Matthew Ogunwale, a final-year student of Obafemi Awolowo University, emerged as the second runner-up at the 2026 National Wire Campus Business Journalism Awards, held virtually on May 15, 2026.
The ceremony, which aimed to prepare the next generation of business journalists, commenced at about 4:10 p.m., with an opening address by Dayo Emmanuel, a news editor and the chairman of the awards.
He acknowledged everyone in attendance and proceeded to give a brief history of the founding of the National Wire, explaining the motivation behind its establishment.
‘We knew we had to build something for ourselves, a platform that would stand strongly on credible journalism, especially financial and business reporting,’ he explained.
He went further to appreciate the panel of judges led by Seun Akioye, alongside Ibrahim Ishaya of The Niche newspaper and Mrs Ugonma Cokey of the Voice of Nigeria, who, in his words, ‘painstakingly reviewed the entries and ensured that this award remains credible and merit-driven.’
He also appreciated supporters and sponsors, particularly Fisayo Soyombo, founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), who served as the guest speaker at the ceremony. Emmanuel also thanked the contestants, emphasising that the competition was designed to promote growth, courage and participation.
‘Our goal was not merely to look for perfect stories. Our goal was to ignite interest, build capacity and encourage young writers to begin seeing journalism beyond politics and entertainment,’ he remarked.
Mrs Ugonma Cokey later announced the winners. The winner was Rasheedat Abidiesin, a 200-level Law student from Usmanu Dan Fodiyo University, Sokoto. Abdulrasheed Olokoto Jimoh, a 300-level student from the University of Ibadan, came first runner-up, while Ogunwale emerged second runner-up. For the Best Campus Journal category, the Association of Campus Journalists, Obafemi Awolowo University (ACJ-OAU) clinched the prize, a testament to its excellence.
To wrap up, the organisers encouraged participants to keep developing their writing and reporting skills. They underscored the importance of credible journalism in promoting truth and awareness in society. The virtual ceremony ended at about 5:00 p.m., with Ogunwale giving the vote of thanks.