Date: 2018-04-01

Twenty- five eminent personalities and corporate organisations within and outside Kwara state that excelled and touched lives at various capacity were honoured for their contributions to the society at the fourth year's anniversary and award night of National Moonlight Newspaper.

The Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara state were amongst eminent Nigerians who received meritorious awards at the colourful event that took place at the Government Banquet Hall, Ahmadu Bello Way, GRA, Ilorin.

National Moonlight has blazed the trail as the first private owned newspaper to organise such awards/ gala night in Kwara state. Other eminent personalities that were honoured at the event included the Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamasi Esiwoye 11, former Nigerian Ambassador to Netherland, Dr Nimota Nihinlola Akanbi and the publisher of the pioneer community newspapers in Nigeria, Oriwu Sun, Alhaji Monzor Olowosago, and Executive Chairman of Kwara Internal Revenue Service, Dr Murtala Awodun and the Revenue House.

The Kwara State Broadcasting Corporation (Radio Kwara) won the responsive organization award. Others are Tuyil Pharmaceutical Company, LUBCON, Tajudeen Olesin Foundation, Kamwire Industrie, Kwara State University, Malete, and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Sulyman AbdulKareem among others.

In his keynote address, the publisher of Oriwu Sun, Ikorodu, Lagos state, Alhaji Monzor Olowosago , lauded the mode of production and presentation of the Moonlight newspapers, saying that a newspaper must be attractive and embedded with human interest stories to boost readership level in the immediate community.

Olowosago called for the establishment of more community newspapers in Nigeria, adding that the country needs more community based tabloids that would mirror the immediate environment and reflect the happenings in the society.

According to him, he established his newspaper 30 years ago with the initial capital of N40,000 but that today, the tabloid had been turned to multi million naira business venture. Also speaking, the Publisher of the Moonlight Newspaper, Alh Sulyman Toyin Olokoba, said the tabloid was established four years ago to bring businesses in contact with businesses and create a mobile marketing space where sellers could meet buyers easily.

Olokoba, noted that the event was aimed to sensitize the target audience on the richness and diversity of the state’s economy and projecting the cultural heritage and richness of using the media. He promised to strive towards ensuring a free press and be a respected player in the print media industry.

Briefing journalists at the event, the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Alh Abdullateef Adebowale Adedeji, said the personalities and corporate organisations were honoured for their contributions to the growth and development of Kwara state and the media industry.

The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki was represented at the event by a former Secretary to Kwara State Government, Alhaji Saka Onimago, while Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed was represented by the incumbent Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold.