BY JOHN ENO
LAGOS — Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CEO, Access Bank Plc, has emerged Master Entrepreneur of the year in the Ernst and Young Entrepreneurship Award.

Also, Onajite Okoloko, CEO, Notore Chemical Industry Limited, emerged Emerging Entrepreneur of the year.

Life Time Achievement award was given to Dr. Festus Fadeyi, CEO, Pan Ocean Corporation (Nigeria).

Thirteen finalists were selected through rigorous processes based on their merits of which two emerged winners from two different categories.

Mr. Henry Egbiki, West Africa regional partner for Ernst and Young, in his speech, said the winners were determined by their contribution to the economic development in their country, hard work, votes of people, and a credible independent panel of judges who do not work for Ernst and Young.

Entrepreneur of the year, Aig-Imoukhuede, told Vanguard that he was humbled as well as elated to emerge winner, adding that, “To be the first in the first edition of the award in West Africa is a true humbling experience.

“For me, these things come from God and I appreciate and honour Him for using me as an advertisement of Him here on earth.”

Okoloko, winner of the Emerging Entrepreneur of the year told Vanguard that it was very gratifying for him to emerge winner.

According to him, people needed to follow their dreams and aspirations because once they identify an opportunity they should concentrate on it and create value from such opportunity.

Okoloko noted that his company was able to achieve a lot because of being consistent with what they do despite that it has been very difficult in trying to keep the business going.

In his words “We got the right people into the organisation, built a strong work force and today we are producing about 90 per cent of the fertilizer in Africa. Our goal now is to continue to expand the business so that we can continue to provide enough fertilizer to improve skill acquisition that will guarantee increase in crop yields for farmers and help provide food security for our nation.”

He lamented that Africa is endangered specie if the continent cannot figure a way of increasing crop yields that will guarantee food security in the continent, adding “We need to think about how to improve food yields per capita in such a way that we can create enough food and also create jobs for people.”