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Tag: deserved

  • Deserved honour for selfless service

    Deserved honour for selfless service

    The atmosphere was filled with the echoes of ancient traditions, the rhythms of jubilant celebration and the promise of a new dawn. As the chieftaincy conferment ceremony of Prince Ojo Adenle and Princess Sayo Adenle as Mayegun and Erelu of Aaye Kingdom respectively went on at the palace of Alaaye of Aaye Kingdom, Oba Amos Idowu Ojo, the sleepy rural community warmed up to the huge celebration and the enduring power of their cultural heritage. The sacred rituals and ceremonies remained poignant reminders of the values that bind Aaye, in Ido-Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State together as a community.

    High chiefs, the elegbes and other social clubs decked in colourful traditional attires took turn to pay homage to the Alaaye of Aaye Kingdom, while talking drummers, singers and dancers thrilled the guests to panegyrics and cultural performances at the place.

    From the palace of the Alaaye of Aaye Kingdom Oba Amos Idowu Adegboyega (Ikumuluyi V), through to Methodist Primary School ground and the major road in the community were literarily overrun by friends, colleagues and well-wishers who converged on the community as early as 9am. They gathered in hundreds to felicitate with Prince Ojo Adenle and Princess Sayo Adenle who were conferred with the title Erelu and Mayegun of Aaye Kingdom respectively.

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    Date was August 17. The occasion was also to commemorate the second year anniversary of the coronation of Oba Amos Adegboyega.

    Setting the tone for the day’s events, the Alaaye of Aaye Ekiti, Oba Amos Adegboyega assisted by his chiefs conducted the traditional rites and chieftaincy conferment on the couples followed by prayers. This was done in the presence of traditional rulers from neighbouring communities, esteemed elders, dignitaries as well as many chiefs from Aaye. Despite the mild threat of rainfall midway into the ceremony, the audience kept increasing at the palace.

    The celebration train later moved to the Methodist Primary School ground, venue for the big ball. On stage was a juju band that also thrilled the audience to musical performances.

    The chieftaincy title is in appreciation of the couple’s contributions to the socio-economic development of Ekiti state, especially the youth and women in agriculture. In 2022, Princess Sayo Adenle was also conferred with the Iyalaje General of Ikere Kingdom, which symbolises her entrepreneurship.

    According to Princess Sayo Adenle who felt elated and humbled by the great honour bestowed on her and husband by Oba Adegboyega, the gesture is a further call to duty in serving Ekiti people more and at bigger level. “But again, what gives me joy is to touch lives particularly the women folks through empowerment and agriculture.  In a way, I have been enjoying doing those things that I have passion for. And I find fulfillment in them. In fact, I am short of words but I feel honoured. It means they really appreciate my contributions to Ekiti state and Nigeria as a whole. Unlike the prophet that is not honoured in his home, I am by this chieftaincy title, Erelu of Aaye, honoured by my people. In fact, I cannot take this for granted,” she said.

    Princess Adenle described Aaye as another of her home, because naturally Ekiti is a homogenous state with communities that share culture, history and socio-economic development over the years. 

    On what the chieftaincy title means to her, she said: “Naturally, Ekiti as a people is one homogenous entity. But, for this chieftaincy title, it means Aaye has become my second home. This also means that my primary constituency in terms of economic developmental initiatives has expanded beyond Ikere to include Aaye. And I should always work for the progress of the community and its people at any given opportunity. And their expectation from me is to always contribute to the development of the town and make a positive impact to the wellbeing of the people.” According to her, the significant value these two titles Iyalaje- General and Erelu are adding to her personality is that it shows she is a woman of virtue, honour and integrity by all standards. “Above all, I am recognised and appreciated by the traditional institutions in the state,” she added. 

    Speaking on behalf of the community,  President Aaye Progressive Union, Elder Bodunde Olusola Elijah enjoined all to show commitment to upholding the legacy of their forefathers while embracing the challenges and opportunities of the modern world. He noted that the coronation anniversary symbolises a new chapter in the collective journey of Aaye Ekiti, a chapter filled with hope, unity and progress.

