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The 2011
edition of the Highway Africa conference ended Monday in the city of Cape Town,
South Africa, with Nigeria winning the first runner up by a Lagos-based
NaijaAgroNet, an initiative of DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA) Media.
DSA was
honoured for the innovative use of new media for corporate category at this
year's Highway Africa New Media Award, which held on Sunday night.
The
prize was presented to the Executive Director, Operations, DigitalSENSE Africa
Media, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke by the Honourable Minister of Information, Nigeria,
Mr. Labaran Maku in the company of the Vice Chancellor of Rhodes University,
Grahamstown, Dr. Saleem Badat and Group Executive Director, Telkom, Mrs. Brenda
Kali among others.
Commenting
briefly on the award, Maku commended the management of DSA for the initiative
and invited more Nigerians to emulate such step to sustain the tempo of good
image for the nation.
Equally
reacting after receiving the award, the Executive Director, Operations, DigitalSENSE
Africa, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, expressed gratitude to God Almighty for his
mercies, especially considering the fact that NaijaAgroNet was an initiative
that berthed a few months ago.
This
award, she said, indicates there is a brighter future for online revolution in
the most populous nation on the continent and the world generally.
The
event which held at the Cape Town International Conference Centre (CICC), also saw
Nigeria emerging finalists in all the three categories, namely the individual,
student and corporate at the award supported by the South Africa Broadcasting
Corporation (SABC), and Telkom South Africa.
Other
Nigerian-based initiatives that made it to the finalist included African
Interest and Africa Athletes.
Earlier,
welcoming participants to the event, Director, Highway Africa, Mr. Chris
Kabwato noted that on January 12, 2004, when his family of two adult and three
children came to the university town of Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape from
Johannesburg, their expectation was uncertain.
“It was
a terribly hot day and the infant was irritable,” he said, stressing that the
eight years after, it has been an incredible journey for the entire family.
According
to him, it is not very often that one declares that certain jobs were made for
some people, yet he thinks of having the Highway Africa DNA.
He
pointed out that today, Highway Africa now consists of research, education and
training of future journalists programme; conferences, namely the Highway
Africa and Digital Citizen Indaba.
Although
he said, they were not relenting; Kabwato said that his team is now morphing
into a distinct entity called the Highway Africa Centre, with the support of
Rhodes University, its parent entity, the School of Journalism and Media
Studies, sponsors and great team to take Highway Africa to another level.
He
emphasised that 15 years of Highway Africa, it is appropriate to celebrate what
have been collectively achieved and look forward to the next 15 years.
“Celebrate
with us; comrades and friends and I hope our timely conference will be an
occasion for learning, sharing and taking action to save our world, especially
with the theme of this year:
African Media and the Global Sustainability
Challenge.
Meanwhile,
a Nigerian new media outlet, the NaijaAgroNet.blogspot.com published by
DigitalSENSE Africa Media, was recognized with enlisting into the finalist for
the 2011 year.
NaijaAgroNet
is a project of DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA) Media with concentration on bridging
the digital gap between the teeming youths of Nigeria, technologies and
agro-business.
The
NaijaAgroNet, was on Sunday night awarded the prize of emerging finalist in the
corporate category of the 2011 SABC/Telkom Highway Africa New Media awards.
NaijaAgroNet
is the latest newsblog addition by DigitalSENSE Africa Media to optimize the
influx of technologies, especially social new media platforms to boost people’s
engagement with agriculture, biodiversity, corporate social responsibility as
well as sustainable development, especially as it concerns the youths and
women.
Disclosing
this in a letter to NaijaAgroNet publishers, DigitalSENSE Africa Limited, the
Conference Media & Marketing Officer at Highway Africa, Ms Bronwyn Jacobs,
congratulated NaijaAgroNet, saying “You have been selected as a Finalist for
the SABC-Telkom-Highway Africa New Media Awards 2011.”
A copy
of the letter addressed to the Executive Director, Operations, DigitalSENSE
Africa (DSA) Media, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, noted that as finalist, NaijaAgroNet
is expected to participate actively at the 15th Highway Africa Conference,
which for the first time is being hosted outside Grahamstown; at the Cape Town
International Conference Centre, 17-18 September 2011.
“You
will also attend the SABC-Telkom-Highway Africa New Media Awards 2011, where we
will be celebrating you, Africa’s new media leaders, on Sunday 18 September, at
the prestigious gala dinner and awards ceremony,” she said.
In her
quick response, the DSA boss, said this is a good development, assuring that
NaijaAgroNet participation would be fruitful.
Remmy Nweke in CapeTown, South Africa
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D
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