LEADERSHIP general manager, Online, Ebriku Friday has emerged the winner of the ‘First Baba Isa (FBI) Influence Through Journalism’ awards 2018.
Ebriku polled nine votes ahead of Fisayo Soyombo who is an investigative journalist, an ex-editor with the Cable. Also George Odok who is a correspondent with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) polled four votes in the same category while Kambili Osadolor-Ehima got a one vote.
The award is the second edition of the First Baba Isa Awards.
The founder, FBI Awards, Baba Isa noted that 21 judges voted for all winners.
Isa commended the judges for doing an amazing job. He added that they have been working, without pay, for close to a month now.
He said that their task was really tough since the awards is not a popularity contest.
According to him, “It was their responsibility, individually, to research every nominee before casting their vote. They made sure the best nominee won, not just the most popular nominee.
“So please note that it is the votes of the judges that determines the winner not the votes of fans and friends of nominees casted online. We have said this several times anyways.”
IHe said the online voting was important because it generated traffic and massive interest in the nominees.
Isa said that it helped judges in furthering a major aim of the award, which is to gather and recommend a community of influential persons everyone can follow and learn from.
Isa described Ebriku as an astute, hard-working, dependable and passionate journalist.
He said Ebriku passion and experience is far bigger than his age.
“He works with Leadership Newspapers. He has been commended severally for his ethics and professionalism,” he added.