    “Let us carry the spirit of this coronation ceremony in our hearts and minds. Let us honour our new Oba with respect, loyalty and support as he embarks on his noble duty to lead and serve our community with wisdom and compassion,’ he said. 

    Bodunde stressed that the concept of kingship holds a deep-rooted significance in African culture, symbolising leadership, tradition, and unity, adding that in a rapidly changing world, the role of a traditional ruler has evolved to meet the challenges and opportunities of the modern era.

    “I want to say here that a king in a modern African setting serves as a custodian of tradition and culture. It’s through that king that the rich heritage and values of the community are preserved and passed down to future generations. The king is not only a symbol of continuity but also a guardian of the customs and beliefs (that define the identity of the people),’ he noted.

  • Deserved or not ?

    Deserved or not ?

    The Nigerian Senate had recently voted in favor of passing a motion of confidence in the country’s service chiefs, that is despite widespread criticism of their handling of the nation’s security challenges. The move by the upper chamber of the National Assembly has sparked a debate among citizens, with many questioning the rationale behind the decision.

    Coming amidst the state escalating insecurity in Nigeria, with various terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen,kidnappers and unknown gun men carrying out deadly attacks on civilians and security personnel across the country, the  service chiefs, comprising the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, and Chief of Air Staff, have been tasked with addressing the security threats facing the nation but seem to be wobbling somewhat on the job.

    However, their performance has been heavily criticized, with many accusing them of failing to adequately contain the security challenges facing the country. Plagued by allegations of corruption, incompetence, and poor coordination in their efforts to combat insurgency and violence, these security helmsmen seem to be faring not better than their predecessors.

    So when the Akpabio led Senate, despite these criticisms, decide to express its confidence in the service chiefs, with the majority of Senators  voting in favor of the motion, the Nigerian public seems to be enraged and ask if such a coaxing is indeed deserved?

    Not one to be caught in any crossfires of sort, the Akpabio led leadership has much justified such lofty praise with the narrative that such a pat on the back would serve as a morale booster for the military in their elongated war with terrorism and banditry. I see!

    How a vote of confidence for a wobbling team of service chiefs can in turn raise the  morale of our fighting troops who are reportedly doing their best while our service chiefs seem to be fiddling on the jobs is certainly some harebrained logic spun by these agbada senators who have little or no knowledge about fighting a war! How do you raise the morale of soldiers who are fighting without getting their  pay  on time, how do you raise the morale of these fighting troops on a poor welfare regime? How do you boost the confidence of troops where excellence is sacrificed on the altar of nepotism and political patronage? Such logic surely raises eyebrows among many Nigerians, who would rather believe that the Senate’s decision was based on political considerations rather than a genuine assessment of the performance of the service chiefs. Critics like myself will argue that the Senate’s support for the service chiefs is a reflection of the close relationship between the military and the political elite in Nigeria, each serving the selfish interest of the other.

    The Senate missed much an opportunity to show Nigerians that it is not sitting comfy in it’s red chambers while Nigerians are repeatedly dieing in the arms of rag tag armies and band of bandits, this is in the same Nigeria where once upon a time,  it’s troops worked wonders in the Congo, Tanzania, Sierra Leone and Liberia. Furthermore, the vote of confidence has been viewed as a missed opportunity for the Senate to hold the service chiefs accountable for their failures. Many believe that the Senate should have used the opportunity to demand for better performance and accountability from the military leadership, rather than giving them a vote of confidence without any conditions attached.

    The decision has also reignited calls for the resignation or removal of the service chiefs, with various groups and individuals expressing their dissatisfaction with their performance. Civil society organizations, political parties, and even some members of the Senate have called for the replacement of the service chiefs in order to bring fresh ideas and strategies to combat the security challenges facing the country.

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    The vote of confidence in the service chiefs has also been seen as a reflection of the disconnect between the political elite and the people they are supposed to represent. Many Nigerians feel that the government is out of touch with the realities on the ground, as the security situation in the country continues to deteriorate with no concrete solutions in sight.

    Despite the Senate’s show of support for the service chiefs, the calls for their resignation or removal continue to grow louder. Nigerians are increasingly frustrated with the government’s handling of the security situation, and many are demanding for a change in leadership in order to bring about the desired change.

