By Josephine Agbonkhese

PRESIDENT of the African Development Bank (AFDB) and former Minister for Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina; Governor of Kogi State, Captain Idris Wada; Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, ex-Governor of Kano State, and Otunba Gbenga Daniel, former Governor of Ogun State, have been conferred with the prestigious Hall of Grace (HOG) Award for their contributions to national development.

L-R: Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada; Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina and Mr. Rupert Ojenuwa at the award ceremony in Lagos.

While Adesina and Kwankwaso both clinched the HOG Man of the Year Award, Wada received the Governor of the Year Award, the highest political award in the HOG award categories, while Otunba Gbenga was bestowed with the Political Achiever Award.

The undertone of the 2015 edition which was fifth in the HOG award series was agriculture, and personalities were chosen for encouraging growth in agriculture.

“It is no longer news that our almighty crude oil is no longer almighty owing to its dwindling price in the global market. Crude oil has made Nigeria lazy and policy makers have failed in foreseeing the future.

Uncommonheight

“This is where Dr.Adesina earns our utmost respect; he practically took agriculture to such an uncommon height with his innovative policies and activities while serving as Minister of Agriculture in the last administration. He attracted local investment and saved foreign exchange by a monumental drop in our importation of rice and other produce.

“Kwankwaso, on the other hand, also massively supported agriculture while also promoting education in Kano State, as a panacea to the unrest bedeviling the area. As well as supporting agriculture, Governor Wada, on his part, is massively empowering youths in Kogi State via his collaboration with Koreans which has produced an ultra-modern vocational training institute amongst others. Otunba Gbenga established free trade zones that even the current administration cannot deny,” Mr.Rupert Ojenuwa, a young Nigerian who is Managing Custodian of the HOG award, explained, at the event which held in Lagos recently.

Others honoured were Sam Nda-Isaiah, Chairman, Leadership Group and former Presidential aspirant of the All Progressive Congress (APC) who got the Icon of Excellence Award; Her Excellency Omolewa Ahmed who was bestowed with the First Lady of the Year Award; Managing Partner, SIAO cum Senior Pastor, Trinity House, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, who received the Icon of Hope Award; Mrs.Folorunsho Alakija, richest black woman, who was conferred with the Pride of Africa Award, and the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, Iheoma Nnadi, who received the Entertainment Personality of the Year Award.

Speaking on the inspiration behind the HOG Award, initiator and Grand Custodian of the award, Chief Alex Akinyele, two-time Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, reaffirmed his belief in uprightness when called to public service.

“HOG is a huge platform upon which deserving Nigerians are celebrated. I sincerely believe that if everyone in our nation will man his position with the right heart and a willingness to sacrifice and become the best he can be, it is only a matter of time before we become that nation we have always dreamed of,” Akinyele said.

Upon receiving the award, Wada described it as a call to greater service, saying, “This is an impetus for me to work harder and better the lot of my people.

Worthylegacy

I will be working harder so as to make sure that we leave behind a worthy legacy for our people”.

Declaring that it was time every Nigerian got committed to the project Nigeria, Kwakwanso, upon receiving his award, said that would greatly move Nigeria forward.

Adesina, on his part, expressed gratitude towards the organizers, team mates at the Ministry of Agriculture and also Nigerians who made his tenure a success, as well as his election as President of the AfDB.

Guest Lecturer at the event was Ms.Wilmer Aguele, MD/CEO, Wilbahi Investment Limited, an agricultural and energy company based in Benin, Edo State, who delivered a paper titled ‘Maximazing Potential in Agricultural Sector’.