The
2020 ThisDay Awards has come and gone but all those
who attended the event last night were blown away by the glamorous and
colourful decoration of the hall at Eko Hotel.
The
event which kicked off at 5pm was also meant to celebrate ThisDay
@ 25.
It
was at the same time a Gala Evening to also celebrate this Most
Authoritative Media & Technology Group. It featured Special
Awards to outstanding Nigerians and Organisations.
There was also world class performances.
President Muhammadu Buhari; his predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan; Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele; Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Ms. Amina Mohammed; President, Dangote Group, GLOBACOM, Dangote Group, and the EFCC were among the 24 personalities and corporate organisations honoured yesterday.
Winners
of the awards were picked both by the Public and THISDAY
editors from a pool of personalities and corporate organisations in a
voting process that lasted one week.
There
were 24 winners in all: 2 per each of the 12
categories. City People found out that whereas the Editor’s
choices were based on the strength of industry knowledge and
professional advice, the Readers’ votes were mostly based on
their perception.
Dangote Group
Alhaji
Aliko Dangote was there himself to receive Dangote
Groups Award. Dangote Group, a proudly Nigerian brand,
is the most diversified and largest conglomerate in West Africa and
one of the largest in the continent. Dangote Cement, a member of
the group is the most capitalised company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
Dangote is expected to deliver its 650,000 barrels
per day capacity crude oil refinery with the world’s tallest atmospheric tower
next year. The activities of the group impacted on the economy in several ways
in the last decade. It is the people’s choice for the company of the decade. A
documentary showing the on going construction of the Dangote Refinery was
shown.
NLNG
The
Nigeria LNG Limited was honoured. The company is the most
significant arrow-head of the federal government’s quest to eliminate gas
flaring and derive value from the country’s 187 trillion cubic
feet of proven gas reserves. Its recent Final Investment Decision on
the Train 7 project, is expected to be a game-changer for the
country as it would deliver a significant local content in construction,
production of cables, welding, valves, scaffolding, furniture, painting and
medical, is expected to generate about 12,000 jobs. The Train
7 project, which has been delayed for over 10 years, aims
to increase the company’s production capacity from 22 metric
tonnes per annum to about 30 MTPA, and will form part of the
investment of over $10 billion, including the upstream scope of
the LNG value chain, according to the company. It emerged the
editors’ choice for company of the decade.
Globacom
Mrs.
Bella Disu, the beauty daughter of Glo
Chairman, Otunba Mike Adenuga was there to represent the Globacom
Group. Globacom, which is the 2nd largest telecoms
operator in the country by subscriber number, has made data connectivity a lot
easier and cheaper, which earned it the name, The Grand Master of
Data. With 27.90 per cent market share and with a
subscriber base of over 50 million, Globacom has
remained the second largest telecoms operator in the country. Globacom,
which is the only indigenous telecoms company operating in Nigeria,
launched its services in 2003 with per second billing system,
which eventually cut down the high cost of telecoms services offering, at a
time when other operators were offering services on per minute basis. Globacom
is the people’s choice of brand of the decade.
GTBank
Segun
Agbaje, the MD of GTBank was
there looking dapper. His bank is one of the leading financial institutions.
The GTBank is one of the leading brands in the country because of
its consistent delivery of innovative financial solutions and exceptional
customer experiences. This has enabled it to record year on year growth in
clientele base and key financial indices since inception. The editors chose it
as their brand of the decade.
Zenith Bank
The
MD of Zenith Bank was there. So also the founder, Mr.
Jim Ovia, Zenith Bank Plc has continued to blaze the trail in digital
banking in Nigeria; scoring several firsts in the deployment of Information
and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure to
create innovative products that meet the needs of its teeming customers. The
bank is verifiably a leader in the deployment of various channels of banking
technology, and the Zenith brand has become synonymous with the
deployment of state-of-the-art technologies in banking. The financial
institution is driven by a culture of excellence and strict adherence to global
best practices. Zenith was voted by the people as the bank of the
decade.