    The vote of confidence in the service chiefs has also brought to the fore the need for a comprehensive review of the country’s security architecture. Many experts believe that the current system is outdated and ineffective in dealing with the modern security threats facing Nigeria, and have called for a complete overhaul of the security apparatus in order to address the challenges more effectively.

    In conclusion, the Nigerian Senate’s vote of confidence in the service chiefs has generated a lot of debate and controversy, with many questioning the rationale behind the decision. While the Senate has defended its decision as a show of support for the military in their fight against insurgency, many would argue otherwise and would rather have these fellows given marching orders to at least bring down the rate of such attacks on innocent citizens or are shipped out for a set of new service chiefs who would be offered the same treatment should they fail to deliver. Nigeria for God’s sake spends a huge chunk of it’s resources on security, it’s about time such funding is justified.

    For me the vote of confidence on the service chiefs remains another reason why our nation is sick, it’s undeserved as well as is a play to the gallery by the Nigerian Senate, leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of millions of Nigerians who continue to suffer from while our policy makers continue to put every foot wrong. May God Almighty help us…. May Nigeria Succeed

  • Deserved but…

    Deserved but…

    •Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Africa leadership prize has not lifted the standard of governance

    When the indices fall and the people mourn, the underlying factor is failure of leadership. In Africa, this has been a constant motif, a marker of continent almost in a manic romance with decadence.

    Even when news cheers the heart, it hardly points to a transformational experience, but more to relief, a sigh that things are not worse. Africans are compelled to see the cup half full than half-empty because the former indicates that things have not dropped down the precipice.

    Perhaps it is in that spirit that the Mo Ibrahim Prize recently conferred on the former Liberian president must be received. Liberia is nowhere near its promised land. That land of peace and plenty does not even wink in the horizon. Yet we must admit that she brought an energy and vision and level-headedness to her stewardship that we cannot begrudge her this moment of joy.

    Many have brought great flair to the work of governance but have failed to lift their societies on this continent, partly because of the countervailing forces of retrogression. We can identify Amilcar Cabral of Guinea Bissau and Patrice Lumumba of the Republic of Congo, two men whose patriotic levers proved impotent when neo-imperialist forces mowed them down. It makes some political analysts to wonder if the world’s supposedly ancient continent is not willed to what Joseph Conrad called the “night of first ages.”

    In awarding the prize, the Mo Ibrahim Prize Committee cited Sirleaf’s “Exceptional and transformative leadership, in the face of unprecedented and renewed challenges, to lead Liberia’s recovery following many years of devastating civil war. Salim Ahmed Salim, a distinguished statesman and African intellectual, was the committee chair and he had this to say: “Ellen Johnson Sirleaf took the helm of Liberia when it was completely destroyed by civil war and led a process of reconciliation that focused on building a nation and its democratic institutions,” adding that “throughout her two terms in office, she worked tirelessly on behalf of the people of Liberia.” He also noted that “such a journey cannot be without some shortcomings and, today, Liberia continues to face challenges. Nevertheless, during her 12 years in office, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf laid the foundations on which Liberia can now build.”

    The former Liberian leader is the fifth recipient of the soaring honour which comes with a cash prize of $5 million to be spread over 10 years and $200,000 annually for the rest of her life. Johnson Sirleaf receives this prize after a dry patch of five years when no African leader was counted worthy of the accolade.

    She took over office as the nation’s leader after the civil war that turned a once quiescent country warm with flowing human blood. She is credited with reconciling a riven people. Ironically she had to fight to nullify the verdict of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee that banned her from seeking elective office. Yet on her watch, Liberia was the only country out of 54 that improved in every category and sub-category of the Ibrahim Index of African Governance. She was president from 2006 to 2011 on her first term and 2012 to 2017 in her second. She is succeeded by the ex-football international George Opon Weah.

    The previous winners include former Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba (2014), Former cape Verde President Pedro Pires (2011), former Botswana President Festus Mogae (2008), and former Mozambique President Joaquim Chissano.

    The former Liberian leader won this award in a season when two countries, South Africa and Zimbabwe flushed out two exemplars of tyranny and decadent comedy in governance. We hope they signal better times for leaders as Sirleaf, a Harvard graduate and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and development, savours this new garland.

