Saturday, November 25, 2017, New Telegraph newspaper rolled out drums and red carpet to honour some distinguished Nigerians who have contributed immensely to the development of Nigeria. Corporate organizations were not left out of the celebration.
The event, which took place at the Federal Palace hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, was plush. The Next Edition‘s Correspondent, EMMANUEL UFFOT, reports.
For Nsima Ekere, Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the Group Managing Director of UBA Plc, Kennedy Uzoka, John Momoh, owner of Channels TV and Kabiru Yusuf of Daily Trust Group, Saturday, November 25, 2017, marked another landmark in their eventful lives as they were among the 23 distinguished Nigerians who received the 2017 New Telegraph award in Lagos.
Ekere, an entrepreneur who has put in more than 27 years in public and private sector services, former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Executive Chairman of Akwa Ibom Investment and Industrial Promotion Council (AKIIPOC), Chairman, Ibom Power and currently the MD of NDDC, received award for Corporate Leadership.
According to the organizers of the award, the Estate Manager of repute was found worthy of the award for his distinguished service, which has impacted positively on both the public and private sectors. They specifically pointed at his stewardship in the NDDC, which through the people-oriented projects executed by the agency has helped to douse tension in the volatile region.
For instance, barely a year after assumption of office in November 2016, NDDC under Nsima Ekere has between 2016 and 2017 reportedly undertaken a total of 415 projects across the nine states covered by Commission.
Alhaji Aliko Dangote, unarguably, the richest man in Africa, according to Forbes, and the number one entrepreneur in Africa with investments across African continent who currently holds the record as the biggest employer of labour in Nigeria after government received the award as the Business Man of the Year. The choice of Dangote whom New Telegraph, the organizers of the award described as Nigeria’s unrivalled business leader left no one in doubt given his business empire that cuts across flour, rice, sugar, real estate, cement, petroleum, fertilizer, among others.
Also honored among the corporate awardees was Mr. Kennedy Uzoka, Group Managing Director of UBA Plc. The UBA boss who assumed that position in July 2016 is initiated and supervised two strategic support functions in the bank, Information Technology and e-banking as well as institutionalizing the Customer-focused revolution in the bank.
Uzoka whose short tenure as MD/CEO has reflected positively on the financial growth of the bank was honoured as Bank CEO of the year for stamping UBA as one of the most respected and trusted financial brands. In his speech, he dedicated the award to the bank’s esteemed customers and the entire staff of UBA.
The New Telegraph award produced four winners in the sporting world. Prominent among the recipients was the President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, who was named Sports Administrator of the Year. Pinnick who is also a member of CAF Executive Committee and member of the Organising Committee for FIFA Competition has as one of his major achievements the qualification of Super Eagles of Nigeria to the World Cup in Russia next year from an apparent difficult group that included football power horse in Africa Cameroun and Algeria.
Other awardees in the sporting world were Ahmed Fresh, Chairman of NFF Technical and Development Committee who got award for Grassroots Football Development, Table Tennis star, Aruna Quadri, was honoured as Sports Person of the Year (Male), while Odunayo Adekuoroye who has won laurels for Nigeria in Wrestling was named the Sports Person of the Year (Female).
In the Nollywood world, Richard Mofe- Damijo and Sola Sobowale popularly known as ‘Toyin Tomato’ were honoured with Actor of the Year (Male) and Actor of the Year (Female) respectively. Both artistes were on sabbatical from the movie world for close to a decade before returning to the scene again with Sobowale capping with a role in a new film Wedding Party and RMD in ‘Hush’.
In the entertainment and music industry, Augustine Miles Kelechi, a musician, songwriter and producer popularly known as Tecno was honoured with Artist of the Year award.
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In the media industry, John Momoh a renowned broadcaster, media mogul and Chairman of Channels TV and Malam Kabiru Yusuf, Chairman and Editor-In-Chief of Daily Trust Limited, publisher of Daily Trust Newspapers, were honoured with the award of Media Icons of the Year broadcast and print respectively.
Two legislators in Nigeria’s Upper legislative arm were among those honoured during the inaugural awards. They were the Speaker, House Of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, who was honoured with the award of Leadership in Public Service, while Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, a two-term Chairman, House Committee on Aviation was named Female Parliamentarian of the Year.
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Vice-President of Nigeria, former Presidential aspirant who just resigned from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a chieftain and believed to be nursing presidential ambition for 2019, was honoured as Political Icon of the Year, while the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, received his award as the Public Servant of the Year for redefining public service in JAMB.
Leading the league of the four state governors that received the New Telegraph awards was the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike. The governor who is known in Rivers State as ‘ Mr Projects’ received the award of New Telegraph Man of the Year. The award, according to the organizers, was based on his extraordinary performance in projects execution, massive construction of roads, education, healthcare and prudent management of resources.
Governor of Sokoto State and former Speaker House of Representatives was named New Telegraph Governor of the Year, while the governors of Gombe and Kano states were named Outstanding Governors in Infrastructural Development and Outstanding Governor in Health and Education respectively.
The corporate world had four award recipients namely Access Bank, Zenith Bank, Aiteo Group and Remita. Access Bank, which started operation in 1989 and evolved to become one of the five largest banks in Nigeria in terms of assets, deposits, loans and branch network with Mr Herbert Wigwe, on the driver’s seat as GMD/CEO received the award of Most Innovative Bank of the Year.
Zenith Bank, one of the largest banks in Nigeria, listed among the top 25 banks in Africa in the Bankers Magazine 2017 1000 Global Banks ranking, number one in Nigeria, 10th in Africa and 430th in the world, which is headed by Mr. Peter Amangbe, Group Managing Director and CEO was named New Telegraph Bank of the Year.
Another corporate organization that received the award was Aiteo. The petroleum exploration, production, marketing and distribution company, which is now famous among football followers and managers in Nigeria for its sponsorship of football in Nigeria, specifically the Federation Cup, received the award of Company of the Year. Also in this category of corporate winners was Remita, the Information Technology company noted for providing the technology driving the Treasury Single Account (TSA), which government had introduced to curb financial leakages in government was named the Product of the Year.
According to Mrs. Funke Egbemode, Managing Director and Editor-In-Chief of New Telegraph and Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, former Governor of Abia state and Chairman of the media outfit, the award was instituted to recognize individuals in different sectors who have distinguished themselves as well as corporate bodies that have excelled in their respective areas of operation.
L-R: Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of the New Telegraph,
Mrs. Funke Egbemode, Commissioner for Environment, Rivers State,
Prof. Roselyn Konya, and Nigerian actor, comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka.
R-L: Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, former Governor, Abia State,
present Telegraph Man of the Year award to Ipalibo Harry Banigo,
Deputy Governor, Rivers State, representing the Governor.
Left is Rivers State Commissioner of Information &
Communication, Barr. Emma Okah.
Abdul Imoyo, Head, Media Relations, Access Bank Plc (left)
received the award of most innovative Bank of the year from Eric Osagie,
Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Sun Newspapers.
Dayo Adeneye (left), presenting Telegraph award for Best Actor
(Male) to Richard Mofe Damijo.
Telegraph Actor of the Year (Female), Sola Sobowale.
Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, Governor, Gombe State (left), with
Aare Gani Adams, the Aare Ona Kakanfo designate of Yorubaland.
Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission,
Nsima Ekere, with his Telegraph corporate leadership award.
The Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board,
Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, recipient of Telegraph Public Servant of the Year with Chairman, Bi-Courtney Group of Companies, Dr. Wale Babalakin.
