Orji Uzor Kalu, a former Governor of Abia State, has urged people who receive awards to use them as incentives to do greater things.
According to Kalu, an award is an incentive for people who are making great impact in the country to strive to do better.
He stated this at the New Telegraph Award Night, which held on Saturday at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
He said: “The reason why The New Telegraph organised the event is to honour those people that have contributed immensely to the development of the country.
“I sincerely congratulate all the awardees and wish them more power to their elbow.”
Kalu said that Nigeria was undergoing a time of positive change and remained optimistic that states in the country would soon go back to developing their natural resources.
He said: “This is a time our country is going through changes of attitude, changes of what should be in the positive aspect.
“States in the country will go back to developing their natural resources in preparation for export purposes for the development of the country as a whole.”
Funke Egbemode, the Managing Director, New Telegraph, said the award was organised to identify good leaders that had made Nigeria proud and were not afraid of doing what needs to be done.
Egbemode said the award night was organised to identify the legacy makers, determined leaders who have chosen to focus on the destination in spite of the turbulence of the times.
She said: “There are always good men and women in spite of the hard times that are always here with us.
“The awardees comprise of people and corporate bodies who are determined to leave legacies in the sand of time.”
Egbemode said the awardees were people who gave the country hope for better days ahead, reinforcing a positive determination that Nigeria could still go back to its glorious old days.
She said: “Indeed, each time we look back, what we see is a past that looks radiant compared to our present.
“So, the temptation is there to just focus on the rear-view-mirror.
“We Nigerians are a people of hope.
“We always find a chink in the armour of despondency, a crack no matter how minute in the world of repression to crown it a new dawn, no matter how slowly.”
Egbemode said Daily Telegraph Publishing Companying Limited admired some of these men and women for their perseverance and determination to succeed.
She said: “They are focused on a set path.
“In their different field of endeavours, they are doing their little bit to pull Nigeria onto a solid ground.”
Solomon Arase, a former Inspector General of Police and Chairman of the New Telegraph Award Night, said the organisers manifested sound judgment in giving the awards.
Arase said: “For a nation blessed with a huge pool of excellent human asset, the process of selecting these respected personalities must have been painstaking yet the outcome is undoubtedly credible.
“This is typified that the award cut across typically all facets of life from public sector governance to corporate governance, from art to the media and sport to academics.
“The awardees mostly share a common trait starting from a humble beginning.
“They had a vision, challenged themselves, took risks and through determination projected their dreams to reality.”
Arase said excellence was not an art but a habit, noting that the awardees had all demonstrated excellence as a habit and evolved it from little matters.
The former Police boss commended the organisers of the event for their initiative, meticulousness and sound judgment.
He said: “To the awardees, I am confident that the recognition bestowed on you will spur you individually and collectively towards advancing the developmental interest of our beloved nation.”
Those given awards were Atiku Abubakar, Political ICON of The Year; Yakubu Dogara, Leadership in Public Service Award; and Nyesom Wike, Man of The Year.
Others are Aminu Tambuwal, Governor of the Year; Abdullahi Ganduje, Outstanding Governor in Health and Education; Ibrahim Dankwambo, Outstanding Governor in Infrastructural Development; Aliko Dangote, Business Man of The Year.
Kennedy Uzoka, Bank CEO of The Year; John Momoh, Media ICON of The Year (Broadcast); Kabiru Yusuf, Media ICON of The Year (Print); Nsime Ekere, Corporate Leadership Award; and Amaju Pinnick, Sports Administrator of The Year.
Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Public Servant of The Year; Ahmed Fresh, Grassroot Football Development; Richard Mofe-Damijo, Actor of The Year; Sola Sobowale, Actress of The Year; and Aruna Quadri, Sportsperson of The Year (Male).
Odunayo Adekuoroye, Sportsperson of The Year (Female); Tekno, Artiste of The Year; and Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Female Parliamentarian of The Year.
Mofe-Damijo thanked the organisers of the award for the recognition, saying it was always breathtaking to be alive to get any kind of recognition at all.
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