.

A fellow of the MTN Media Innovation Programme, Obioha was presented with the award at the graduation ceremony held at Pan-Atlantic University, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, yesterday.

The inaugural MTN Media Innovation Programme kicked off in May with 22 media professionals selected from different sectors of the media.
The six-week MTN-funded programme, spread across six months, including a study trip to South Africa where participants visited the MTN’s Group office.
In collaboration with the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, the MTN Media Innovation Programme is designed for innovative storytellers and media leaders to equip them with new skills needed to function in the rapidly changing media world.

“Our goal is to help you understand our industry better and advance your reporting skills,” said the Chief Corporate Services Officer (CCSO), MTN Nigeria, Tobechukwu Okigbo, at the ceremony.

The MIP fellows engaged in intensive sessions on courses covering modern income streams for journalists, creativity and innovation, entrepreneurship and management principles, 5G, IoT and blockchain technology, business and media ethics, and strategic planning skills, among others.

Also rewarded at the ceremony was Mr. Mike Okwoche, the Senior Anchor and Head of Newscasters at Television Continental (TVC) who took the Chairman Award for his innovative project, and Elsie Godwin, the Marketing Manager of Cassava Network, who was recognised for diligence in studying three courses simultaneously.

A graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism with distinction in Mass Communication, Obioha joined THISDAY as a contributing writer in 2012 and became a staff member in 2016, covering lifestyle and entertainment.

However, she has ranged broadly across the newspaper pages, reporting on politics, business, sports, tourism, and other subjects.
Recently, she started contributing to the Gaming Week column of the paper.
In 2015, she was nominated for the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Awards.
Obioha recently took a screenwriting course with the New York Film Academy.