  • Deserved 70 years

    •Conviction of Kebbi’s ex-accountant-general raises questions about the lower court’s verdict

    After being discharged and acquitted by a Kebbi High Court, on charges of conspiracy and obtaining money  by false pretences preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a former Accountant-General of Kebbi State, Mohammed Dakingari, has had his luck reversed by the Court of Appeal, Kebbi Division. The appellate court found him guilty of all the 10 counts and sentenced him to seven years in prison on each count, making 70 years in all.

    Mercifully, the sentences are to run concurrently.

    Dakingari was accused of using his office as accountant-general of the state for personal enrichment to the tune of N1.6bn. Moreover, contrary to extant civil service rules and regulations forbidding serving civil servants from owning businesses, the former accountant-general not only owned a construction company, Beal Construction Nigeria Ltd, but also awarded mouth-watering contracts to the company in his capacity as accountant-general. He was charged alongside Musa Yusuf, the company’s managing director.

    A statement by the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said it was discovered at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) that Dakingari’s sons,  Bashir Mohammed, Anwal Sadat and Nasir Mohammed,  as well as his brothers,  Abduallahi Mohammed and Habibu Mohammed, were all directors of Beal Construction Company Ltd.

    The statement added, “The construction company operates two accounts at Ecobank and Unity Bank, with Dakingari and Yusuf as signatories to the accounts. However, Dakingari was discovered to have operated with two signatures, one in his official capacity as accountant-general of the state and the other as the owner of Beal Construction Company Limited. EFCC said “the contracts executed for the state for which Beal Construction Company received huge payments included the supply of furniture to 66 secondary schools in Kebbi State valued at N987m; the connection of water and drainage system at the Kebbi Central Mosque valued at N110m and the building and partitioning of Mohammed Maira Secondary School valued at N247m.”

    According to it, “analysis of the accounts revealed a total inflow of N1.3bn between May 2012 and September 2013, with most of the receipts coming from the Office of the Accountant-General and the Kebbi State Ministry of Finance.” The commission consequently filed 20 charges bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretences and abuse of office against Dakingari and Yusuf at the Kebbi High Court.

    Curiously, the lower court convicted and sentenced Yusuf to six months’ imprisonment but discharged and acquitted Dakingari. This judgment did not go down well with the EFCC which approached the Court of Appeal, urging it to set aside the judgment of the lower court and convict Dakingari as charged. The appellate court upheld the plea, convicted and sentenced Dakingari to seven years’ imprisonment each on 10 of the counts preferred against him.

    We commend the EFCC for its doggedness in pursuing the matter this far. The convict would have been left to go away with the impression that it pays to commit crime if the EFCC had handled the case in a cavalier manner.  Even as laymen, the facts on ground could not have supported the acquittal of the former accountant-general. As a matter of fact, most of the thieves in high places in the country steal cleverly, if we can be pardoned for using that expression. In this instance, Dakingari was either too naïve or overconfident that nothing would happen to him even if he broke civil service rules to commit crimes.

    While we wonder what informed the lower court’s judgment, we commend the decision of the appellate court for serving justice without fear or favour. That is the way it should be. Public servants must work by the rules and when they depart from these to commit crime, they should be duly punished. This is the way to check corruption, which has done so much damage to the country’s economy.

    We hope both the judiciary and the EFCC would sustain the momentum in dealing with the many other corruption cases pending in the courts or under investigation.

  • Enyimba deserved victory against Abia Warriors – Anyansi

    Enyimba deserved victory against Abia Warriors – Anyansi

    Chairman of Enyimba Football Club, Felix Anyansi has debunked assertions that their victory against Abia Warriors was strategic.

    Mfon Udoh’s strike handed the People’s Elephant a 1-0 win against their cross city rivals in Sunday’s Nigeria Professional Football League local derby in Umuaiha.

    According to the seasoned football administrator who doubles as the Nigeria Football Federation Technical and Development Committee head, his team’s victory was a reward for their determination and motivation.

    “We got what we deserved and we have worked very hard for it. I want to put the record straight that no one did us a favour. We were motivated because of the eagerness to break our own record and set another one. We did very well,” Anyansi told Goal.

