Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative Wins 2017 Nelson Mandela-Graça Michel Innovation Award

Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI), has won the 2017 Nelson Mandela-Graça Michel Innovation Award in mental health.

Victor Ugo, founder of Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI) and himself a medical professional, said:

“This is an auspicious moment for us and we want to dedicate it to every Nigerian youth coping with mental illness.

We are motivated to keep up the discussion and hope our voice will continue to resonate both within and beyond our borders.”

Grant Clark, Senior Media Advisor to 2017 International Civil Society Week, said that MANI was selected from among 300 nominations across the globe as the winner in the Civil Society Organisation category.

In his words:

“The awards seek to recognize outstanding bravery and achievement towards social change.

From humble beginnings, MANI, which promotes mental health awareness in Nigeria, has grown to be the largest and most active mental health NGO.”

He said that former UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, praised MANI’s achievement with the following declaration:

“We commend the work of Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative for opening the space to improve the lives of young Nigerians living with mental illness, who are too often stigmatized and the cause of great suffering for many people.”

The Nelson Mandela-Graça Michel Innovation Award, named after human rights icon Nelson Mandela and former First Lady of South Africa and Mozambique, Graça Machel, honour remarkable bravery and innovation in creating social change and empowering future generations.

Ms. Machel said at the award presentation that:

“Awards like this are so significant because the winners truly are ‘sparks of hope’ with the potential to inspire many others.

It is important that those of us with the freedom to speak out, use our voices to lift up these courageous individuals and organisations.”

Winners Of 2017 Nigeria National Quality Award (NiNQA)

Winners have emerged at the first edition of the Nigeria National Quality Award (NiNQA). The Award held in Lagos, rewards businesses and entrepreneurs that have complied with international standards for management systems and performance improvement.

Amongst those recognized were Johnbull Amayaevbo, a legal firm (Bronze), Scientific Laboratory Services Limited (Silver); 561 Nigerian Airforce Hospital Laboratory (Silver); and Redeemer’s University (Gold). The Award was organized in three categories with Clina Lancet Laboratory (C), Zaika Foods Limited (B) and PZ Cussons (A) among the highest level winners.

Participants from a wide range of fields including education, law, laboratory testing, and manufacturing underwent several rigorous rounds of assessments based on a set of criteria derived from the standards issued by the International Organization for Standardization.

Winners were presented with certificates and trophies during the distribution ceremony, which was attended by industry leaders from public and private sectors, including the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Federal Ministry of Labour. International experts on quality, including Michael Voss, an auditor on ISO 9001 and ISO 14001; and Sunil Thawani, an American Society of Quality (ASQ) Fellow gave presentations at the ceremony.

The Nigeria National Quality Award (NiNQA) was established within the scope of the National Quality Infrastructure Project for Nigeria, funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). NiNQA was officially launched in April 2017 as part of the strategy to increase awareness of quality and standards in Nigeria.

Winners Of 2017 Balearica Nigeria Tourism Awards

Winners have emerged at the 2017 Balearica Nigeria Tourism Awards – honouring experience and enterprise excellence in Nigeria’s tourism industry.

The Balearica Nigeria Tourism Awards is designed to register public opinion on the performance of leisure and business tourism service providers and attractions. The Awards celebrates outstanding travel and tourism professionals and trend setters in the Nigerian tourism industry.

Four of the twenty awards are non-voting awards namely: Best Tourism Governor, Lifetime Achievement Award, Tourism Personality of the Year and Royal Support for Tourism. These categories were determined only by the judges.

Continue reading Winners Of 2017 Balearica Nigeria Tourism Awards

Winners Of 2017 PEARL Awards

PEARL Awards for capital market excellence and performance in Nigeria, hosted its 2017 and 22nd edition since inception at the Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos.

The awards featured 17 sectoral leadership awards, 9 market excellence awards, 3 special recognition awards, 4 honorary awards and the overall highest award (The Pearl).

Winners of the 2017 PEARL awards

United Capital Plc, won five awards, three of which were in the main competitive award category.  The firm emerged the overall 2017 PEARL award winner, with its Group CEO Mrs. Toyin Sanni receiving the 2017 most outstanding CEO award.

‘The PEARL’ award was based on United Capital’s outstanding operational and stock performance in 2016. Other awards won by United Capital Plc included Sectoral Leadership Award, Financial Services – Other Financial Institutions (Main Competitive Award Category), Sectoral Leadership Award, Highest Dividend Yield (Main Competitive Award Category), Good Corporate Governance Award (Special Recognition Award Category) and Outstanding CEO of the Year Award (Honorary Award Category).

Former President, Council of the Nigeria Stock Exchange and Chairman Coronation Capital Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CON received the special honorary award for capital market development, in recognition of his contribution to capital market growth within and outside Nigeria.