Access Bank
Herbert
Wigwe, the MD of Access Bank
was there. The bank was celebrated. Why? According to ThisDay, since
its business combination deal with the defunct Diamond Bank, Access Bank has
emerged as a leading financial power house in the country. The bank is now
looking beyond Nigeria and seeks to expand its footprint in Africa
with its latest acquisition of the Transnational Bank Limited of
Kenya and announcement of plan to set up a subsidiary in Cameroun,
in the coming days. Presently Access Bank boasts of being among
the five largest banks in Nigeria in terms of assets size,
deposits, loans and branch network. It got the editors’ nod as the bank of the
decade.
Godwin Emefiele
The
CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele was honoured. But he couldn’t
make it. He sent one of his most trusted EDs. He made history
last year when he was reappointed to serve for another term of five years. He
has continued to work closely with the fiscal authorities to design policies to
support economic growth. The CBN under Emefiele has
continued to foster financial stability, the development of a robust payments
system infrastructure that will increase access to finance for all Nigerians,
thereby raising financial inclusion rate in the country. The people
overwhelmingly voted for him as the banker of the decade.
Herbert Wigwe
Herbert
Wigwe oversaw one of the biggest business combination
deals in Nigeria’s banking sector. Since then, the bank
has emerged a leading financial power house in the country and currently
looking beyond Nigeria, as it seeks to expand its footprint in Africa.
Under his leadership the bank, has roared into the limelight, with the many
brilliant strides and policies executed since he took over at the helm.
He
is easily one of the best banking brains and business leaders on the continent
– evident in his immense contribution to the African banking industry. The
Editors voted him the banker of the decade.
Segun Agbaje
Segun
Agbaje is the People’s Choice for
Chief Executive Officer of the decade. He is an accomplished and
respected professional in the banking industry. Under his watch, GTBank has
continued to grow in leaps and bounds. He was instrumental in refocusing the
institution from its corporate banking stronghold to becoming a market leader
in the retail space. Today, GTBank is one of the highest
employers of labour in the country. The Tech-Savvy Banker pioneered
mobile banking through the bank’s *737# channel.
President
Muhammadu Buhari
President
Muhammadu Buhari emerged the People’s Choice for
person of the decade largely because he won the presidential elections in 2015
and 2019 after three failed attempts. They also gave him
their nod for his anti-corruption stance. Since his re-election in 2019,
the president has assured Nigerians of his commitment to lift 100
million persons out of poverty. In addition, he has been working gradually to
revive road and rail infrastructure in the country. He has also pledged to take
the country to the ‘Next Level.’
Dr. Goodluck
Jonathan
Former
president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, was
overwhelmingly endorsed by the editors as the Person of the decade for
handing over to Buhari 2015 after he lost the presidential
election. The editors also praised him for deepening democracy in the country.
He was among those that shaped the last decade in Nigeria. After
losing his reelection bid to Muhammadu Buhari, Jonathan made
a vital phone call to concede defeat. That call signaled the country’s first
peaceful democratic transition of power, ensuring that the tensions of the
campaign didn’t spill over into post-election unrest.
Mike Adenuga
Otunba
Michael Adenuga, Chairman, Globacom was
honoured. 2 of his daughter came to represent him. Shot into
public conscience with his company’s groundbreaking introduction of per second
billing, a billing system, which the two earlier major players in the industry
then had termed not technically feasible at the inception of the GSM revolution
in Nigeria. He is a key player in the oil sector and is also
involved in banking. All these earned him the people’s votes as the
entrepreneur of the decade.
Aliko Dangote
From
a mere commodity trader some decades ago, Alhaji Aliko Dangote,
President, Dangote Group, has made a leap transition to being a wealth
creator that earned him the rating as the richest African in the
world. His conglomerate, with interests in cement, sugar, flour, pasta etc, is
a key player in the FCMG sector of the economy. He is currently
building a refinery in Lagos State, described as the largest
single-train refinery in the world that will gulp about $15
billion. He is also a philanthropist. His credentials earned him THISDAY editors’
pick as entrepreneur of the decade.