    “People believe that Abia Warriors and Enyimba are from the same state, the result had been decided before kick-off. I want to tell those ones that they were wrong. No one did us any favour and our performance throughout the season shows that it would be disservice not to end up as the league champions.

    “I want to caution my boys that the league title has not been won and we should approach our next league game against Warri Wolves with all seriousness because it is our goal to end the season as the league champions and now that we are very close to achieving our aim, we must be focused,” he concluded.

    Enyimba need just a point against Warri Wolves and Sunshine Stars to claim a record seventh Nigeria Professional Football League title.

     

  • Honour well deserved

    Honour well deserved

    The Abia State University (ABSU) in Uturu has held a special convocation to honour some personalities, for distinguishing themselves in their chosen fields. UCHECHUKWU AMANZE (100-Level Medicine and Surgery) and FAVOUR NNADI (300-Level Medical Laboratory Science) report.

    The Abia State University (ABSU) in Uturu was a beehive penultimate Saturday. People from various walks of life thronged the institution for its third special convocation held to honour personalities who distinguished themselves in their various fields.

    The Dr Uche Ogah Auditorium where the ceremony held was filled hosting high-profile dignitaries, including traditional rulers, politicians and business men. They all came to show solidarity with their kinsmen, who were being conferred with honorary degrees.

    Notable among the honorees is Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC). For Onu, it was a home-coming to a state where he was the first civilian governor and to institution, where he was a Visitor between 1991 and 1992, before Ebonyi State was carved out of old Abia State. Onu was conferred with Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa).

    Also, a Doctoral degree in Business Administration (Honoris Causa) was conferred on Eze Nwachukwu Okere, the tradition ruler of Oheiyi-Ukwu community in Ahaba Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State.

    The Chancellor, Sir Francis Orji, congratulated the honorees, recounting his relationship with Onu, saying: “Dr Onu has had a long-standing relationship with my family from his childhood till present date. He has been a good friend and shining politician of this era.” He wished the honorees success in their endeavours.

    Orji appealed to public-spirited individuals to support the state government in improving the quality of university education.

    His words: “It has been stated and being re-emphasised by stakeholders in the education sector that, government alone cannot adequately fund education, especially in the face of dwindling resources. This is why I appeal to well-meaning Nigerians to partner with the university in ensuring quality education for our children by providing funds and facilities that will promote learning. Their support will complement the government’s effort to keep the school afloat.”

    While praising the awardees, the Pro-chancellor, Senator Ike Nwachukwu, said the honorees were carefully chosen based on their achievements.

    He said: “All of them are pre-eminently deserving of the honour and recognition bestowed on them by the university based on their track records of achievement and contribution to nation-building. By virtue of their admission into the fold of our cherished graduates, they have become life members of the university community. I urge them to freely identify with the noble cause and aspirations of the university.”

    Nwachukwu expressed gratitude to the Chief Executive Officer of Masters Energy, Dr Uche Ogah, for donating the 600-seater auditorium to the school.

    Responding, Dr Ogah promised to employ the best graduating student at the Department of Accountancy and also the overall best graduating student. He said the gesture would be shown every year to make students improve in their performance.

    Speaking on behalf of the awardees, Dr Onu, thanked the school management for finding them worthy of the honour. He dedicated the award to the people he worked with while he was the governor of Old Abia State. He explained how he resisted the pressure to cede the university to the Federal Government at a time the state got N65 million monthly allocation from the Federation Account.

  • Wamako: Honour well deserved

    The recent award of The Sun Man of the Year 2014 threw up the personality of the subject of this piece, Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamako, Governor of Sokoto State and Sarkin Yamman Sokoto. My interest in Sokoto State dates back to my undergraduate days when I developed a wish to meet Alhaji Aliyu Shehu Shagari, President of Nigeria from 1979-1983. There had been many comments about Shagari that motivated my young mind to meet him. I visited Sokoto State for the first time in the late 90s’. Naively, I embarked on this daring journey without informing my parents and colleagues. It was indeed a smooth journey from Lagos to Sokoto; much of sightseeing as this was also my first time of venturing up-north. It was in Sokoto that I faced a huge challenge of communication, and transiting from state capital to Shagari village. When I got to the village, I was told that the former President was not in the country. A kind Nigerian, one Alhaji Danbaba saved the day for me, facilitating my return journey to Lagos.

