President Muhammadu Buhari has lauded co-founder and publisher of Premium Times, Dapo Olorunyomi, on his being named one of the four awardees for year 2020 International Press Freedom Award, by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
The president’s congratulatory message was conveyed in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Saturday.
According to the president, the honour attests to Olorunyomi’s many decades of commitment to the ideals of journalism and freedom of the Press.
“Democracy and a free Press are kindred spirits, and that is what we have committed to as a government. It is, therefore, gratifying to hear of this award to one of our own,” he added.
Buhari, therefore, enjoined Olorunyomi to use the occasion of the award to recommit himself to all that is noble, fair and just in journalism, adding ”a responsible media is part of the building blocks of a country”.
According to him, a free and responsible Press remains an abiding commitment of the Nigerian government, urging the media to adhere to the finest tenets of the noble profession at all times.
Olorunyomi wins the CPJ award along with three other journalists from Bangladesh, Iran and Russia.
