Tinubu, Wike, Etsu Nupe Expected At LEADERSHIP Awards

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike; the Etsu of Nupe, Alhaji Abubakar Yahaya; and economist, Professor Kingsley Moghalu, are among notable personalities expected to grace the much-expected LEADERSHIP Conference and Awards this week.

The event, which is scheduled to hold on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at 10am at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton, in Abuja, is themed: “An Economy in Distress: Which Way Forward?”

It will also feature awards and honours for notable Nigerians, who have contributed to the development of the country.

The FCT minister, Nyesom Wike is the chief host and chairman of the occasion, while the Etsu Nupe, HRH, Abubakar Yahaya, will be the royal father of the day.

Also, Moghalu, who served as deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, from 2009 to 2014, and is currently the Chairman of the African Private Sector Summit (APSS),is expected to be the Key note speaker at the event.

Prominent Nigerians, including critical stakeholders from various sectors, legislators, members of the diplomatic corps are also expected to attend the event, described by LEADERSHIP’s management as, “The gold standard of awards.”

President Tinubu had been announced as Person of the Year, for bracing monumental odds to clinch the APC presidential ticket and subsequently went ahead to win the keenly contested election.

Four governors emerged as LEADERSHIP 2023 ‘Governor of The Year:’ Benue state governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia; Umar Dikko Radda of Katsina;Muhammed Umar Bago of Niger; and Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi;and the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial district, Barr. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, jointly share the prize of Politician of the Year.

Obi, a first timer in the presidential race, changed the narrative of recent electoral contests by galvanising young voters and spawning the Obi-dient movement.

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 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.

United Bank of Africa,UBA clinched bank of the Year for its unbroken record 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. Edun has successfully steered 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 went to the Emir of Bauchi, Dr Rilwanu Sulaimanu Adamu for touching and shaping the lives of his subjects by promoting unity, tremendous upliftment against myriads of social constraints and 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); SeplatEnergy Plc, Oil & Gas Company of The Year.

Other winners are Company of the Year, Zeberced Group; Aradel Holdings Plc, Oil and Gas Local Content Champion of the Year; IT Company of the Year, CWG Plc and Brand of the Year, Flour Mills Nigeria Plc. The Fintech Company of the Year was won by MoniePoint.

The Artiste of the Year award went to Nike OkundayeDavies 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’Tigresswho for winning a historic fourth consecutive AfroBaskettitle; 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.