Five distinguished Nigerian journalists have been selected to receive the Gavel International/Ernest Sesei Ikoli Distinguished Achievement Award in recognition of their contributions to journalism, media development, public accountability and the defence of citizens’ rights.
The recipients are the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Eze Anaba; Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times, Musikilu Mojeed; Publisher of National Point newspaper, Ibiba Don Pedro; Managing Director of New Telegraph, Ayodele Aminu; and the late Publisher of Eagle Online, Dotun Oladipo, who will be honoured posthumously.
The awards will be presented at the Gavel International Annual Lecture and Awards ceremony scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, 2026, in Lagos.
Publisher of Gavel International, Mustapha Ogunsakin, said the journalists were selected for their professional achievements, commitment to ethical journalism and contributions to the credibility and growth of the Nigerian media industry.
Anaba, Mojeed recognised for public-interest journalism
Anaba’s selection was attributed to his longstanding advocacy for citizens’ rights and engagement with civil rights organisations, dating back to his early career as a judicial reporter.
The organisers said he had consistently promoted public-interest journalism and championed a society where ordinary citizens are protected from abuses by government authorities and influential individuals.
Mojeed was recognised for his contributions to investigative journalism, professional integrity and ethical reporting.
The organisers also commended his editorial leadership and commitment to mentoring younger journalists, as well as equipping them with contemporary skills and technological knowledge needed in a changing media landscape.
Don Pedro, Aminu honoured for specialised reporting
Aminu’s award recognises his contributions to business journalism and media leadership.
The organisers said his work had helped improve public understanding of economic developments, corporate activities and the relationship between business and national development.
Don Pedro, a renowned environmental journalist, author and media activist, is being honoured for more than two decades of reporting on environmental degradation and injustice in the Niger Delta.
Her work has documented the effects of crude oil exploration, pollution and disputes over land rights on communities in the region.
She has received several international honours, including the Reuters-IUCN Media Award for English-speaking Africa in 2000, the Lorenzo Natali Prize for West African journalism in 2001 and the CNN African Journalist of the Year award in 2003.
Oladipo to receive posthumous honour
The late Dotun Oladipo, founder and publisher of Eagle Online, will be recognised for his pioneering role in the development of online journalism in Nigeria.
Gavel International said Oladipo was among the journalists who promoted digital publishing when online news platforms were still emerging.
He was also among the founders of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), an association committed to ethical standards, credibility and professionalism in online media.
The organisation said it retained his name among the award recipients after his death, following deliberations by its Editorial Board, to preserve the legacy of his contributions to digital journalism.
The five journalists will receive their awards alongside six legal practitioners, including former Attorney-General of the Federation, Bayo Ojo, SAN; former Nigerian Bar Association President, Olisa Agbakoba, SAN; and Tayo Oyetibo, SAN.
Others are George Etomi, Kayode Filani and Iniruo Wills.
Additional awardees include philanthropist Olugbenga Ademola Bankole and Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority Executive Director, James Bagie Bio.
The award is named after Ernest Sesei Ikoli, a pioneering Nigerian journalist, nationalist and statesman remembered for his contributions to journalism and Nigeria’s nationalist movement.
The ceremony will hold at the OPTS Hall, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nurudeen Olowopopo Road, Alausa-Ikeja, Lagos, on November 17.
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