… An evening of glitz, glamour and fun at the seat of power.
Hard work, focus, commitment, perseverance and innovation are some of the major ingredients of which excellence is made. To these must be added timely and adequate funding, attention to details and ability to overcome challenges.
As an organization with a mission to locate excellence wherever it is, identify with it and celebrate it, Toncam Communications Limited, publishers of The Top10 Magazine,is very familiar with these ingredients and has applied them to every one of its activities. That is the secret behind the success of the Magazine and everything it stands for, including the resounding success of the just-concluded 2023 edition of the Top10 Magazine Excellence Awards.
It took hard work, focus, commitment, perseverance, innovation, timely and adequate funding, attention to details and ability to overcome challenges to build the magazine and its product, the Excellence Awards, to the pedestal they have attained today.
From a humble beginning eight years ago, the magazine, whose mission is to celebrate organizations, businesses and personalities that distinguish themselves as leaders in their various areas of endeavour, has grown to become one of the surviving and most prestigious print magazines in Nigeria today. The Top10 Magazine Excellence Awards was introduced in 2021 when the magazine was just five years old. It was conceived to acknowledge and honour the best of the best with awards; presenting them with something to behold as a physical testimony to their excellence and distinction at a ceremony where friends, relations, colleagues, staff and well wishers – indeed, the creme of the society – can join in the celebration.
The Excellence Awards, an upgrade from the annual Man of the Year award which was introduced at the inception of the magazine, was born into troubled times. The residual side effects of COVID-19 pandemic which had ravaged the world in 2019 and 2020 forced the Awards ceremony back to February 2022 in Lagos, the home base of the Top10 Magazine. It was a huge success, nonetheless and, armed with the powerful ingredients of excellence, the ghost of COVID-19 was pushed behind, enabling the second edition (2022) to take place within the year of assessment – two Award ceremonies in one year. It was a clear evidence of progression towards excellence, a trend that was carried over into the 2023 edition which took place in Abuja on Sunday, November 19.
The decision to stage it in Abuja this year was to effect change of environment; to add spice and to allow a new set of audience have the unique experience of what the awards are all about – and everything worked to plan.
As expected, the hall at Rockview Hotel Royale was packed full of a distinguished audience that experienced an evening of glitz, glamour, entertainment and excellence. There was plenty to eat and drink. Live music was supplied by a popular Nigerian band, with Solomon Iorpev, the popular broadcaster and compere, ably directing the proceedings of the evening. In spite of the many awards that were given, there were no dull moments as acceptance and other speeches were brief and inspiring.
The highpoint of the event was the presentation of the Top10 Man of the Year 2023 award to Mr. Muhammad Nami, former Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). The award was given to Nami in recognition of his record-breaking feats in revenue generation by the FIRS under his Chairmanship, and for his commitment and excellent service which he rendered to the nation while in office.
In his acceptance speech, Nami said the secret behind the success story of his four-year tenure at the Revenue House was that he gave his all. “Ever since I took up the mandate of the FIRS,” he explained, “I made up my mind to give my all to the task before me and, ladies and gentlemen, you could bear me witness that I did just that. For every day I was in the office, I was committed to the delivery of the mandate of the FIRS.
“I gave morning and night to the service of this nation with every piece of me. Occasionally, I hardly had quality sleep for a week; for some days, I would work for 20 hours. My family would ask for me, sometimes it will take two good weeks before we spend time together…
“This was the price I paid to attain the target that we achieved. It took a toll on me but I had no regret. I took this job with a mindset to give it my all and I did just that. The result of that commitment, that dedication and that perseverance is what we are celebrating here today.
“If you are given any job, for you to succeed please give your all, not 80%, not 90% but 100%, otherwise you will not succeed. It is on this note that I accept the award presented to me today, by the Top10 Magazine as the Man of the Year 2023. I want to also use this medium to dedicate this award to my lovely wife standing here beside me, to my lovely children, to my extended family who have been pillars of support throughout this journey.
The former FIRS Executive Chairman also commended the management and staff of The Top10 Magazine for honouring him. “I am humbled to be here today and to be honoured as the Top10 Magazine Man of the Year 2023 for what I will describe as my humble and modest efforts for the reforms we have done together at FIRS,” he said.
Also honoured were 20 other extra-ordinary Nigerians who were conferred with the “Excellence Awards” for having distinguished themselves in their various fields. The awardees include:
The Diaspora Nigerian of the Year awarded to Cyprian Uzoh; State Governor of the Year awarded to Prof. Chukwuma Soludo; Political Mobilizer of the Year (Chief Johnbosco Onunkwo); Legislator of the Year to (Hon. Terseer Ugbor); Integrity Business Person of the Year (Alh. Dr Aliyu Wammako); Security Icon of the Year (Dr. Kabir Adamu); CEO of the Year (Adeyemi Adeniyi); Young Inspirational Business Person of the Year (Omoha John); Public Service Official of the Year (Mohammed Shehu); Humanitarian Service Icon of the Year (Chief Maduburochukwu Attah); and Young Business Leader of the Year (Aliyu Garba) .Others are Entrepreneur of the Year awarded to Hon. Urlei Ezeh; Real Estate Rising Star of the Year (Adegoke Daniel); Diaspora Nigerian Business Icon of the Year (Emmanuel Asuquo); Talent Manager of the Year (Maurice Sokari); Local Government Administrator of the Year (Willie C.); Group Leader of the Year (Elvis Abuyere); Female Real Estate (Bukola Olatujoye); CEO Bogo Beverages (Godwin Oche); and the Business Person of the Year).
Besides the awards ceremony, the Special Edition for the Top10 Magazine Excellence Awards 2023 was unveiled and launched by the awardees and other dignitaries who pledged their support to the development and sustainability of the Magazine.
The Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of The Top10 Magazine, Mr. Tony Iji, in his remark, said for the past eight years, the team had remained focused on what they set out to achieve which, according to him, is to celebrate excellence. “For the past eight years, not one of our honourees has had cause to be arrested by the law enforcement agencies. That is to tell you how meticulous we are in the selection.
“The excellence awards are complementary to the Man of the Year award. Going forward I think we will continue to do what we know to do best, which is to be more meticulous in identifying more credible Nigerians to be on the platform.”
Mr. Iji congratulated all award winners, their friends and family who thronged the Rockview Hotel Royale venue of the ceremony to celebrate with the award recipients.
