Tony Okuyeme 
The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has posthumously conferred the maiden Moses Ekpo Prize for Innovative Copyright Reporting on Evelyn Osagie, former Assistant Editor (Arts) with The Nation Newspaper.
The award honours her outstanding commitment to Nigeria’s creative sector, her distinctive and incisive reporting style, her sustained support for the Commission’s enforcement initiatives, and her exceptional courage in exposing the dangers of piracy while deepening public understanding of copyright.
Presenting the Prize, the Director-General of NCC, Dr John Asein, expressed hope that the award, comprising a commemorative plaque and a cash prize, would inspire a new generation of journalists to pursue excellence, curiosity, and courage in telling Nigeria’s copyright story.
The NCC DG described Evelyn Osagie’s journalism as thoughtful, accurate, and people-centred, noting that her work consistently amplified the voices of creators and translated complex copyright issues with clarity, integrity, and empathy.
According to Asein, the Prize also affirms the indispensable role of responsible journalism in shaping public understanding and informing policy outcomes within the creative economy.
Speaking via telephone, the pioneer Director-General of the NCC, and the immediate past Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Moses Ekpo, MFR, in whose honour the Prize was instituted, thanked The Nation for its longstanding support of the Commission and its consistent promotion of copyright awareness. He noted that the award reflects the enduring partnership between the media and the copyright community in advancing respect for creativity and the rule of law.
In her remarks, the Director of the NCC Lagos Office, Lynda Alphaeus, commended Evelyn Osagie’s contributions to copyright education among children, particularly her support for the strengthening of Copyright Clubs in schools. She expressed appreciation to The Nation and the Osagie family for what she described as “the gift of a soul like Evelyn to the Commission,” and prayed for the peaceful repose of her soul.
Responding on behalf of the newspaper, the Editor, Adeniyi Adesina, thanked the Director-General and the NCC team for honouring their late colleague and reaffirmed the Nation’s continued support for the Commission’s mandate and programmes.
In accepting the Prize on behalf of her family, Evelyn’s sister, Ms Patience Osagie thanked the NCC for the noble gesture and for demonstrating its love for the creative writers and showing that her sister’s efforts were not in vain.
The formal presentation of the Prize took place on Monday, 22 December, in the premises of The Nation Newspapers, and it coincided with the birthday of Mr Moses Ekpo