Femi Otedola
He
was there in a flowing white Agbada. Given his recent hefty
donations to public cause and lifting up the needy, it is not surprising that
that former Chairman of FORTE Oil Plc, Mr. Femi Otedola,
is the people’s choice for philanthropist of the decade. His singular donation
of N5 billion to assist children of terror-ravaged North-east
remains unexampled. Some prominent Nigerians such as Sadiq
Dabba, Victor Olaotan, both actors; and former Green Eagles captain,
Christian Chukwu, were rescued from the jaws of death by his
philanthropic intervention in their medical issues.
The Tony Elumelu
Foundation
Mr.
Tony Elumelu couldn’t make it. He was in London.
But he was ably represented. His foundation was honoured. Founded in 2010
by former Managing Director, United Bank for
Africa (UBA), Mr. Tony Elumelu, The Tony Elumelu
Foundation, is African largest philanthropic organisation
that supports entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship. The foundation has empowered 7,520
entrepreneurs in 54 African countries by providing them
training and seed capital to actualise their entrepreneurial dreams. This
initiative has also taken a large number of young entrepreneurs off the streets
and created thousands of direct and indirect jobs for African youths. The Tony
Elumelu Foundation is the editors’ choice as philanthropist of the
decade.
CBN
The
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has kept the Nigerian
economy on an even keel despite the challenges arising from global oil
price volatility and other fundamental crisis. Under the watch of Godwin
Emefiele as governor, the CBN has deftly managed the
nation’s forex crisis and rescued the naira from going the way of its Zimbabwean
national currency. It has sustained public confidence in the banking
industry, which it regulates, through policies that liberalise access to funds
by the real sector of the economy in a bid to spur growth and create jobs. Its
many initiatives such as in agriculture and job creation, among others, have
inspired public confidence to earn it the people’s choice as the institution of
the decade.
EFCC
The
EFCC boss, Ibrahim Magu was there. His predecessor Nuhu
Ribadu was also there. Since its establishment in 2003 by
the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) remains Nigeria’s foremost
anti-graft agency. Its zeal to achieve its mission statement of ridding Nigeria
of economic and financial crimes and coordinate the domestic effort of
the global fight against money laundering and terrorists financing, has birthed
a new public order, especially in spending public funds. This new conscience
has now earned it the editors’ pick as the institution of the decade.
Babatunde Fashola
Former
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (2007-2015), was
honoured at the event as Governor of The Decade, but
he couldn’t make it. A documentary was shown of a message he sent to guests.
He
was honoured for having redefined governance in the state with his performance.
From his swearing-in in 2007, he was raring to go and he
maintained the tempo of service delivery eight years after. His success
included reclaiming Oshodi, from criminal and human-induced
chaos, rebuilding infrastructure, keeping the environment clean and keeping Lagos
safe for the people. He is the People’s Choice as Governor
of the decade.
Peter Obi
Two-term
Anambra State governor, Peter Obi attended looking
very smart. He was visibly present. He is well regarded in the annals of the
state for his prudent management of public funds and redefining the essence of
governance in the state. His focus was on provision of infrastructure, human
capital development and guaranteeing the security of lives and property. He is THISDAY
editors’ choice as governor of the decade.
Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala
Former
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister
of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,
who served two presidents, was an advocate of transparency in public finance
and spearheaded many initiatives that saved the nations billions of naira. During her stewardship,
she facilitated negotiations with the Paris Club of Creditors
that led to debt forgiveness of $30 billion; introduced
the Excess Crude Account, Treasury Single Account (TSA)
and IPPIS. She is the people’s nominee as minister of the decade.
Rotimi Amaechi
The
Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi stormed the
event. He was honoured. Reason? According to ThisDay, President Muhammadu
Buhari’s retention of Rotimi Amaechi as his Minister
of Transportation after his re-election is a testament to
his drive and commitment to give Nigerians a better travelling
experience. He is superintending over the administration’s efforts to revive
the railway system in the country. This
has led to some projects such as the ongoing Lagos-Kano standard
rail line and linking Nigeria’s eastern and northern corridors
through the railway. Under his watch, the water transportation system is also
receiving attention. Amaechi is THISDAY Editor’s
choice of minister of the decade.
- With additional information from
ThisDays
Yemi Ajayi & Obinna Chima
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