Lagos; 14-10-2014: Former military head of state, General Yakubu Gowon,
Group Managing Director and CEO of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc,
Phillips Oduoza, Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina were among
many other credible and distinguished Nigerians honoured yesterday at the
annual LEADERSHIP Annual Conference and Awards held at the ThisDay Dome,
Abuja.
The awards had in attendance top dignitaries from all walks of life
including politicians, businessmen and members of the public.
General Yakubu Gowon, who will be 80 years on Sunday, October 19, 2014
received award as the LEADERSHIP “Person of the Year” in 2013 for being
the voice moderation in an increasingly fractured political environment.
Phillips Oduoza, the GMD/CEO of United Bank for Africa Plc received an
award as Leadership “Banker of the Year.” In a citation at the awards, the
organizers said that he was being honoured “for deepening UBA’s value as
Africa’s global bank, skillfully guiding big ticket investments that
significantly improved shareholder value while expanding the bank’s
product offering and elevating customer service”
Also, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, the Minister of Education was named
“Leadership Public Officer of the Year” for “aggressively implementing
bold policy reforms, tackling decades of corruption in the fertiliser
sector and pursuing innovative agricultural investment programmes to
expand opportunities for the private sector to add value to crops produced
in Nigeria
The Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, also emerged Governor of
the Year “for his vision of a state beyond oil, and for building bridges
of peace across one of Nigeria’s most disparate communities, massively
building and renewing infrastructure and placing the economy of Delta
State on solid footing”
The award presentation was preceded by a lecture entitled, “Rebuilding A
Nation: Lessons From Other Lands”, by Lagos State governor Babatunde Raji
Fashola while the event was chaired by Vanguard publisher, Mr. Sam Amuka.
Also honoured at the ceremony were; the vice chairman of Ocean Marine
Security, Mr. Olatunde Ayeni, as the Business Person of the Year, Simdul
Shagaya (CEO Of the Year); the former minister of the FCT, Malam Nasir
Ahmed el-Rufai, is the Author of the Year; and Super Eagles Coach, Stephen
Keshi, is the Sports Person of the Year. Others include Nigeria Security
and Civil Defence Corps (Agency of the Year), Nagari Farm Yoghurt (Product
of the Year), Chi Limited (Company of the Year), LAPO Micro Finance Bank
Ltd (Micro Finance Bank of the Year), Swift Network Ltd (Telecom Company
of the Year), Jumia (ICT Of the Year), SAMSUNG (Brand of the Year), Ice
Prince (Artist of the Year) and the Golden Eaglets (Young Persons of the
Year).