    Again, in March 2011, I visited Sokoto. It was on this occasion that we ran into the convoy of Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamako, Governor of Sokoto State. We were told he was returning home. As a governor, Wamako does not reside in the posh Government House preferring his private house within Sokoto metropolis. The house as I saw it then, is neither that fantastic nor majestic, and obviously not a new house. Behind, adjacent and not too far from this house are rows of shops which attracts heavy human traffic for buying and selling. In fact at the peak of transactions, the place could well be a market. Ever since these visits, I had somehow been following the politics and happenings in Sokoto.

    To start with, the ascendance of Wamako to the gubernatorial office was fraught with legal battles. Wamako was deputy governor of Sokoto from 1999-2006 before he resigned when things went awry with his boss. He went ahead to clinch the coveted post of governor in 2007 on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). On two occasions, Wamako faced two court-ordered rerun elections, and both occasions he triumphed. A cat with nine lives, you might say.

    Wamako has modernized Sokoto with numerous infrastructures with direct bearing on the populace. That Sokoto is massively shedding its old and rural character to urban and modern signatures will be an understatement. From the airport, a brand new Western bypass, an 11 kilometre six-lane carriageway welcomes the visitor. So also is the Eastern bypass with all allure just completed by Wamako. These expansive roads are lined on both sides with neem trees. Being a state where majority are farmers, government concentrated more on rural roads like Kalambaina-Arkilla-Nasarawa-Polythecnic link road, Tambuwal/Kebbe road, Sokoto-Ilela road (a border town with Niger Republic) has all been completed by Wamako.

    Alu, as the governor Wamako is fondly called also made giant strides in the health sector: there is a General Hospital in all the 23 local governments. There are also two superb programmes: Free Medical Care (FREMCARE) and Rural Mobile Medical Care (RUMCARE). FREMCARE is a free health care programme dedicated to pregnant women and children under the age of five. The aim is to reduce maternal and child mortality rate in the state. RUMCARE, on the other hand, is designed for those that cannot afford healthcare services as well as those that live in places that are hard to reach.

    In addition, there is also an orthopaedic hospital with full complements of expertise drawn from within Sokoto and abroad. With over 500 indigenes studying medicine abroad on state government scholarship, and a College of Nursing and Midwifery to boot, Sokoto is sure on sound footing, health-wise.

    In spite of his aristocratic background, Wamako has chosen to work for the people of Sokoto. The new world-class Sokoto State University is testimony to Wamako’s commitment to education. New infrastructures like administrative blocks, staff quarters, and students’ hostel etc dot every corner of the university. It recently admitted its first set of students. Indeed, if truth be told, the Almajiri school system was the initiative of Wamako. He was first to establish an Almajiri school in Sokoto. The then Minister of Education, Professor Rukayatu Rufai gladly requested the assistance and expertise of Wamako on this scheme. It is rather unfortunate, that the Almajiri school system is now a subject of politics with federal government claiming the credit of this system in the north.

    With meagre resources and prudent management, Wamako has touched every aspect of economic value chain in the state, from housing, where over 5,000 units had been built and allocated; the ministry of the environment (created by Wamako in 2008) with triple components of forestry, environmental health and sanitation, and erosion and flood control. A brand new Independent Power Project (IPP) the first of its kind in Sokoto was built by Wamako. He also recorded giant strides in human capital development with its main hub in training and retraining of civil servants, youth employment and empowerment (with the creation of Sokoto Marshals and Skill acquisition centres). And unlike many states, physically challenged persons get a N6,500 stipend monthly.

    Asides strides in physical infrastructure provision, Wamako has displayed a high sense of tolerance in his political activities within Sokoto State. When, along with five other governors he switched political affiliation from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), his deputy Alhaji Mukhtari Shehu Shagari did not go with him. As a true democrat, the deputy was left alone, with all paraphernalia of office and duties intact. In fact, the relationship between him and the deputy governor is incomparable, vis-à-vis the numerous in-fighting between some governors and their deputies elected on the same political party platform. Wamako deserves commendation for this act.

