the Nigeria Customs Service, was honored as the recipient of the prestigious “Best Spokesperson of the Year” award at the 2024 National Spokespersons Award (NSAwards) ceremony in Abuja yesterday evening.
His exceptional performance outshined the other two finalists, Funso Aina from MTN and Reuben Mouka from the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, securing his well-deserved victory.
The award program was organized by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) in association with Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), PRNigeria, and Economic Confidential publishers.
The inaugural National Spokespersons Summit/Awards, hosted at the International Conference Centre, ICC, Abuja, came to an end with this event.
After taking home the prize in the 2023 edition of the ceremony, Maiwada won it again, this time in a row.
Hakama Sidi Ali of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), who took home the “Distinguished Spokesperson in Financial Service” award, Olufemi Soyemi of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), who won the “Distinguished Spokesperson in the Oil and Gas Sector” award, and Abdulrahman Balogun of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), who received the “Excellence in International Relations” award, are among the other spokespersons who excelled at the event.
The British High Commission’s Adewale Adebajo in Lagos was awarded the “Most Innovative Spokesperson Award Diplomatic/Multinational,” while Alh. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the governor of Kwara State, was given the “Excellence in Corporate Governance” award.
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Others are Nigeria Customs Service (Excellence in Regulatory Compliance), Dr. Jossy Nwakocha of Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Ltd (Distinguished Spokesperson in Environmental Sustainability), Charles Aniagwu, Commissioner in Delta State (Spokesperson Gold Award – Public Sector (State), Maryam Sanusi of FERMA (Spokesperson Gold Award – Public Sector (Federal), Festus Akande of Supreme Court (Outstanding Spokesperson Award- Judiciary), Eseme Eyibo of The Senate (Outstanding Spokesperson Award- Legislature) and Sanusi Bature of the Kano State Government (Outstanding Spokesperson Award – Executive Arm).
The others are Stanley Olisa of Air Peace (Young Spokesperson of the Year), Reuben Muoka of the NCC (Distinguished Spokesperson in Technology), Jonas Agwu of the FRSC (Outstanding Security Spokesperson), Dr. Peter Afunanya of the DSS (Distinguished Spokesperson in Crisis Management), Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau of DHQ (Outstanding Military Spokesperson), Michael Adande of Shell (Distinguished Spokesperson in Corporate Communication), and Rafiu Ajakaye of the Kwara State Government (Distinguished Spokesperson in Political Communication).
Dr. Ike Neliaku, President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), congratulated the recipients and encouraged them to continue breaking new ground in their respective fields of expertise.
He claims that even though roughly twenty spokespersons won various honors at the ceremony, those who made it to the final three in each of the award categories are also worthy winners in and of themselves.
Neliaku said: “Let me congratulate the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Image Merchants Promotion Limited, Mallam Yushau Shuaib, for organizing this beautiful and colourful event to reward our spokespersons who are carving a niche for themselves by doing excellent jobs for their principals and organisations”.
In his welcome address earlier, Mal. Shuaib explained that the award ceremony was organized to celebrate high-flying Nigerian spokespersons whose brilliant work is helping to redefine the job of public relations, reputation management, and image branding in the country.
“I wish to appreciate the efforts of the Awards Jury Team, who did a fantastic job of assessing and selecting the deserving finalists and eventual winners.”.
