The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of CEOAFRICA, Prince Cletus Ilobanafor, has been honoured with the Sir Ahmadu Bello Platinum Award by the Council of Northern Youth Advocates of Nigeria (CNYAN) in Abuja.
The award, presented on October 4, 2025, recognizes Ilobanafor’s outstanding contributions to national unity and youth empowerment. He was also celebrated as Garkuwan Matasan Arewa (Shield of Northern Youths) and described as an “Icon and Cynosure of nation-building.”
Speaking at the event, CNYAN President, Mohammed Abdulrazaq, said the council remained committed to addressing pressing challenges in Northern Nigeria, particularly in education. He called on governments at all levels to increase funding to reduce the growing number of out-of-school children, noting that education is key to taking young people off the streets and making them productive members of society.
Commending Ilobanafor, Abdulrazaq said, “Having gone through your track record, we see your life as a blessing to this generation and the ones unborn. You have been instrumental in telling our stories better and inspiring the youth. We are ready to partner with you.”
Another member of the council, Muhammed, praised the CEOAFRICA chief for his role in positively projecting Africa’s image. He noted that the recognition followed a “thorough scrutiny” of Ilobanafor’s achievements, adding that his contributions to national unity and peace stood out at a crucial time in the country.
The citation on the award reads, “In appreciation of your immense contribution towards a united, one indivisible Nigeria; being a vanguard of youth emancipation and serving as a bridge of national unity and consensus.”
In his acceptance speech, Prince Ilobanafor expressed gratitude for the recognition, saying, “I am so honoured to receive this award from the youth of the Northern extraction, the youth who are the future of tomorrow.”
He noted that beyond his work at CEOAFRICA in “projecting Africa to the world and the world to Africa,” one of his most passionate causes remains the elimination of malaria. He pledged to make the CNYAN president an ambassador in the campaign against the disease.
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Highlighting the Geneith Health Competition, backed by a ₦1 billion donation from Geneith Pharmaceuticals, Ilobanafor said the initiative would empower students in secondary and tertiary institutions to become advocates for malaria prevention.
He called for more investment in youth development, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritise the nation’s young population.
“Nigerian youths are the biggest asset we have. All we are asking for is to give them opportunities to serve, and Nigeria will be a better country,” he said.
The event, which drew youth leaders and advocates, ended with a renewed call for unity and national cohesion.
Prince Ilobanafor’s recognition, organisers said, was a testament to his consistent efforts in shaping positive narratives and championing the cause of young people across Nigeria.
