The much-anticipated LEADERSHIP 2023 Conference and Awards will hold today, March 5, 2024, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotels, Abuja, at 10am.
Among the guests expected to grace the 15th edition of the annual event organised by Nigeria’s most influential newspaper are governors, legislators, members of the diplomatic corps and elder statesmen.
Former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and renowned political economist, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, will deliver the keynote address for this year’s conference with the theme, “An Economy In Distress: Which Way Forward?”
Moghalu, an erudite scholar and presidential candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) in the 2019 general election, joins other discussants to brainstorm on the way out of the current economic crisis ravaging the nation.
A statement by editor-in-chief/senior vice chairman of LEADERSHIP Newspapers Group, Mr Azubuike Ishiekwene, disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will grace the occasion as the special guest of honour, while FCT minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, is to serve as chairman of the occasion/chief host.
Chairman of LEADERSHIP Group Ltd, Mrs Zainab Nda-Isaiah, is the host, while the Etsu Nupe, His Royal Highness, Dr. Abubakar Yahaya, serves as the royal father of the day.
As laid down by the founding chairman of the newspaper group, the late Sam Nda-Isaiah, the selection of the awardees, as usual, followed a critical review of notable Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavour through their contributions to the growth and development of the country.
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Apart from attending the event as special guest of honour, President Tinubu will also receive the LEADERSHIP Person of the Year award for braving monumental odds to clinch the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket and subsequently going ahead to win the keenly contested 2023 presidential election.
Also, for providing exceptional leadership qualities in their states, three governors emerged as LEADERSHIP Governor of the Year 2023: They are Benue State governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia; Umar Dikko Radda of Katsina State; Muhammed Umar Bago of Niger State, and Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.
For the Politician of the Year 2023 category, the duo of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, and the senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial district, Barr. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, both emerged winners.
Obi, a first timer in the presidential race, changed the narrative of the conduct of election, making history with the #Obidient Movement, which saw a majority of Nigerian youths defying the usual voter apathy syndrome to come out en masse to cast their votes.
Uduaghan-Akpoti, on her own part, is the first female senator from Kogi State who surmounted all odds to reclaim her mandate through the courts after she was initially denied victory.
The LEADERSHIP Public Service Person of the Year award was jointly won by Nigeria’s interior minister, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the managing director/CEO of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Engr. Abimbola Akinajo.
Tunji-Ojo, a.k.a. ‘Minister Talk and Do,’ won the heart of many Nigerians for his exceptional reforms in tackling the perennial passport booklet crisis, while Akinajo’s exceptional commitment culminated in the delivery of the Lagos blue rail line under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
United Bank of Africa (UBA) clinched the Bank of the Year award for its unbroken record of performance in the first three quarters of 2023.
Yemi Edun, a seasoned banker, chartered accountant and MD/CE of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) emerged LEADERSHIP Banker of the Year for successfully steering the bank through increased SME lending as well as facilitating credit to small businesses.
CEO of the Year was jointly clinched by a trio of the chief executive officer of Emzor Pharmaceutical Company, Dr Stella Chinyelu Okoli; CEO of Transcorp Hotels, Dupe Olusola, and the CEO of Marvelous Mike Press, Engr. Micheal Bayo Akinola.
LEADERSHIP Social Impact Person of the Year award went to the Emir of Bauchi, Dr Rilwanu Sulaimanu Adamu, for touching and shaping the lives of his subjects by promoting unity and tremendous upliftment against myriads of social constraints that had bedevilled the people of Bauchi for long.
The Business Person of the Year award was won by chairman of Gerewa Group of Companies, Isa Mohammed Gerewa, for building one of the most successful companies that helped in the achievement of economic diversification.
Other winners of LEADERSHIP’s coveted awards are: Government Agency of the Year, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC); Oil & Gas Company of the Year, Seplat Energy Plc., and Company of the Year, Zeberced Group.
Others include Oil and Gas Local Content Champion of the Year, Aradel Holdings Plc; IT Company of the Year, CWG Plc; Brand of the Year, Flour Mills Nigeria Plc.; Fintech Company of the Year, MoniePoint.
The Artiste of the Year award went to Nike Okundaye Davies for her unwavering dedication to promoting and empowering Nigerian youths and women through arts and craft.
The Sports Persons of the Year award went to D’Tigress for winning a historic fourth consecutive AfroBasket title, while Awwalu Sani, for displaying honesty when he found and returned N15 million to Chadian merchants who forgot it in his tricycle, won the Outstanding Young Person of the Year award.
List Of Awardees
- President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR
Person Of The Year 2023 - Mohammed Umaru Bago
Governor Of The Year 2023 - Dikko Umar Radda
Governor Of The Year 2023 - Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde
Governor Of The Year 2023 - Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia
Governor Of The Year 2023 - Peter Gregory Obi
Politician Of The Year 2023 - Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
Politician Of The Year 2023 - Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo
Public Service Person Of The Year 2023 - Abimbola Akinajo
Public Service Person Of The Year 2023 - Isa Mohammed Gerawa
Business Person Of The Year 2023 - Dr Stella Chinyelu Okoli
CEO Of The Year 2023 - Dupe Olusola
CEO of the Year 2023 - Engr. Michael Bayo Akinola
CEO of the Year 2023 - Yemisi Edun
Banker Of The Year 2023 - Emir of Bauchi Alhaji (Dr) Rilwanu Sulaimanu Adamu, CFR
Social Impact Person Of The Year 2023 - United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc
Bank of the Year 2023 - Zeberced Group
Company of the Year 2023 - Seplat Energy Plc
Oil & Gas Company Of The Year 2023 - Aradel Holdings Plc
Oil And Gas Local Content Champion Of The Year 2023 - Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC)
Government Agency Of The Year 2023 - CWG PLC
IT Company Of The Year 2023 - Flour Mills Nigeria Plc
Brand of the Year 2023 - Nike Okundaye-Davies
Artist of the Year 2023 - Moniepoint
Fintech Company Of The Year 2023 - D’Tigress
Sportsperson of the Year 2023 - Awwalu Salisu
Outstanding Young Person of the Year 2023
