Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has praised media practitioners across the state for their significant role in promoting his administration’s Assured Prosperity Agenda and advancing the state’s development goals.
Speaking at the 12th edition of the Bayelsa Media Awards (BMA) 2025, held at the Lady Daima Memorial Event Centre in Yenagoa, Governor Diri described the media as a vital force in strengthening democracy and bridging the gap between the government and the people.
Represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the governor lauded the event’s theme, “Bayelsa First: Promoting Culture, Driving Investment Through Media,” noting that it aligns with his administration’s vision to position Bayelsa as a leading state in culture, investment, and sustainable growth.
He acknowledged the BMA as a platform that celebrates excellence in journalism and reinforces the government’s relationship with the media. According to him, his administration remains focused on achieving tangible progress in infrastructure, peace and security, education, healthcare, energy, and other key sectors of the economy.
Governor Diri congratulated the award recipients and urged all media professionals to remain committed to ethical journalism. “The Bayelsa media must define the narrative for which we want the state to be first,” he said. “There can be no compromise on development, whether in infrastructure, peace and security, power, health, or education. Every tertiary institution in Bayelsa now enjoys full accreditation, and our health indices have improved significantly in the past year.”
Delivering the keynote address, Professor Barclay Ayakoroma emphasized the central role of media in promoting Bayelsa’s rich cultural heritage. He identified language and cuisine as key elements of cultural identity and called for better promotion of Ijaw music to gain international recognition.
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The initiator and project manager of the Bayelsa Media Awards, Mr. Victor Binawari, expressed appreciation to the state government for sponsoring the past three editions of the event. He revealed that the governor also approved a new award category, News Editor of the Year, for the 2025 edition.
The highpoint of the night was the presentation of an Exceptional Excellence Award to the Deputy Governor, Senator Ewhrudjakpo, for his contributions to governance and media development in the state.
Among the notable winners, Mr. Joseph Kunde of TVC won Reporter of the Year (Print/Broadcast), Mr. Irorofa Okutuatin of Radio Bayelsa clinched Best Presenter of the Year, while Mrs. Tariere Nelson-Abali, also of Radio Bayelsa, took home Newscaster of the Year. Jacobson Park of Golden FM won Sports Programme of the Year, and Radio Bayelsa was crowned Radio Station of the Year.
Other notable recognitions included Royal FM’s “E Make Sense Morning Show” for Pidgin Programme of the Year, Daily Champion Newspaper for Newspaper of the Year (National), and Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) for TV Station of the Year.
