Ex President, Goodluck Jonathan, Captain of industry, Alex Onabanjo, Former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, and for Vice president, Alex Ekwueme, will be recipients of distinguished public service awards put together by the Patriots In Leadership and Service , (PILAS).
Others are chief Edwin Clark, chief Gabriel Igbinedion, Governors Okezie Ikpeazu, Nyesom Wike, Hassan Dakwambo, Segun Mimiko, Senators, Danjuma Laah, and Phillips Aduda.
The awards ceremony comes up on June 4, 2016 at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
On the list of recipients also include Tony Elumelu, TB Joshua, Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff, Bamanga Tukur, Mrs Folorunsho Alakija, Ike Ekweremadu, Senator Abiodun Olujimi, Princess Omosede Igbinedion, Tolu Ebun, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun.
Some of the categories are Man of the Year ( Jonathan), Special Honors, ( Ekweremadu, Sheriff, Elumelu); Entrepreneurship, Business Development, ( Otubanjo, Elumelu, Ogah, and Alakija); while Lifetime, Intergrity awards go to Ekwueme, Igbinedion, Oyedokun, Gowon, Tukur and Clarke.
According to the PILAS president, Paul Utho, ” the ceremony is designed to identify exceptional achievements in Nigeria public service, which includes identifying distinguished Nigerians who have impacted positively in their area of specialization”
” The awards aim to also celebrate achievements and ensure they are highlighted and placed at the fore alongside achievers as a means of ensuring that they remain a reference point”
Utho added that ” the recognition and celebration of these distinguished men and women others will be encouraged to make genuine efforts to deepen our core values as a nation”