The spectacular Victoria International Media Merit Award (VIIMMA) has taken place in Limbe over the weekend in style and glam. The award ceremony took place at the Limbe Council Hall Down Beach. The event is organised yearly by the Cameroon Association of media Professionals (CAMP).

It was graced by men and women of all works of life and more especially those of the press, traditional rulers who defiled the heavy down pour that Saturday evening to witness the much talked about award ceremony in the town of Limbe.

Welcoming the guests, the National President of CAMP, Solomon Agborem took to the podium to say The Victoria International Media Merit Award is the only one media award that is run by a media association in Cameroon. He used the opportunity to invite more journalists into the association. 

He also revealed that this year is the first in the history of the award that they get to listen to a speech by the Canadian High Commissioner to Cameroon Her Excellency Lorrain Anderson, which is “pragmatic evidence that what we do has a diplomatic strength, thanks to our credibility for the past six years”.

Solomon Agborem also thanked the members of jury for a job well done, while congratulating the winners of the day, and encouraged those who did not win to double their efforts for the next edition come 2024. 

“I want to also announce that VIIMMA will also give birth to a magazine that will be launched before the end of 2023. Our hope is that these beautiful moments will be captured in pictures. A website will also be operational by November 2023”, he announced.

Laureates were super excited to mount the stage when called up. Expressing delight to be one of the happy recipients of an award, Barrister Mrs. Mbuya Gladys explained challenges she encountered in the field as a young barrister and how she maintained her determination to be a gift to women by fighting for their rights, and which has earned her this prestigious award today. “I consider this award an opportunity to do more work”, she reassured.

Meanwhile, Dr. Doh Bertha, SONARA Board Chair who was also one of the happy recipients thanked VIIMMA for remembering her even when she knew little or nothing about the award, and promised to be one of the sponsors.

Mme. Bridget Ndiep Assam, journalist with CRTV South West and CAMP newly registered member was not left out as she was surprised to hear her name as one of the lucky recipients. She gratitude for the award and advised young journalists to be assiduous at work as she remains a good example of journalists who defy all odds to get access to the information they need to disseminate to their target audience.

Meanwhile, in his closing remarks, the Executive Director of CAMP, Tarhyang Enowbikah Tabe, Thanked the Limbe Ports Authority, MTN Cameroon, Limbe City Council and LCC dynamic Mayor Paul Efome M.L. Ngale, the management of Peddy’s Investment and Group of Companies represented by its CEO Mr. Ndenge Godden Zama, friends and members of CAMP with whom he has toiled for the past seventeen years, as the most dynamic media institution in this country. “We have members in eight out of ten regions in this country. The remaining two regions are not yet touched but we have liaison officers working in these regions. We are open to new membership”, he sighted.

“We are trained and can travel far and wide. We are scholars, we are learned, we stay focus. We are a group of multi-talented professionals, doing out thing the way we know and doing it very well. Everything you saw today was done by members of CAMP”, he x-rayed.

Gratitude was also extended to the Head of Department for Journalism and Corporate Communication, University of Buea, Defy Hate Now a veritable partner of CAMP who has never allowed them to go hungry in terms of materials for training and support.Like I said before, VIIMMA 2023, we are getting better. VIIMMA 2024 is going to be another level. Take it from me”, he promised, 

BELOW IS A LIST OF THE WINNERS MDIA CATEGORY: