Newspaper columnist, Femi Abbas, others bag awards

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4 years ago

A veteran journalist, Dr Femi Abbas, has emerged the winner of the 2020 Nigerian Muslim Media Person of the Year award.

Dr Saliu Oyelami, the Medical Director of Shifauk Hospital, Akure, Ondo State, and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of MTN Nigeria, Mr Modupe AbdulKareem Kadri, were also announced as the Nigerian Muslim Health Person of the Year and the Nigerian Muslim Finance Person of the Year, respectively.

The awards are organised by an online Islamic newspaper, Muslim News.

Now into its third year, the 2020 edition of the awards features additional categories honouring Muslim professionals in media, health, law, finance and entertainment industries.

Dr Abbas is a renowned Islamic columnist and media professional with experience spanning about 40 years in the industry.

A former staff member of the defunct Concord newspaper, Dr Abbas now writes a weekly Islamic column tagged ‘The Message’ for The Nation newspaper where he has been dissecting issues affecting Islam and Muslims in Nigeria and the world for more than a decade.

The organisers said he came out first in a painstaking selection process conducted by the national executive of the Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN) led by Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Balogun, in conjunction with the #MNAwards2020 Committee, chaired by the publisher of Muslim News, Mr Rasheed Abubakar.

A statement signed by Alhaji Balogun and Mr Abubakar said Dr Abbas had consistently been in media practice for over 40 years and had mentored and inspired a lot of young Muslim media practitioners and non-Muslims alike.

“Alhaji Abbas also maintains a daily inspirational talk on ‘Zakat Revolution’ on social media, the struggle he has been on for over four decades. He is the chairman, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Media Committee and also media consultant to the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN),” the statement said.

Dr Oyelami, who was also named the 2020 Nigerian Muslim Health Person of the Year, is currently the Amir (president) of the Ondo State chapter of the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN).

The award organisers described him as an ambassador of Islam with a history of selflessness and sacrifice in health delivery, especially in Ondo, Osun and Kwara states.

Also, Mr Modupe AbdulKareem Kadri, famously known as MAK, who was announced as the Nigerian Muslim Finance Person of the Year 2020, was described in a separate statement as having established himself in the finance industry and among the Muslim ummah.

In his acceptance speech, MAK said, “Alhamdulillah, I feel surprised and humbled that I emerged as the Muslim Finance Person of the Year 2020. It is a huge recognition and I pray that Allah would continue to give me the wisdom to do more in the years ahead. Jazakumullah khairan to all those involved in making this happen.”

The winner of the Nigerian Muslim Legal Person will be announced on Friday, February 12, while dates for the presentation of plagues will be communicated in due time.

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