Organisers of one of Nigeria’s most glamorous and credible sports award ceremonies have announced March 28 as the date for this year’s edition of the Sportsville Special Recognition Award.

According to a statement signed by Harry Iwuala, Chairman of the 2026 Award Committee, the ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 28, at the prestigious Lagos Country Club, Ikeja.

Iwuala, who also serves as Media Director of the Nigeria Premier Football League, described the announcement as the culmination of months of meticulous planning and a painstaking selection process.

“We’re delighted to announce a date for this year’s ceremony following a painstaking planning and selection process. It has been months of planning and preparations, and I am glad that we have finally picked a date for the ceremony,” Iwuala said.

He assured stakeholders that the list of honourees — to be unveiled in the coming weeks — would reflect the award’s core values of integrity and credibility.

“We will be unveiling the personalities and corporate organisations to be celebrated very soon, but I can assure you that they are men and women who have done a good job in sports development in the country.

“Our selection process was thorough to keep faith with the Award motto, which is credibility,” added Iwuala, who has also headed the Media Committee of the successful Niger Delta Games in successive editions.

Sixth Edition Promises Innovation

Speaking on behalf of Sportsville Communication Ltd, the organisers of the award, Chief Executive Officer Frank Ilaboya, said preparations are already in top gear for what promises to be an innovative sixth edition.

“This year will be our sixth edition, and I am happy with the impact and progress the award has made in the country,” Ilaboya stated.

He emphasised that credibility remains the cornerstone of the awards.

“One thing that gives me joy is the credibility of the award we give out every year. We ensure that those truly deserving get the award. And we are determined to keep doing this year after year.”

According to Ilaboya, awards will be presented in seven categories this year:

• Sports Icon
• Sports Personality
• Sports Transformative Category
• Special Recognition Category
• Achievers Category
• Innovative Category
• Sports Facilities Category

He added that the long-term ambition is to elevate the Sportsville Special Recognition Award into Africa’s most glamorous and respected sports honours platform.

“We will keep on working hard year in and year out until we achieve our target of making the Sportsville Special Recognition Award the best and most glamorous not only in Nigeria but in Africa.

“The past five years have proven to be exciting, and the level of plaudits from the awardees and non-awardees alike shows that we are on the right course,” Ilaboya said.

Celebrating Two Decades of Sports Broadcasting

The Sportsville Special Recognition Award was initiated five years ago as part of activities marking 20 years of continuous broadcast of Sportsville as an independent producer of sports programming in Nigeria.

Today, Sportsville stands as one of the longest-running independent sports shows on air in sub-Saharan Africa — a testament to resilience, consistency, and commitment to sports development.

With the March 28 date now confirmed, anticipation is building within Nigeria’s sporting community as administrators, athletes, corporate sponsors and media personalities look forward to another evening of celebration at Lagos Country Club.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

Journalists in Akwa Ibom State and beyond are set to converge in Uyo for a one-day workshop on investigative journalism organised by the Committee for the Ray Ekpu Prize for Investigative Journalism in collaboration with the Akwa Ibom State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).

The workshop, scheduled for Thursday, March 5, 2026, will take place at the NUJ Auditorium, Information Drive, Uyo, beginning at 10 a.m.

Organisers say the training is designed to strengthen investigative reporting skills among journalists, enhance ethical standards, and deepen the culture of accountability journalism in Nigeria.

The keynote lecture will be delivered by Dayo Aiyetan, Executive Director of the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Abuja. Aiyetan, a respected investigative journalist and media development expert, is expected to share insights on contemporary investigative techniques, data-driven reporting, and navigating legal and safety challenges in the field.

Supporting the keynote address will be Ibanga Isine, an investigative reporting veteran based in Uyo. Isine will provide practical perspectives drawn from years of field experience, focusing on story development, sourcing, and sustaining impactful investigations at the local level.

