Former deputy governor of Ekiti state and senator representing Ekiti South, Abiodun Olujimi, has emerged ‘female senator of the year’ in the 2020 Igbere TV Leadership Excellence Awards.
The Award is endorsed by the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU-ECOSOCC), an advisory body of the African Union (AU) designed to give civil society organizations (CSOs) a voice within the AU institutions and decision-making processes.
Olujimi, chairperson, Senate Committee on Diaspora and former deputy minority leader, beat five other female-nominees to emerge winner of the category in a seven-day voting by Nigerians via online platforms.
They were: Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Lagos Central; Senator Stella Odua, Anambra North; Senator Uche Ekwunife, Anambra Central and Senator Aishatu Ahmed, Adamawa Central.
At a brief profiling event of the awardee on Monday, November 16, at the National Assembly, Abuja, the former deputy governor said she was happy that Nigerians recognise her efforts to national development.
Olujimi, who described herself as a very quiet senator who is only concerned with the day-to-day business of putting her constituents first, thanked management of Igbere TV for their good works.
She, however, called for more concerted efforts at electing female lawmakers into the National Assembly, even as she urged for one out of every three senators from the three senatorial districts in a state, to be of the female gender.
The prestigious Igbere TV Leadership Excellence Award, recognises and honours the outstanding impacts of leaders across several sectors and industries in Nigeria. The most anticipated 2020 Award is slated for December 10, 2020 at the Sheraton Hotels and Towers in Abuja.
This year’s event would be one of the most outstanding and credible Award ceremonies in Nigeria, as personalities in the Presidency, State Governments, National and State Assemblies, Economic Industries, Humanitarian Affairs and Human Activism are expected to grace the occasion.
Some of the awardees include, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former Nigerian President (Foundation of the Year); Chief Innocent Chukwuma, Chairman of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (Car Maker of the Year); Chief (Hon) Alex Ikwechegh, Founder of Alex Ikwechegh Foundation (Personality of the Year); Apostle Chinyere Chibuzor, General Overseer, Omega Power Ministries (Most Outstanding Humanitarian of the Year); and Chief Uche Nwosu, former Imo State governorship candidate and Chief of Staff to the Imo State Government (Hospitality Personality of the Year).
Others are: Senator Uba Sani, Kaduna Central (Senator of the Year); Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji, Abia Assembly speaker (Speaker of the Year); Dr. Betta Edu, Cross River State Commissioner for Health (Medical Expert of the Year); Hon. Sir. Melie Onyejepu, General Manager of Anambra Bureau of Public Procurement (State Public Servant of the Year); Chief Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, Ondo First Lady (Woman of the Year on Empowerment); and former Governor of Kano State, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, Founder of Kwankwasiyya Foundation (N.G.O of the Year).
Also on the list are, Dr. Gbene Joi Nunieh, the immediate past Managing Director of NDDC (Public Servant of the Year); and Valentine Ozigbo, the immediate past President and CEO of Transcorp PLC, founder of VCO Foundation and frontline governorship aspirant in the Anambra 2021 election (Empowerment Personality of the Year).
While Dr. Alice Onyema, Vice-Chairman of Air Peace is being awarded as Aviation Personality of the Year; Hon. Princess Chinwe Nnabuife, CEO/Managing Director of Property Finders Limited, developers of Centage Estate, Lagos and Oil Spring Estate, bags Businesswoman of the Year award; with Prof. Georgewill Owunari, the former Deputy Provost, College of Health Sciences (UNIPORT) and Board member of the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine, emerging as ‘Educationist of the Year’; and Olakunle Churchill as ‘ICT Personality of the Year’, among others.
The 2019 edition of the Igbere TV Leadership Excellence Awards which held 28th November, 2019 at the Sheraton Hotels, Abuja saw distinguished and prominent captains of industry, public figures and leaders cling on to the various Award categories.
Prominent awardees included President Muhammadu Buhari, United States-based Nigerian billionaire medical doctor, Dr. Godwin Maduka; former President Goodluck Jonathan, former House of Reps Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara; minister Rotimi Amaech, Senator Rochas Okorcha, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, among others.
According to Igbere TV, organizers of the Award event, this year’s edition which holds Dec. 10, has been tagged Africa’s biggest and most glamorous online media award. The programme will be transmitted live on DSTV, GOTV, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Zoom, Instagram and other social media platforms with over 10 million audience globally.
