Every year-end, The Top10 , a frontline Nigerian profiling magazine, celebrates organizations, men and women of excellence – the best of the best in their chosen endeavours. The publication did it again, for the nineth time, on Saturday, February 8, when it staged the 2024 Man of the Year and Annual Excellence Awards in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal capital. As usual, the Awards night drew top-of-the-drawer audience from the private and public sectors across the country to the banquet hall of Sandralia Hotel, Jabi, venue of the event.
The flagship of the awardees on the night were Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chief (Dr.) Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria and first daughter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. They were honoured with the Man of the Year and Woman of the Year awards, respectively. The high point of the occasion was the presentation of award plagues to Senator Akume, Chief Tinubu-Ojo, and 19 other Excellence Awards winners in different categories.
Joining Senator Akume and Mrs. Tinubu-Ojo at the podium from the public sector to receive this year’s excellence awards are: Hon. Hanatu Musawa, Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism & Creative Economy (Female Public Service Game Changer of the Year); Bamanga Jada, Chief Executive Officer, OGFZA, (Young Public Official of the Year); Dr. Vincent Isegbe, Chief Executive Officer (Public Official of the Year); Barrister Mrs. Veronica Ndanusa, ED/CEO, Lagos International Trade Fair Complex Mgt. Board (Female Transformative Leader of the Year); Akutah Pius Ukeyima, Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (Regulator of the Year); Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, (Anti-Corruption Champion of the Year); and Mrs. Olubunmi Oluwaseun Kuku, Chief Executive Officer, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (Female Public Official of the Year).
From the private sector comes Dr. Sampson Uche Ogah, Founder, Masters Energy Group, (Business Person of the Year); Dr. Mrs. Temitope Mayegun, Chief Executive Officer, Avila Naturalle, (Female Industrial Leader of the Year); HRH (Dr.) Halimat Adenike Tejuosho, Founder, QAT Foundation, (Female Humanitarian Service Icon of the Year); Ehi Ogbebor, Chief Executive Officer, Sayaveth Interiors & Hotels (Female Business Executive of the Year); Lola Andy, Founder /CEO, Dee Utensils, Abuja, (Female Entrepreneur of the Year); and Nfor Bright Bungansa, CEO, Bright Grillzz Global, (Celebrity Chef of the Year).
The international community contributed Amadiebube Mbama, President, Mbama & Associates LLC, (Lifetime Achievement Award: Nigerian Diaspora Professional Icon of the Year); Amb. Hussaini Coomassie, International Peace Commission, (Lifetime Achievement Award: Beacon of Peace and Global Harmony); and Mr. Adetokunbo Ajibola, Chief Executive Officer, Berkeley Data Strategists, (Diaspora Nigerian Business Icon of the Year).
The solitary recipient from the partisan political arena is the young leadership prodigy turned politician, Dr. Dayo Israel, APC National Youth Leader, who was voted as the Political Mobilizer of the Year.
In their acceptance speeches, Senator Akume, Chief Tinubu-Ojo and other awardees expressed their appreciation to the Publisher of The Top10 magazine and its management for the recognition accorded them, saying it would motivate them towards greater excellence and service to society. Senator Akume, represented by his Chief of Staff, Chris Tarkaa, dedicated his award to all Nigerians and all the staff that have worked with him over the years of his public service. He called on Nigerians to support the Tinubu administration, assuring them that the various reforms the President had initiated were for the ultimate good of the nation.
The Chairman of the occasion, Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos, Director-General of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), represented by the General Manager, NTA International, Oganya Simon, congratulated the organizers of the Awards and the winners for excellelling in their respective organizations and service to humanity.
In his remarks, the Keynote Speaker, Muhammad Nami, former Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), supported the ongoing review of the country’s tax laws. He said that a careful review and speedy passage of the proposed Tax Reform Bills holds the key to unlocking the potentials inherent in our tax and fiscal space. Nami, winner of The Top10 magazine’s 2023 Man of the Year, said there were enormous benefits in implementing these proposals. According to him: “The reforms aim to improve the ease of doing business in Nigeria by creating platforms to ease tax payments and incentivise taxpayers. They are also intended to improve the country’s competitiveness, improve the tax authorities’ capacity to generate more revenue for the three tiers of government, and align our tax system with the global best practices. They would also ensure that our tax system is equitable, fair, and efficient, fostering economic growth, and improve tax compliance by taxpayers.”
He said the country has a big choice to make between continued borrowing or charting a new course by implementing tax reforms. By choosing the latter, he said, Nigeria “can become a truly sovereign nation that will no longer rely mainly on creditors (foreign and local alike) for survival.”
Earlier in his speech, Mr Tony Iji, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of The Top10 told the success story of the magazine, history of the Awards and gave highlights of the winning ways of some of the awardees. While the Man of the Year Award was instituted at the inception of the magazine nine years ago, it was not until 2021 that The Top10 Magazine Excellence Awards was introduced. It was conceived as an annual event to celebrate and honour outstanding personalities and organizations that have made the difference in various endeavours in Nigeria and beyond. The objective is to celebrate and reward excellence in line with the core value of the magazine, which is to celebrate individuals and organizations that represent excellence in the various sectors of the Nigerian society.
Mr. Iji said: “As a platform committed to the promotion of excellence, The Top10 will continue to celebrate people and organisations that distinguish themselves as beacon of excellence in various endeavours, both in our monthly publication and in our annual awards.”
