PUNCHman Adewale wins AIPS Africa Award in Abidjan

The PUNCH's Abiodun Adewale on Thursday emerged winner of the 2023 International Sports Press Association Africa Award as the best sports journalist in the print category on the continent, The PUNCH reports.

The PUNCH's Ebenezer Bajela was also nominated among the final three-man shortlist, which also has a Senegalese.

The award ceremony was held in Abidjan Press House, Plateau, on the sidelines of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

Adewale's story titled ‘Olusosun: Defying the odds, Lagos slum rises above filth, produces Africa's football king' came tops among the three nominations.

The winning story spotlighted the difficult and humble beginnings of the reigning African Player of The Year Victor Osimhen in the Lagos community, how he rose above the health and environmental hazards posed by the dumpsite in the vicinity to become one of the world's best footballers of his generation.

Receiving the award in Abidjan on Thursday night, on behalf of the winner, Femi Fabunmi of The News Guru, said, “Abiodun Adewale couldn't be here for one reason or the other but he has informed me to represent him here. So, on behalf of him, I say thank you to AIPS, AGL and everyone.”

Nominations were submitted to meet the criteria of quality, originality, relevance, creativity and

professional ethics in French, English, Arabic and Portuguese languages.

One of the official partners of the Confederation of African Football for the 2023 AFCON, Africa Global Logistics, was the principal partner of the award.