Okonji bags NCS-Don Etiebet award on ICT reporting

Emmanuel Okonji has been pronounced the winner of the joint 2011 Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) and Don Etiebet Foundation award for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) reporting.

Mr. Okonji who is the IT & Telecom Editor, Daily Independent Newspapers Limited, was awarded the prize, which is an annual award, seeking to reward excellence in ICT innovation and reporting.

The panel of judges set up by the Lagos State chapter of NCS with Emma Okonji adjudged the winner of the award in the print media category, while Bayero Agabi of AIT Infotech, won the electronic media category.

A first class graduate of the University of Nigeria Nsukka with a B.Sc in Industrial Technical Education, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Mass Communication, University of Lagos, Mr. Okonji joined Daily Independent Newspapers in 2001, and rose to the position of Head, IT. Telecom.

Speaking at the award ceremony in Lagos, organised in conjunction with the 2nd IT Stakeholders’ Forum of the Lagos chapter of NCS on Monday, Founder of Don Obot Etiebet Foundation, Mr. Don Etiebet, said the Foundation was formed to promote indigenous innovation in ICT in the area of research and development, as well as best ICT reporting in technology development in the country.

Others who also honoured at the awards included Olalekan Fadaunsi from the University of Lagos, who won the Best ICT Innovative award and Joshua Odunsi from Crawford University in Ogun State, the second winner of the innovative award.

All categories of award were accompanied with financial benefits and plaques for the recognition.

Chairman, Lagos chapter of NCS, Mr. Rogba Adeoye thanked Etiebet for sponsoring the award, while challenging members of NCS to come up with ICT solutions that would add value to the Nigerian economy.

Director General of National Office of Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr. Umar Bindir, who delivered the key note address at the award ceremony, challenged Nigeria’s vision of becoming one of the first 20 economies of the world in 2020, insisting that the country must redefine its policies and begin to focus on projects that are achievable in the short term planning.

The ceremony was attended by the representative of the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Ajibike Ogunsonwo who is a permanent secretary, Ministry of Education; representative of the Commissioner of Science and Technology, Alhaji Jelili Shittu who is the director of projects at the ministry; incumbent and past Vice Chancellors of the University of Lagos, Prof. Babatunde Sofoluwe and Prof. Ibi Dapo Obe respectively; Chairman of Zinox Technologies, Leo Stan Ekeh; Chief Executive of Omatek Computers, Mrs. Florence Seriki; Chairman, Linkserve, Mr. Chima Onyekwere; Fellows of the Nigeria Computer Society and its members, among others.

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