… Hon.Professor Nnamchi; MD of FMC Makurdi; the ICPC, and a Comptroller of Customs in Kaduna for Special Honours too.
Four weeks to a double event: the annual leadership award and 13th anniversary lecture, being advertised to hold next month, April 3 in Abuja, by the editors of Nigeria’s leading investigative news magazine, Verbatim, more Governors and personalities have indicated acceptance of award nominations from the media outfit.
The latest are two Governors of states in the North-West geo-political zones in Nigeria: Dauda Lawal from Zamfara and Dikko Umar Radda from Katsina who were nominated for awards as ‘Governor of the year’, and ‘Outstanding Governor of the Year’ respectively, by the Board of Editors of Verbatim.
The media platform said in a statement released March 2, jointly signed by Dr. Ibrahim Modibbo, Chairman, Verbatim Board of Editors and Tobs Agbaegbu, the Editor-in-chief that they are in receipt of acceptance letters from the two governors and other personalities across the country.
The letter from Zamfara Governor came after Katsina Governor expressed acceptance.
Signed by Mahmud Abdullahi Muhammad, Honourable Commissioner for Information and Culture, Zamfara State, the letter dated February 27, 2025 stated in part that ‘’His Excellency deeply appreciates this recognition, which comes as a testimony to his sustained commitment to good governance, security, infrastructural development, and the socio-economic transformation of Zamfara state.’’
Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, Executive Governor of Katsina State, also announced his acceptance of the nomination as Nigeria’s Most Outstanding Governor in 2024 , for uncommon strategic management of Security and Integrity in Service delivery through a letter signed by Abdullahi Akiyu Yar’Adua, Director of Press. He also accepted Verbatim’s request to deliver Keynote address at the occasion.
A number of personalities and institutions have also indicated readiness to be part of the Verbatim leadership award and 13th anniversary program.
These include Hon (Prof) Paul Nnamchi), representative in Enugu East/Isi-Uzo federal constituency in the House of Representative who will be honoured for Excellence and Quality presentation in the 10th House of Representatives.
An official of the Nigerian Customs Service, Comptroller Shuaibu Ahmadu Bello, serving at the Federal Operations Unit, Kaduna as well as the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC ) have both accepted to participate .
The ICPC will receive award as ‘most impactful institution of the year..’ The media platform announced that a number of personalities, drawn from the list of 36 state governors in Nigeria, Ministers and heads of government agencies, legislators, philanthropists and captains of industry will be honoured and presented with the prestigious Verbatim Media Awards (VMA) at the occasion, and that a renowned scholar will be named soon who will give this year’s Verbatim leadership lecture.
20 categories of awards where awardees are to be chosen from are to being considered, according to the statement. These include: awards for personality/man of the year; personality/woman of the year; governor(s) of the year; minister(s) of the year; long time achievement award, and honours for outstanding legislative performance.
He listed other categories to include: philanthropist(s) of the year, women of excellence award; CEO of the year, bank and bankers of the year; corporate excellence award for organizations and institutions; best brands award, to be chosen from products of industries in the private sector; and award for outstanding young people.
The aim, according to Agbaegbu is to inspire and promote excellence in work places, and one way is by identifying and encouraging personalities and institutions involved in great works of development and nation building in Nigeria. ‘’The media are great agents of change in every society and country and this is one way verbatim editors and management chose to make a contribution annually ‘’, he said.
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