Wabote, Others Win African Heritage Awards

The executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote has been conferred with the ‘Champion of Local Content Development in Africa’ award.

Wabote, received the award at the inaugural African Heritage Concert and Awards in Kigali, Rwanda. The event featured a stellar cast of change makers across Africa who physically picked up their awards, including the immediate past Nigerian president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who won the African Democracy and Peace Icon Award; former president of the Republic of Botswana, Dr. Seretse Khama Ian Khama, who picked up the Africa Philanthropist Award, and pan-Africanist and legal practitioner, Prof PLO Lumumba, who was conferred with the Africa Advancement Icon Award.

Some other winners included; the late president of the Republic of Tanzania, Mr. John Magufuli, who won the African Icon Award (posthumous); the former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olumide Akpata, who was conferred with the African Legal Icon Award and the Triplets Ghetto Kids from Uganda, who won the African Entertainment Award.

The executive secretary dedicated the award to his family and the hard-working staff of the board, noting that, the award and several others he had clinched in the past were made possible by the staff’s dedication and support. He hinted that the award would challenge him to continue promoting local content across Africa in concert with other organisations and individuals.

He emphasised that all Africa nations should optimise value addition to their natural resources and develop capacities and capabilities of their human resources, so they can participate fully in the value chain of their extractive industries, particularly, the oil and gas industry.

He stated that, NCDMB had already started to promote local content implementation in the linkage sectors, such as; mining, power and manufacturing. He indicated that the primary task for the various African nations is to energise their core sectors and inculcate the can-do belief in their nationals.

Wabote hailed the organisers of the African Heritage Concert and Award, describing the award as a stepping stone to the African continent’s development.

Former president, Jonathan also commended the organisers of the African Heritage Concert and Award for honouring Africans who have distinguished themselves in different endeavours.

Jonathan challenged political officer holders to initiate policies that would improve the lives of the citizenry and build institutions that will outlive them, such that, they would be remembered for good when they leave office.

Speaking further, the former president commended the government and people of Rwanda for their developmental strides and becoming a preferred destination where organisations and groups across Africa and beyond now prefer to host their events.

Prof PLO Lumumba, in his acceptance speech, hinted that, Africa is currently in the cusp of hope and development, warning that foreign interests are currently scrabbling for the resources in the continent, advising that, “if we are not careful, Africa will be eaten for lunch. We should be alert and ensure that it does not happen again, our continent should not be conquered again.”

In his welcome comments, the chairman of Heritage Times, Mr. Moses Siloko Siasia explained that the African Heritage Concert and Awards was conceived to motivate change makers in the public, and private sectors across the continent, with a view to positioning them as models for other persons to emulate.