Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has congratulated the Managing Director of Arise Television, Ms Ijeoma Nwogwugwu, on her emergence as the most powerful female journalist in Nigeria.
Nwogwugwu was named on the apex position among 25 powerful female journalists in Nigeria in the 2021 list of the Most Powerful Female Journalists in Nigeria by Women in Journalism Africa (WiJAfrica), a global gathering of leading women in the media.
She was followed by Stella Jacob of TVC and Kadaria Ahmed was named in the third position.
governor Okowa in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba on Tuesday, remarked that the rating of Nwogwugwu as the most powerful female journalist in Nigeria for the second year was a reflection of the impact of Arise Television news to national development.
He stated that as the pioneer Managing Director of Arise TV, Ijeoma Nwogwugwu had added much value to the operations of the company to become one of the leading news stations in the country in just two years of its existence.
The governor remarked that her performance was not a surprise as she held the enviable record of editing all three titles on THISDAY stable for 11 unbroken years, the longest ever, and noted that the erudite media amazon had remained the second woman in the history of Nigerian journalism to be appointed Editor of a national newspaper.
According to the governor, “in the last two years at the helm of affairs at Arise TV, Nwogwugwu has brought the station to weld a strong impact on national affairs by reawakening and advancing social and political consciousness among Nigerians.
“Arise Television under her leadership has continued to break the frontiers of digital newsgathering and dissemination on all its platforms.
“The station has also contributed immensely in advancing the media’s role of enthroning accountability and transparency in governance by imbuing in the psyche of citizens on the imperative of holding leaders to account.
“As a government, we will continue to identify with her leadership at one of the most sought-after television stations in the country.”
The governor, therefore, declared: “On behalf of the government and people of Delta, I congratulate an outstanding journalist, Ms Ijeoma Nwogwugwu, on her nomination for the second consecutive year, as the most powerful female journalist in Nigeria.
“I urge you to bring the trappings of the elitist recognition in the media to bear on the sustenance of the positively acknowledged quality of work at Arise TV, mindful of the fact that this feat couldn’t have been achieved without the immense support and contributions of her colleagues in Arise TV family.”
He prayed that God would continue to guide Nwogwugwu in the discharge of her public-spirited responsibility, and together with her team at Arise TV, strive for sustained delivery of greater service to the station’s ever-increasing local and international audience.