Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja and Mr Isa Pantami, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, among others are to receive awards due to their roles in nation building.
The Publisher of Elite Exclusive Magazine, Mr Ubom Mboutidem, the organisers of the award, made this known in a statement to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.
Mboutidem said the magazine thought it fit to award the personalities because of the roles they had been playing in nation building and the development of the country’s economy in their various professions and sectors.
“These days because of the situation in the country, many Nigerians are not being recognised in how they are affecting the country in their various corners.
“So, we thought it fit that we give them these awards to not only encourage them but also to spur others to also be patriotic to the nation in their various endeavours,’’ he said.
He listed others to be given the awards to include Hon. Aniekan Bassey, the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly from South-South, Hon. Makki Yalleman from North Esat, a Federal Lawmaker, and Moses McDaniel, the Group Managing Director, Progressive Group of Companies,
On why the VC of the University of Abuja was selected to receive the award of “The Most Outstanding Vice-Chancellor of the year 2021’’, he said “Na’Allah is categorise as a first-rate education administrator with a clear-cut mission and vision to transform the University of Abuja to a foremost research intensive university.’’
Mboutidem said that the VC had continued to guide his actions in service and infrastructural delivery, adding that his concerted efforts to boost revenue for the school had resulted to 65.14 per cent increase in 2020.
On Pantami, he said he was selected to receive the award as “Most Outstanding Minister of the Year 2021” for his outstanding efforts in sustaining lnformation Communications Technology (ICT) for exponential growth and the digitisation of Nigeria’s emerging economy.
He said that the emergency of the minister and others was based on a diligent and credible selection process which also included online voting.
According to him, the award/dinner night will be holding on June 22 and will feature a public lecture session with the theme: “From Restructuring to Secession: Which Way Nigeria”.
Mboutidem said that speakers expected to present papers include Senator Shehu Sani, Dr Mutiullah Olasupo, an Associate Professor and Director of Sultan Maccido Institute for Peace, Leadership and Development Studies and Dr Okpe Joseph of Federal University, Keffi. (NAN)
