The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Year award

  • Advocaat wins Law Firm of the Year Award

    Advocaat Law Practice (ALP) has been adjudged as the “Law Firm of the Year, Small Practice” at the ESQ Nigerian Legal Awards in Lagos.

    Messrs. Ola Alokolaro and Rotimi Akapo, two of the firm’s partners, received the award on behalf of the firm.

    The firm also received nominations in the Energy and Power and Project Finance categories.

    Commenting on the award, Mr. Alokolaro, who leads the Energy and Infrastructure practice group of the firm said “The nominations and more importantly the award is a testament to the hard work, dynamism and professionalism that the firm brings to the services it provides to its client.

    Mr. Akapo who leads the Telecommunications, Media and Technology practice group of the firm said, “the firm was delighted by the recognition and that the award would further motivate the firm to aspire to greater heights and continue to go from strength to strength.

    Advocaat Law Practice (ALP) is a full service commercial Law Firm based in Lagos, comprising of five practice groups namely: Energy & Infrastructure, Telecommunication, Media and Technology, Corporate & Commercial, Financing and Dispute Resolution.

  • The Nation Correspondent, Omobola wins ARIAN Best Journalist of the Year Award

    The Nation Correspondent, Omobola wins ARIAN Best Journalist of the Year Award

    The Association of Registered Insurance Agents of Nigeria (ARIAN) has named The Nation’s Insurance and Pension Correspondent, as the ARIAN Best Journalist of the Year Award in the Sixth edition of its awards in Lagos State.

    Insurance veteran, Professor Joe Irukwu was crowned the Man of the Year.

    Other winners are, Custodian Insurance, which emerged Insurance Company of the Year and Naija FM as Radio Station of the Year.

    ARIAN President, Gbadebo Olamerun while presenting said ARIAN nominated Tolu-Kusimo among three other journalist for her consistency in reportage of insurance activities and commitment to insurance agency growth and development.

    According to him, she this has increased the reach of agency practitioners likewise her unbias view on topic and sensitive insurance issues.

    He also said Irukwu was honoured due to his contributions to insurance development in the nation and the entire globe.

    He commended other winners for their contributions to insurance.

    Irukwu, who was represented by the President of Professional Insurance Ladies Association (PILA) Mrs Yetunde Adenuga, commended the association for its contributions toward insurance growth and pledged continued support in promoting growth and development in the industry.

     

  • Africa Footballer of the Year Award: Nigerian Stars who never won it

    Africa Footballer of the Year Award: Nigerian Stars who never won it

    The Confederation of African Football (CAF) recently released the list of the 10 best African players based outside of Africa ahead of the announcement of African Player of the Year award for 2015.
    Despite the best efforts of Odion Ighalo, Ahmed Musa and Vincent Enyeama over the course of the last 12 months no Nigerian international made the shortlist.
    In fact, the last time a Nigerian won the award was way back in 1999 when Nwankwo Kanu still wore Arsenal colours.
    Have Nigerian players not been good enough since?
    SoccerNet Nigeria highlights 5 Super Eagles stars who came so close but was never named as Africa’s best.

     

    1. Mikel Obi

     

    John Obi Mikel came second to Yaya Toure in 2013 after enjoying an incredible season with Chelsea. The Champions League winner was defeated by over 100 votes and has not gone close since.

     

    1. Daniel Amokachi

     

    The 90s were Nigeria’s golden years at the CAF Awards. Nigerian stars picked up five of the seven awards available between 1993 and 1999, with the likes of Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amuneke, Nwankwo Kanu (twice), and Victor Ikpeba taking their turns at the CAF gala night. 1996 was Amokachi’s year but he couldn’t share the spotlight with the hugely talented Kanu and finished third in the polls.

     

    1. Finidi George

     

    It’s incredible how Nigeria’s greatest Number 7 never made the top 3 list of Africa’s finest, much more going home with the Africa’s Best gong itself.

    At his peak, ‘Finito’ was regarded as the most accomplished player in the world at what he did. The likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona queued up for his signature. But Africa never considered him good enough.

     

    1. Vincent Enyeama

     

    No goalkeeper in the last two decades has made the final shortlist of three before Enyeama arrived on the scene. After winning the CAF Champions League best player enroute to helping Enyimba FC win an elusive continental title, no one was surprised when the former Nigerian skipper emerged as a finalist in 2014.

    After earning the Best Gloves award in three different countries and lifting the AFCON trophy with the Super Eagles, what is surprising is that he ended third behind Yaya Toure and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

     

    1. Austin Okocha

     

    Easily the greatest Nigerian and African never to win the CAF Player of the Year award, Okocha was not only denied, he was robbed. His talent was undeniable and for over a decade, he was the driving force for everything good about Nigerian football both at home and abroad.