Chairman of the Committee for the Ray Ekpu Prize for Investigative Journalism, Nsikak Essien, FNGE, described the workshop as part of ongoing efforts to promote excellence and integrity in journalism. He noted that investigative reporting remains a critical pillar of democratic governance and public accountability.

Also lending his voice to the initiative, the Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Council of the NUJ, Nsibiet John, urged journalists in the state to take advantage of the opportunity to sharpen their skills and reinforce professional standards.

The Ray Ekpu Prize for Investigative Journalism was instituted to encourage rigorous, fact-based reporting and to honour outstanding contributions to investigative journalism in Nigeria.

Participants are expected to engage in interactive sessions, discussions, and practical exchanges to equip them with tools to uncover hidden truths and report with courage and responsibility.

The organisers reaffirmed their commitment to nurturing a new generation of investigative journalists capable of holding institutions accountable and advancing public interest reporting in the country.

Former Media Officer of the Nigerian national men’s football team,  Oluwatoyin Ibitoye, has formally received the 2025 Family United by Sport (FUBS) Personality of the Year award at a ceremony held on Monday at the Hotsports Studios in Lagos.

The event, hosted by sports entrepreneur and Chief Executive Officer of HotSports Limited, Taye Ige, drew members of Nigeria’s foremost sports online platform, as well as friends, family and colleagues of the former Super Eagles Media Officer.

Transparent Electoral Process

Chairman of the FUBS Personality of the Year Electoral Committee, Kweku Tandoh, explained the transparent voting process that produced Ibitoye as the winner.

According to him, FUBS has over 300 members worldwide, including three former sports ministers, three Directors General of the sports ministry, presidents of sporting federations, sports editors, managers and other high-level stakeholders in the sports sector.

“It was a very close contest, and Toyin ticked all the criteria listed for a member to emerge as the FUBS Personality of the Year,” Tandoh said, while also commending former Nigeria Football Federation vice-president Seyi Akinwunmi and his team for establishing the electoral framework that guided the process.

Host’s Tribute

In his remarks, Ige said he agreed to host the ceremony at short notice because of the personalities involved, particularly the Chief Administrator of FUBS, Godwin Enakhena, and Ibitoye.

“I can’t say no to Godwin; we have come a very long way together. As for Toyin, I am older, but he is somebody that I can stand up and offer my seat to,” Ige said.

Earlier, Enakhena thanked FUBS members for their support and urged journalists to approach their work with fairness and diligence. He advised media practitioners to assess administrators individually rather than broadly branding all Nigerian sports administrators as corrupt.

Ibitoye’s Reaction

Ibitoye, who attended the ceremony alongside his wife, Tola, expressed surprise at emerging as the winner, especially given the calibre of fellow nominees — one of whom he had personally nominated.

The former aide to the sports minister used the occasion to advocate for open-minded engagement within the sports community.

“The man you are planning to deal with because he has an opposing view on a minor issue may turn out to be your main supporter in a much bigger issue tomorrow,” he said, while thanking God and stakeholders who contributed to his professional journey.

Special Recognition and Rewards

Special appreciation was extended to notable sports stakeholders, including Harry Iwuala, Pius Ayinor, Waidi Akanni, Charles Anazodo, Onye Nwachukwu and Ntiense Williams for their continued support of the initiative.

Beyond the commemorative plaque, Ibitoye received a ₦250,000 cash prize and a return flight ticket to Abuja courtesy of Value Jet Airlines.

He becomes the seventh recipient of the prestigious award. Previous winners include the late Dapo Sotuminu (2018), Shehu Dikko (2019), Abba Yola (2020), Chris Emeruwa (2021), Daniel Igali (2022) and Liameed Gafar (2023). The award was rested in 2024 in honour of Sotuminu, who passed away just as the election process began.

With his emergence in 2025, Ibitoye joins an esteemed list of sports personalities recognised for their impact and service within Nigeria’s sporting ecosystem.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H