Seasoned media practitioner and public affairs analyst Hilary Damissah, editor of Cyber Africa news and Chief Operating Officer at DigiVation Network 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) exhibition hall, Alausa Ikeja Lagos.
The convener of the event, Ugochi Emmanuel while commending on the award presentation to Hilary Damissah noted that it was an honor well-deserving to a journalism enigma in recognition of Hilary’s outstanding contributions to the media industry through exemplary leadership, innovation, content development, commendable reportage and a profound commitment to key stakeholders’ engagement over the years.
The founder, Techlife Media particularly praised Hilary for his mentorship. “I 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. I recall how he will patiently review my scripts, reports and proposals and sometimes he will come hard on me,” she noted.
In retrospection, Ugochi added: “My career path was shaped and greatly influenced by Hilary who we like to call Prof. His tutelage and firmness with a good sense of humor are a fine blend of attributes that he possesses to inspire his team. He won’t 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,” she emphasized.
While commenting on the award, Hilary expressed appreciation to the organisers’ of the event. “I am most delighted and humbled by Techlife Media for this honour, I consider this a call to greater service and mentorship responsibility. It is a challenge to us the older generation to inspire the future and helped young media enthusiasts fulfil their journalistic potentials and purpose” he noted.
Earlier during the programme, the unequivocal Hilary moderated one of the very engaging and insightful panel sessions at the summit on the topic; “AI Leadership: Navigating the Future of Women in Business” which featured some top women in both management and executive positions made up of Abimbola Ikumariagbe, COO, VDT Communications, Tinuade Oguntuyi, Head, Network Services ICSL, Cynthia Alab, Head, Customer Experience Transactworld Digital Services and Adebimpe Odulana.
The Panelists harped on the need to grow more interest in AI as a critical tool to enhance excellence in service delivery, customer experience and business growth.
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Hilary Damissah’s career trajectory began in 1994 as a Library Assistant at the Hezekiah Oluwasanmi Library, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Osun State, Nigeria.
While at the University in his undergraduate days, he was the Editor-in Chief of The Megaphone News Agency and had his initial broadcast experience at the Nigerian Television Authority, (NTA) Ibadan as a two time intern in 1996 and 1998. He was a freelance journalist with different publications including Star Beats weekly Newspaper, Abuja PM News among others.
Between 2007 and 2010, Hilary 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. He is presently the Chief Operating Officer/Editor, DigiVation Network an IT, innovation, business and lifestyle programme on Africa Independent Television.
As a seasoned media professional, Hilary 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, under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari between 2017 and 2020.
As a highly sort after public sector media, public relations and strategic stakeholders’ management expert, Hilary as handled numerous duties consultancy services and projects some of which includes; Team Lead for special publications, productions, events for different organizations among the following; Production Manager, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Telecom Weekly TV/Radio Programme (2022 to 2024).
Others include Production Coordinator, National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA Impact TV production (2019 to 2021) and Pioneer Editorial Consultant of the agency’s 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), He was a member of the LOC of eNigeria (now Digital Nigeria) Conference, a flagship annual international event of the Information Communications Technology event of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Hilary who hails from Afowah, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria graduated from the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University with a Bachelor of Arts in English Language in the year 2000. He later returned to the same university and obtained a Masters of Public Administration (MPA) in 2007. He also holds a training certificate in Sales and Business Management from the Enterprise Development Centre, Pan Atlantic University, Lagos.
He has a Diploma in Public Relations from the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, Lagos. He is 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’l Youth Congress, Nigeria, a Charter of the defunct IYC Inc. USA
