Veteran journalist Felix Onuah, a retired Reuters correspondent and the longest-serving State House correspondent in Nigeria, has been honoured with the Presidential Media Excellence and Long Service Award in recognition of his 36 years of dedicated coverage of the Presidency.
The prestigious honour was presented on Thursday at the inaugural State House Press Corps Dinner held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where President Bola Tinubu celebrated distinguished journalists and eminent Nigerians for their contributions to national development.
According to the organisers, the award is the first of its kind to be conferred by the Presidency in recognition of long and distinguished service in presidential journalism.
Speaking at the event, President Tinubu, who was decorated as the Grand Patron of the State House Press Corps, underscored the indispensable role of the media in safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy while urging journalists to uphold professionalism and national interest.
“Freedom of expression is not freedom to defame. Freedom of the press is not freedom to mislead. Public trust is earned through fairness, accuracy and responsibility,” the President said.
He also urged journalists to avoid becoming “megaphones for terrorists and kidnappers,” stressing that responsible reporting was crucial at a time the country was confronting security challenges.
“You and I promise one another that we must not undermine our country with irresponsible reporting. We will have no safe space left if we do,” Tinubu said.
Reflecting on the role of the media, the President added: “The media must choose fact over falsehood, substance over sensation and credibility over clickbait.”
The recognition of Onuah formed one of the highlights of the evening, which celebrated excellence in journalism and public service.
Onuah, whose career spans more than three decades covering successive administrations at the Presidential Villa, received the award for his enduring commitment to accurate, balanced and professional reporting of the Presidency.
The event also honoured former Presidential Adviser on Media and Publicity, Segun Adeniyi, for being the first Special Adviser to serve as presidential spokesman, while the late Baba Ladan Abubakar received a posthumous award.
Other recipients included Dr Emmanuel Anule, Chairman of the State House Press Corps, who received the Outstanding State House Press Corps Chairmanship Award, and Nicholas Okechukwu, honoured for distinguished service as a non-linear editor.
In his remarks, State House Press Corps Chairman Emmanuel Anule commended President Tinubu for attending the inaugural dinner and appealed for the event to become an annual engagement.
“An informal, annual State House Press Corps forum would create a predictable channel for dialogue and partnership between government and the journalists who translate, scrutinise and explain policies for Nigerians and international audiences,” Anule said.
He pledged that members of the State House Press Corps would continue to report the activities of the Presidency “fairly, professionally and with verified facts.”
The dinner was attended by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume; Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila; Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State; ministers, senior government officials and members of the State House Press Corps.
The occasion marked a significant milestone in recognising excellence in presidential journalism, with Felix Onuah’s award standing out as a tribute to nearly four decades of dedicated reporting from the seat of Nigeria’s government.