    Humane, generous, accessible, team player and hardworking, Wamako has received several awards including Member, Muslim World League, Best Governor awarded by the House Builders Association, and the national honour of Commander of Niger (CON). The Sun Man of the Year 2014 is not only well deserved by a man who has created a new template for development in Sokoto, it is a confirmation of his superb administrative skills and prudence as a manager.

    • Badejo writes from Surulere, Lagos State.
  • An honour well deserved

    An honour well deserved

    Last Sunday, the Eko Renaissance Group, held a meritious service/award to wrap up the year. Ten illustrious sons and daughters were honoured, reports NNEKA NWANERI.

    Eko Renaissance Group, an indigenous group, comprising of career young men from Lagos State indigene, was formed to protect the interest of its members in Nigeria and abroad. As depicted from the name – Eko – means only men and women of Lagos origin are qualified to be members.

    For 15 years, the association has waxed strong with membership strength of over 50. Last Sunday at the Campus Mini Stadium on Lagos Island, they stepped out for yet another occasion. It was a day to reward excellence in service delivery to humanity as well as hold a sort of end of the year party.

    Decked in well starched white sokoto and shirt and blue aso oke caps, they gathered to celebrate their partners and those who have done outstandingly well. according to the President of the Eko Renaissance Group, the spectrum of those awarded are people that have distinguished themselves in their career, and have been of tremendous service to those around them.

    Though it wasn’t a large gathering, it comprised people of substance and calibre. well organised and precise, they went straight for the business of the day after an opening prayer led by the Chairman of the Lagos Muslims Pilgrims Board and lecturer at the Lagos State University (LASU), Dr Kabiru Paramole. He led others in reciting the Suratul Fathia from the Quran.

    Dr Paramole wore a double cap; the guest speaker cum representative of Lagos Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Hon Oyinlomo Danmole, the Chairman on the occasion. He urged all to live lives of legacy to find favour before God and men.

    He said: “Let us all impact positively in our neighbour’s lives and be supportive to all humans, because whatever we do today will be history tomorrow. God watches all we do”.

    The group’s president, Mr Babatunde Onigbanjo, in a welcome address said, there is more to the gathering than honouring people. The group seeks to promote the interest of its members in the public and private sectors across the tiers of government.

    “We are here to curtail marginalisation in organisations and to this, a lot of people have benefitted from us. Many people have benefitted from these 10 and it is for this that we are rewarding them, the award will also encourage them not to relent but keep doing more for humanity and be a clarion call for or members and guests to rise to the challenge”.

    The Distinguished Administrator of the year award was bagged by Mr Razaq Amodu, who served as the council manager in Ikoyi-Obalende Local Government and now is Council Manager for Somolu Local Government.

    A post-humous award was given to the late Comrade Joseph Ajasa, who was described as a dogged fighter, who contributed tremendously. Onigbanjo, who spoke on behalf of other members of the club, said not giving him the award will be a great injustice considering the effort and zeal he put in the past.

    “His effort cannot be in vain because he is an aluta man to the core and really deserves this award,” he said.

    While presenting the award to the widow of the late Ajasa, Anthonia, one of the new men of bench in the Lagos State High Court, Justice Abisoye Jubril Bashua, said the event was his first official duty as a Lagos State Judge.

    Others were: Mrs Florence Omotunde-Peters, who is the Oriade LocaL Government Council Manager won the Distinguished Special Administration award; the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Teachers Establishment and Pensions Commission, Otunba Nurudeen Ojora-Adejiyan bagged an award in recognition of his leadership role in Lagos State as well as another retiree of the Lagos Civil Service, Mrs Basirat Akinsanya.

    Amodu, who spoke on behalf of the awardees, thanked the organisers for a job well done.

    Secretary to the Lagos Muslim Welfare Pilgrims Board, Mr Kamal Sanusi, in a goodwill message accorded the group for impacting positively to the affairs of the government and all should see the essence of the group as a challenge to help the government be better.

    The musical interlude lasted into the night as members engaged their guests in wining and dining.