Ten journalists, including Independent Newspapers' Assistant Editor (Saturday), Mrs. Yinka Shokunbi, in the print and electronic media carted away a dozen awards and prizes at the Peak Nutrition Media Competition Award ceremony hosted last week in Lagos by Friesland Foods WAMCO Nigeria PLC, makers of Peak Milk and Three Crowns Milk Peak.

Chukwuma Muanya, Health Reporter, Guardian newspapers had topped the lot, winning three of the 12 awards. The winners emerged in four categories. Muanya came first in the Education & Nutrition category as well as third in both the Lifestyle & Sports, and Business & Social Responsibility categories of the 2007/08 PNMC award.

Speaking at the luncheon held at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Mr. Kapil Garg, Managing Director, Friesland Foods WAMCO Nigeria PLC, said that the company had instituted the Peak Nutrition Media Awards four years ago as a way of increasing awareness on the nutrition challenges that face many Nigerians.

Mr. Garg observed that the mass media has supported this cause over the years in ways that encourage the company to step up its commitment to helping out with solutions to these nutrition challenges in the country by extra - fortifying its products with essential micro-nutrients.

Seye Adeniyi of the Nigerian Tribune and Kofoworola Bello-Osagie of The Nation came second and third in the Education & Nutrition category. In the Lifestyle & Sport category, Sesan David of the Financial Standard came first while Nchedo Okeke of the National Daily came second. Toyosi Ogunseye of the News Star came first in the Business & Social Responsibility category while Yinka Shokunbi of the Daily Independent came second.

In the fourth category, which was added this year exclusively for radio and television journalists, staff of the Nigerian Television Authority swept all three positions. Forson Anthony of NTA Kaduna came first, Amina Muhammed of NTA Lagos, second and Comfort Okoronkwo of NTA Awka, third.

First place winners got laptops and an all-expenses paid trip to Ghana. The second and third place winners went home with Nokia E90 mobile phones and top range digital cameras respectively.

Chairman of the PNMC panel of judges, Dr. Reuben Abati who is also the Chairman, Editorial Board, Guardian newspapers commended the increased quality of entries compared to the previous year. He however admonished photojournalists who also submitted entries, although none won, to focus on quality and nutrition content for future entries.

Apart from the numerous products and branded Peak Milk items given to the audience, which consisted mainly of media practitioners, a game tagged, "It's in You" was conducted during the ceremony and Shade Oguntola of the Nigerian Tribune (also a winner in the 2007 edition)won a DStv decoder and dish package with a free one year subscription.