All is set for this year’s Leadership Conference and Awards which holds today at the Abuja International conference centre.
According to Leadership report, the list of dignitaries who confirmed their participation has continued to swell with the addition to the list being confirmation by the minister of defence, Brig. General Mansur Dan Ali (Rtd) and his FCT counterpart, Mohammed Bello. Both have formally confirmed that they will attend.
As the FCT minister, Bello is billed to serve as co-host for the event.
Already, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, Kebbi State governor, Senator Abubakar Bagudu and Adamawa State governor, Senator Abubakar Bindow have all confirmed that they will attend the event.
The trio are among personalities that will receive awards during the ceremony slated to commence by 7pm.
While governors Atiku and Bindow personally confirmed their attendance, the CBN Spokesman, Isaac Okoroafor confirmed Mr Emefiele’s attendance.
The acting chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu has also confirmed that he will attend the event.
The Group Managing Director of LEADERSHIP Holdings, Dr Cletus Akwaya said necessary arrangements had been concluded adding that all is set for the conference which was initially scheduled to hold yesterday but shifted to today, March 17.
The shift became necessary as the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting is slated for yesterday.
The meeting is chaired by the vice president with the governors of the 36 states as members. Some of the governors are slated to receive awards at the LEADERSHIP event.
The theme of this year’s conference is “The Rice Economy.”
Minister of agriculture and rural development, Audu Ogbeh, will deliver the keynote address, while the Etsu Nupe and Chairman, Niger State Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, will be the royal father of the day at the event.
The Sarkin Kano, His Highness Muhammad Sanusi II is the chairman of the occasion.
Recall that in December 2016, LEADERSHIP had in line with its annual tradition of celebrating individuals and organisations that have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavour and made outstanding contributions to Nigeria and the world in the course of the year, picked the nominees for its 2016 awards.
For the year 2016, just like in the preceding year, three eminent Nigerians were jointly nominated for the award of LEADERSHIP Person of the Year. They are: include Kebbi State governor, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, and the acting chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu.
Emefiele jointly won the coveted the award for his aggressive support for Nigeria’s agricultural sector particularly in rice production coupled with his sole campaign for development banking, the CBN governor, among other vital criteria for his selection, was also considered on the basis of his skilful management of the nation’s economy in this period of recession through his commendable monetary policy initiatives as well as the interest rate reduction.
“The Kebbi state governor, Senator Atiku Bagudu, who is today seen by many as Nigeria’s number one rice Ambassador, was nominated along with Emefiele for pioneering unprecedented production of rice in Kebbi for both local consumption and for export. The nation’s anti-financial crime czar and acting chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, also made the prime honours roll for his unflinching commitment, despite all odds and opposition from within and outside the government, to the war against corruption and financial crimes in the country,” the management noted.
In the other categories of the LEADERSHIP Annual Awards, three governors emerged joint winners of the Governor of the Year Award. They are: Anambra State governor, Chief Willy Obiano, who was nominated Governor of the Year for changing the narrative in his state with his rock-solid modern agricultural revolution, provision of adequate security, infrastructure and empowerment programmes for his people and Akwa Ibom State governor, Chief Emmanuel Udom, who was nominated for his strides in rural development, on the basis of his current transformation efforts in opening up the rural communities in his state and for bringing seriousness and responsibility to governance and crafting the highly successful “Dakkada” philosophy in addition to several works in infrastructure, while the Adamawa State governor, Senator Abubakar Bindow, was chosen as Governor of the Year for putting the state on a path of economic independence – a feat for a northern state governor – and driving an unprecedented infrastructural development across the state.
The Award for Politician of the Year went to the former Edo state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole; Bank of the Year was clinched by SunTrust Bank; Public Service Person of the Year went to the acting managing director of the Bank of Industry (BOI), Mr Waheed Olagunju; the Banker of the Year Award was clinched by the group managing director/chief executive officer of First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Dr Adesola Kazeem Adeduntan; the Business Person of the Year was roundly won by the Chairman of SHOPRITE Nigeria Limited, Chief Tayo Amusan; and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) won the Government Agency of the Year 2016.
Other award categories are: Company of the Year, which was won by Okomu Oil Palm Plc; Brand of the Year, Dana Airline Limited; Telecoms Company of the Year, clinched by Smile Communications Nigeria Limited; Product of the Year won by Power Oil, a latest brand of household cooking oil on the stable of Dufil Nigeria Limited; the CEO of the Year went to the managing director/CEO of Main One Cables, Mrs Funke Opeke; and the E-Commerce Company of the Year, which went to Yudala.com, one of the online shopping and trading portals.
This year, the Artiste of the Year award went to the Afro Pop RnB Hip hop music rave of the moment, Mr Augustine Miles Kelechi, popularly known as Tekno, for his hit song “Pana.”
