The immediate past chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Attahiru Jega, and a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu, are among 20 personalities who would be honoured Saturday for playing “game changer” roles in the socio-economic affairs of Nigeria in the last 20 years.
The award ceremony takes place this evening at the Eko Conference Centre, Lagos, alongside a discussion on security, to be chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The newspaper says it is recognising the 20 individuals for playing various roles in “altering the landscape, day after day” in the 20 years that THISDAY newspaper has existed.
The newspaper debuted in 1995.
Mr. Jega, a university don, credited with conducting two presidential elections, including the one this year, is being honoured for changing the game “when it had to do with conduct of acceptable elections”.
Mr. Ribadu, according to the newspaper, is being honoured for initiating “a series of no-nonsense measures as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission” and for giving “individuals with questionable character a big chase”.
Apart from fighting corruption in high places, Mr. Ribadu is reputed for bringing about the change that turned the Nigerian economy around at a time the country was blacklisted by world economic powers due to widespread economic crimes.
Aside Messrs Jega and Ribadu, 18 other Nigerians will also be awarded for playing significant roles in uplifting the society and projecting the Nigerian brand in the last 20 years. The awardees are mostly self-made businessmen and entrepreneurs.
Those in the list include Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote; and Nigerian billionaires – Mike Adenuga, Jim Ovia, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Fola Adeola, Tony Elumelu and Atedo Peterside.
Businessman Tunde Ayeni also made the list alongside the Chairman of Etisalat Nigeria, Hakeem Bello-Osagie.
Others awardees are founder of the Nigerian e-store, konga.com, Sim Shagaya; technology entrepreneur, Leo Stan Ekeh; Sunil Vaswani and the owner of London’s Gatwick Airport, Adebayo Ogunlesi.
There are also five women on the made the list: the Lagos doctor who died fighting Ebola, Ameyo Adadevoh; a Special Adviser to the UN Secretary General, Amina Mohammed; events planner, Yewande Zaccheus; Boko Haram survivor and campaigner, Member Feese; and the blogger Linda Ikeji.
The paper will also honour 20 other Nigerians with “Lifetime Achievement” awards.
Awardees in this category include a former Chief of Defence Staff, Alani Akinrinade; a former Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Coomassie; and three retired Chief Justices of Nigeria – Idris Kutigi, Dahiru Musdapha and Mohammadu Uwais.
Others are Alex Dudeyemi, Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, Jackson Gaius-Obaseki, Ibrahim Gambari, Pius Akinyelure, Alabo Douglas, Joseph Irukwu, Kolawole Jamodu and Ndubusi Kanu.
Two traditional rulers – the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, and the Emir of Zazzau, Shehu Idris – are also to receive the lifetime achievement award.
Also to receive the lifetime awards are former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Joseph Sanusi, Prince Tony Momoh and Mr. Olusegun Osunkeye.