*Hilary Damissah, a media professional and public affairs analyst, is conferred with the Techlife Impactful Media Personality Award during the recent activities marking the 2024 Women Entrepreneurs and Executives in Tech Summit, held in Lagos

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

Mr. Hilary Damissah, a media professional and public affairs analyst, has been conferred with the Techlife Impactful Media Personality award.

The recognition came as part of activities marking the 2024 Women Entrepreneurs and Executives in Tech Summit (WEETS), organised by Techlife Media, which took place at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Alausa-Ikeja, in Lagos.

Commenting on the award presentation to Mr. Damissah, who is Editor of Cyber Africa News and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of DigiVation Network, Ugochi Emmanuel, Founder of Techlife Media and convener of WEETS, noted it was an honour well-deserving to a journalism enigma in recognition of the awardee鈥檚 outstanding contributions to the media industry through exemplary leadership, innovation, content development, commendable reportage and a profound commitment to key stakeholders鈥� engagement over the years.

Emmanuel particularly commended Damissah for his mentorship.

She stated: 鈥淚 stand here today as convener of the Women Entrepreneurs and Executives in Tech Summit (WEETS) due largely to the mentoring of my boss Hilary Damissah during my days as a staff of DigiVation Network and Tribe Media Company.

鈥淚 recall how he would patiently review my scripts, reports and proposals and sometimes he will come hard on me.鈥�

In retrospection, the convener of the event said: 鈥淢y career path was shaped and greatly influenced by Hilary who we like to call Prof.

鈥淗is tutelage and firmness with a good sense of humor are a fine blend of attributes that he possesses to inspire his team.

鈥淗e won鈥檛 accept mediocrity and sometimes I will cry, he will reprimand me, he will still bring me closer with admonitions and I have come to value those times and I sincerely appreciate his person.鈥�

In his remarks on the award, Damissah expressed appreciation to the organisers of the event.

He stated: 鈥淚 am most delighted and humbled by Techlife Media for this honour, I consider this a call to greater service and mentorship responsibility.

鈥淚t is a challenge to us the older generation to inspire the future and help young media enthusiasts fulfil their journalistic potential and purpose.鈥�

Earlier during the programme, Damissah had moderated one of the very engaging and insightful panel sessions at the summit on the topic: 鈥淎I Leadership: Navigating the Future of Women in Business鈥�.

The session, which featured some top women in both management and executive positions, was comprised of Abimbola Ikumariagbe, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of VDT Communications; Tinuade Oguntuyi, Head of Network Services ICSL; Cynthia Alabi, Head of Customer Experience Transactworld Digital Services; and Adebimpe Odulana.

The Panelists harped on the need to develop more interest in AI as a critical tool to enhance excellence in service delivery, customer experience and business growth.

Hilary Damissah鈥檚 career trajectory began in 1994 as a Library Assistant at the Hezekiah Oluwasanmi Library, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

In his undergraduate days in the same University, he was the Editor-in-Chief of The Megaphone News Agency, and had his initial broadcast experience at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Ibadan, in Oyo State, as a two-time intern in 1996 and 1998 respectively.

He was a freelance journalist with different publications, including Star Beats Weekly Newspaper and Abuja PM News, among others.

Between 2007 and 2010, Damissah worked at Royal International Magazine, and later as Managing Editor, Elation Communication.

In 2011, he became the founding Editor of Cyber Africa News at Tribe Media Group, an independent multimedia outfit based in Lagos.

He is currently the Chief Operating Officer/Editor, DigiVation Network, an IT, innovation, business and lifestyle programme on Africa Independent Television (AIT).

As a seasoned media professional, Damissah has served in different capacities with key roles in public policy initiatives and several consultancy duties, spanning almost two decades.

He was a member of the Senate Committee Expert and Media Advisory Group on ICT and Cyber Security, headed by Senator Foster Ogola, in the 8th Senate, in the National Assembly (NASS), Abuja, under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari between 2017 and 2020.

A media, public relations and strategic stakeholders鈥� management expert, he has also handled numerous duties, consultancy services and projects, including Team Lead for special publications, productions, events for different organisations.

These include Production Manager, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Telecom Weekly TV/Radio Programme (2022 to 2024), Production Coordinator, National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA Impact TV production (2019 to 2021) and Pioneer Editorial Consultant of the agency鈥檚 monthly publication, NITDA Impact Magazine, Team Lead National Identity Management Commission, NIMC in Focus TV on DigiVation Network 2016 to date, NIMC Media/PR Training and Consultancy, Team Lead, Code of Conduct of Conduct Bureau (CCB) Media Consultancy, (2018 to 2022), Team Lead Nigeria Postal Service, Inside NIPOST TV Production 2012 to date 2023.

He has also served as the Publicity Secretary of the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), and Executive Director Centre for Cyber Awareness and Development (CECAD).

Damissah was a member of the LOC of eNigeria (now Digital Nigeria) Conference, a flagship annual international event of the Information Communications Technology event of NITDA.

He has equally overseen a number of different sectoral high-profile Special Projects and events.

He is the Team Lead and Project Manager of DigiVation Future Summit and Award, the Nigeria Mobile Economy Summit and Awards, (NIMES), he was the Coordinator Nigerian Digital Innovation Conference (NDIC), Cyber Nigeria Forum (CNF).

He is the co-initiator/coordinator of the Ghana/Nigeria Tourism and Culture Showcase, (GHANIGTCUS), the first privately organised bilateral arts and cultural forum in West Africa.

In 2016, he coordinated Nigeria鈥檚 first official participation in CABSAT in partnership with the Dubai World Trade Centre, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

CABSAT is the number one event in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region for all industry professionals within the Broadcast, Satellite, Content Delivery and Digital Media sectors.

Damissah, who hails from Afowah, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State of Nigeria, graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University with a Bachelor of Arts (BA Hons) in English Language, in 2000.

He later returned to the same university and obtained a Masters of Public Administration (MPA) in 2007, and he holds a training certificate in Sales and Business Management from the Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos.

Damissah has a diploma in Public Relations from the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Lagos.

As a Fellow of the Institute of Information Management (FIIM, Africa), he has served as a volunteer for different organisations including as the Director, Information and Strategy, Int鈥檒 Youth Congress, Nigeria, a Charter of the defunct IYC Inc., USA.

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