Temple Asaju of Channels Television bagged the 2017 Capital Market Journalist of the year award.

Television Continental (TVC) received the Media award for capital market reporting.

President/CEO of PEARL Awards, Mr. Tayo Orekoya in his opening remarks, said that since 1995 the awards nite has remain focused on honouring and encouraging resounding and outstanding capital market performers, who are contributing immensely to the growth of the market.

Mr. Orekoya noted that the theme for 2017, “Winning with Tenacity” captured quoted companies who performed remarkably despite the challenges of the 2016 financial year, which witnessed the economic recession in the country. He said it was an opportunity to celebrate dogged market winners and leaders, who are creating value in the market.

Giving an overview of the awards, Mr. Orekoya stressed that Pearl Awards was not based on sentiments, but performance and took into consideration 9 performance indices. The visioner was happy to inform stakeholders that apex regulator of the capital market, the Securities and Exchange Commission endorsed  the awards ceremony since 2003.

Chairman of the occasion Gen Yakubu Gowon (Rtd) former Head of State of Nigeria commended the Pearl Awards for over 2 decades commitment to promoting market excellence in the country. According to him, “Despite challenging economic environment, we must continue to encourage quoted companies and investors that are doing well in the capital market”.

Gowon asserted that stakeholders in the market, must work assiduously to build a country that promotes entrepreneurship. He harped on the need for the driving of activities in the non-oil sector through the public-private partnership approach which he believed could unlock new jobs for the teeming unemployed youth.

Attendees to the event include; Mrs. Lola Akande (Commissioner for Women Affairs & Poverty Alleviation, Lagos representing Governor Akinwunmi Ambode), Alhaji U.F Abdullahi (Chairman, PEARL Awards Board), Mr. Wole Adetunji (Former DG, SEC Nigeria), Alhaji Ahmed Rufai Mohammed (President/Chairman of Council, IOD Nigeria), Dr. Abiodun Adedipe (Member, Board of Governors, PEARL Awards), Mrs. Toyin Sanni (GCEO, United Capital), Mr. Valentine Ozigbo (CEO, Transcorp Hilton), Mr Valentine Obi (CEO, eTranzact PLC), Mr. Eguarekhide Longe (MD/CEO AIICO Pensions), Mr. Olufemi Awoyemi (CEO, Proshare Nigeria) and Mr. Funso Akere (CEO, Stanbic IBTC Capital) amongst others.

Okpekpe International 10km Road Race Gets IAAF Silver Label Status For 2018

The Okpekpe international 10km road race has been elevated to an International Association of Athletics Federations, IAAF Silver Label status for 2018.

According to Alessio Punzi, the IAAF Road Running Manager:

“Following a thorough review of your application; in recognition of the role played by your event for the promotion of elite road racing in your region, and of your efforts towards the improvement of the technical aspects of the event, the IAAF is happy to inform you that the Okpekpe Road Race 10KM is upgraded to IAAF Silver Label status for 2018.”

Spokesman for the race, Dare Esan stated:

“We are delighted the IAAF has recognised our leading role in promoting road running in Nigeria and the West African sub-region. The Okpekpe international 10km road race has set the pace for other road races in Nigeria [and] West Africa.

We are the first road race in West Africa to be designated by the IAAF as one of the leading road races around the world since the classification was introduced in 2008. For three years since 2015 the race was organised under the prestigious IAAF Road Race Bronze Label and and now we are the first road race to be granted a silver label status in West Africa.”

Dare Esan revealed the official Label certificate signed by the IAAF president, Lord Sebastian Coe has been received by the organisers of the race.

As disclosed by Dare Esan:

“The success story of the Okpekpe international 10km road race would not have been possible without the active role played by the Edo state government who provided the enabling environment, including a world class tarred road from Auchi to the hilly town of Okpekpe.

We are particularly grateful to His Excellencies, Comrade Adam Oshiomole, the immediate past governor of Edo state under whose watch the race was launched and his successor, Godwin Obaseki whose advice and words of encouragement have made the race better.

We are also grateful to the Honourable Minister of Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung who availed us of his presence at the fifth edition of the race on May 13 this year.”

Dare Esan believes the roles played by sponsors and media partners of the race as well as the Nigeria Police, the Directorate of state security (DSS), the Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have been massive.

Dare Esan further said:

“Supersports and Channels are our official media partners and they, like the rest of the media have projected the race, the hilly town of Okpekpe, Edo state and indeed Nigeria as a destination of sort in terms of sports.

We also thank our sponsors led by Ecobank for helping us achieve this historic feat.”

The sixth edition of the race will hold on Saturday May 12, 2018 in Okpekpe in Etsako East local government of Edo state and Dare Esan reveals it will be technology driven.