    Europe recognised his feats with two BBC Best Player awards. In Africa, however, two third-placed finish in 2003 and 2014 to go with a largely surprising second-placed finish in 1998 is what the former midfield wizard can look back to after an inspiring career.

  • NSE wins African regulator of the year award

    NSE wins African regulator of the year award

    The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has been named the African Regulator of the Year at the 6th African Business Leadership Forum & Awards which took place in London, United Kingdom (UK).

    The Exchange was also presented with a Special Commendation Award by the US Georgia Legislative Black Caucus.

    According to the organisers of the award, African Leadership magazine, UK, the award was conferred on the NSE for its effective regulatory policies and programmess implemented across national, regional and international levels which has encouraged actions beyond compliance with applicable laws.

    “We at African Leadership Magazine UK recognize your efforts in enhancing stakeholder’s engagement while contributing to the growth of the national and regional brand through practical impact on the people. Your unflinching passion for creating a reliable, efficient and an adaptable exchange hub in Africa cannot be overemphasized,” the magazine stated.

    Recipients of the award emerged from a survey of over 480,000 readers and fans who were asked to nominate their outstanding business leaders and institutions.

    Commenting on the award, chief executive officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema said the award was strong affirmation of the audacious reforms the Exchange has been implementing to create a fair and orderly market that inspires the trust and confidence of domestic and foreign investors.

    According to him, the reforms have brought about major reviews of the Exchange’s governance, market structure and operations to create a stronger regulatory environment while implementing innovations required for delivering a robust, efficient and sustainable capital market.

    “We thank the African Leadership magazine for following our success stories; according us this great recognition and my profound gratitude goes to the great team at the NSE, who are making significant contributions to the development of the Nigerian capital market and Africa at large,” Onyema said.

  • Still on the Governor of the Year award

    Still on the Governor of the Year award

    SIR: My attention has been drawn to many insinuations about the recent Leadership Governor of the year award won by Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi. Some people who are not happy over the awards for obvious reasons are saying all manner of funny things to denigrate the award. For the avoidance of doubt, Leadership newspaper is one of the most credible in the country today. The award criteria is open, credible and independently verifiable. Fayemi was given the award because of what he has been able to do in just two years in office. He was nominated for the award when he was just one year in office but he has done a lot more since last year and this has confirmed he is the right choice. He is the first Governor in Nigeria to sign into law, the Freedom of Information Bill, the bill against gender based violence and the social security bill where Ekiti elderly citizens receive N5, 000 naira monthly.

    Despite the meagre resources of Ekiti State, and the debt of 42 billion inherited from the Oni’s administration, Fayemi is currently embarking on a massive transformation of the state capital through road construction, urban renewal, and provision of pipe-borne water, streetlights, traffic lights and the general beautification of the city. The governor has also done a lot to improve the quality of education by renovating all schools in Ekiti State in two phases with the first phase almost concluded in just eight weeks; health care delivery in Ekiti is one of the best you can get in the country; many industries are being revived while the tourism potentials of Ekiti are being presented to the world with the complete transformation of the Ikogosi warm spring resort and the development of the tourism corridor of that area. He has completed many rural electrification projects which has brought light to a community that had been in darkness in the last 200 years.

    No matter the laurels Governor Fayemi brings to Ekiti, some people who are very petty and envious would dismiss such laurels for obvious reasons. Some want to be Governor in 2014 even though they are not qualified to be councillors, some want to come back as Governor after the mandate they stole was retrieved and despite wasting the time and resources of Ekiti State while their illegal reign lasted, yet some of the critics are mere attention seekers.

    The Governor is not distracted by the usual distractions and tantrums of frustrated politicians. They are afraid of their political future and fate because of the stupendous level of development that Governor Fayemi has brought to bear in Ekiti. This is the dilemma and the lamentation of failed opposition politicians and their ragtag foot soldiers who would never see anything good about Governor Fayemi even if he wins the Nobel Prize.

    Ekiti people are in for a good time and the Leadership Governor of the year award bestowed on the Governor is a challenge to do more. He is a workaholic, a serious minded fellow not given to frivolities and very thorough. Recently, he signed an agreement with SAMSUNG in South Korea to establish a computer academy in Ekiti State. The academy will be the first in West Africa and the third in Africa after South Africa and Egypt. Detractors may continue to say whatever pleases them but the masses of Ekiti people have realized who their true leader is. They have known the difference between interlopers and pretenders who ran Ekiti aground and a popularly elected governor who has restored the lost glory of Ekiti State.

    • Hakeem Jamiu

    Ado-Ekiti.