Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi, and his Kano and Borno counterparts, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje and Alhaji Kashim Shettima, were among seven Nigerians honoured with the 2016 Zik Prize for Leadership.
They were honoured for their contributions to good governance, public service, humanitarian and business leadership.
Others included former Permanent Secretary of Ministries of Information, Education and Industry, Alhaji Ahmed Joda, who was honoured with the Public Service Award; Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Mr Godwin Emefiele received the Professional Leadership Award.
Another recipient Chief Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu was honoured with the Humanitarian Leadership Award for his contributions to the enhancement of humanity. Also honoured was Chief Dan Chukwudozie, Chairman, Dozzy Group, who bagged the Business Leadership Award.
Public Policy Research and Analysis Centre (PPRAC), organised the Zik Prize for Leadership event, held at the Civic Centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe Street on Victoria Island, Lagos.
A member of PPRAC Advisory Board, Chief Mac Nwabara, in his welcome address, said Nigeria has a great need for the right leadership, adding that the centre, in line with its mandate, has identified certain enabling values that should be promoted and encouraged in our leadership space.
“In our view, this is a most noteworthy endeavour, given that leadership is most vital. Given our experience in Nigeria, it has been demonstrated that nations rise or fall on account of the expressed and demonstrated capacity and capability of their leaders.
“It is most important to note that leadership selection matters at all times. This is because leadership is not only very important, but a very powerful element. Leadership used properly will transform the society. But leadership used improperly, will stunt growth. This is an incontrovertible verdict of history,” he said.
On the raging debate on the nation’s unity, Nwabara recalled Wole Soyinka’s question, “What is a nation or when is a nation a nation?” He said a nation is a unit of social organisation put together by man, united by a common purpose and one in which the constituent units and population have defined rights, duties, and obligations that they mutually consent to, affirm and observe.
On restructuring, he said: “If we so do, it will restore or rather increase our collective faith in Nigeria’s nationhood and reposition it for sustainable socio-economic and political development. Without doing so, it will be impossible for us to achieve, as a nation, our God-given potential.”
He urged the recipients to “continue to raise the bar and not disappoint the people and many others, who believe in you and would have continued to see you as role models”.
Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Joe Irukwu, said he was privileged to be one of the surviving Nigerians, who witnessed the great intellectual depth of the progressive and unifying leadership as well as the unique brilliance of the Great Zik of Africa.
He noted: “Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and his co-founding fathers devised structures and governance systems that rendered these dangerous and divisive features insipid. But, we have abandoned most of the sensible structures and unifying systems established by our founding fathers.
“In any event, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and his colleagues established high standards of selfless, people-oriented and unifying leadership and good governance, which have not been sustained in recent times,” he said.
He said the list of this year’s recipients was inspiring, and befitting of a high standard associated with Azikiwe.
“They have attained a level of leadership that lifted them to the status or role models and inspirational leaders in the mould of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Sauduana of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello and others,” he stated.
He added that the part of national development is not in the number of people in a geographical boundary or the size of its natural resource endowment, but the quality of the people, who occupy its territorial space and the nation’s prevalent leadership values.
“The nation is precariously balanced at this period of its history where the quality of leadership and governance is at the lowest ebb. I commend the PPRAC for continuously reminding us that despite the dark cloud that threatens the existence of our country; there is still a lot of hope for a better Nigeria.
“Our founding fathers were men of immense wisdom and intellectual capacity. They lived for the future they knew was positive and refused to be imprisoned by the past that was dead. It is refreshing to note that the concept of restructuring the country in order to satisfy the yearnings of a large number of our people and ensure a better Nigerian society is fast gaining ground.
“Nations rise and fall on the back of demonstrable discipline and competence of the populace. The wisdom and commitment of the leaders to the building of a better society in which justice and fair play will be the primary objective of governance. The direction in which we proceed will determine the future of this potential great nation.
“We should always remember that the first insurance for peace and unity in any human society is justice and fair play for all at all times,” Prof. Irukwu said.
Responding on behalf of other recipients, Governor Umahi thanked the PPRAC for finding them worthy to be honoured with the exalted prize of our Great Zik of Africa. “The awards came at a time our country needed men and women of Zik’s character in the affairs of Nigeria. We need exemplary leaders such as Zik and his co-founders of our nation at a time like this when the understanding of a united Nigeria is a struggle. We believe in one indivisible Nigeria where peace, love, equity and justice reign supreme.
“These awards will spur us to greater work and greater service to our people, and to pursue those virtues for which the Zik of Africa lived and died.
Among dignitaries who attended were former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha representative, Steve Asimobi, Chief Chukwudozie, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, All Progressives Congress (APC) National Organising Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso, President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mrs Nike Akande and Nene Iwuanyanwu.
Others were President Divine Succour Global Mission Sir Uchenna Uchehara, former Governor of Ebonyi State Sam Egwu, Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State, Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu, Hon. Jude Emeka Idimogu, Mrs Apunanwu Rosemary Uneanya, Managing Director, Champion Newspapers Limited, Mrs Nwadiuto Iheakanwa, Lady Roseline Idimogu, Prince Ifeanyi Nwachukwu, Mr Henry Uzodinma, Mrs Carol Isiguzo and Senator Ben Obi.