Dare Esan further revealed:

“In 2015 we scored another first when we engaged MYLAPS Sports Timing, the internationally recognised automatic sports timing company to provide the race with an easy to use, accurate and reliable timing system.

Last year we also launched a tracking application to help fans follow the progress of friends, family or any of the participants who ran at the fifth edition of the race last May.

The tracking application was the first to be launched for a road race in Nigeria and offers mobile features designed to address three core digital needs: information delivery, sponsor activation and race day experience.”

Shola Olowookere Wins 2017 Lagos International Taekwondo Classics

Shola Olowookere has emerged the overall winner of the 2017 Lagos International Taekwondo Classics. He defeated his counterpart from Ghana at the finals of the competition at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere.

Shola Olowookere, a Lagos State taekwondo athlete and 300 level student of Chemistry Education, University of Lagos, said that the conduct of the competition was of international standard and an exposure to the abilities of athletes from other climes.

The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Sports, Mr. Deji Tinubu who spoke during the final events of the competition said that the state government will continue to use the opportunity of the Lagos International Teakwondo Classics to expose indigent athletes to the standards of the sporting activity at the global scene.

He said that the competition provided a platform for both experienced and up-coming taekwondo athletes in Nigeria to compete against their peers in other countries.

Tinubu advised the participating athletes to continue to show interest in similar competitions, stressing that the athletes could leverage on the various opportunities made available by the state government to launch themselves to the international scene by showcasing their various talents.

Deji added that apart from the discovering and nurturing of young talents in football, the state government is also extending the opportunity of discovering young talented Lagosians in other sporting activities including taekwondo.

In the words of Mr. Deji:

“As you know that one of the cardinal focus of the Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration is in the area of Tourism, Hospitality, Entertainment and Sports for Excellence, T.H.E.S.E. The present administration is seriously implementing the project T.H.E.S.E., to boost tourism, employment generation and relaxation especially for the youth.”

According to the Special Adviser, it is the resolve of the state government to use project T.H.E.S.E, to grow the Lagos economy and empower the youth through several alternative means in which sports development is an integral part.

The 2017 Lagos International Taekwondo Classics was attended by participating athletes from some African countries including Ghana.

Prophet T. B. Joshua Receives Senate Of The Dominican Republic Highest Awards [2017]

The Senate of the Dominican Republic has conferred the chamber’s highest awards on the founder and spiritual head of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua popularly known as Prophet T. B. Joshua.

This was revealed at the end of the first session of the two-day crusade held at the Central Olympic Stadium, Felix Sanchez, located in the nation’s capital of Santo Domingo, on Friday, November 24, 2017.

While reading the letters of conferment of the Senate and Congress awards, the event had in attendance representatives of the governments of Russia, Spain, Brazil, Paraguay, Haiti, among others.

The Senate argued, among other things, that it reached the resolution of the conferment of the award on the cleric considering Prophet T. B. Joshua’s immense contributions to the growth and development of humanity, his wonderful and relentless social work, which he had tirelessly extended to impoverished regions of the world, his large donations to help widows, orphans, the destitute, the elderly and the physically challenged. Chief among the mention of the Senate was the humanitarian work spearheaded by the prophet after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, including supports to India, Ghana and the Philippines following various disasters.

The Senate further extolled the unrelenting commitment of the cleric in engendering global peace and therefore made him the spiritual guide of the nation.

While accepting the award in the company of his wife, Prophet Joshua thanked the government and people of the Dominican Republic for such recognition promising that he would continue to pray for the country while also making it his second home.

In the words of Prophet T. B. Joshua:

“I am very delighted. I am also very grateful to the government and people of the Dominican Republic. I dedicate this award to the people of this country. I will continue to pray for you and I will ensure that this country is my second home.”

The crusade venue witnessed a mammoth crowd of worshippers, government officials, politicians and the entire strata of the human society. Many had travelled far and wide to hear the cleric preach and pray for the sick and other miracle-seekers.

The crowd had continued to swell with over 60,000 participants in attendance. Despite the human traffic, no untoward incident occurred.

In his message, Prophet Joshua, taking his text from Romans 5:2 of the Holy Bible, called on his immediate and virtual listeners, to ensure that they sought the kingdom of God first while also seeking the happiness and joy of their neighbours.

According to Prophet T. B. Joshua:

“We live in a world where people measure their happiness with material possession. But this is not so. You must measure your happiness by ensuring the happiness of others. This is the example that Jesus Christ has set for us. You can bless others with your smile, your money, your material possession or even other things. Put a smile on people’s faces and you will be glad.”

During the prayer session, many who had various ailments and had travelled both far and wide were attended to by the cleric who laid his hands on them “in the name of Jesus”.