The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Professor Umar Danbatta, last night received the CEO OF THE YEAR 2016 Award at the maiden edition of TELL Awards for Excellence. The Award was presented at an impressive dinner organised by TELL Magazine in honour of the recipients at the Civic Centre, Lagos.
Danbatta who dedicated the Award to the staff of the Nigerian Communications Commission said the Award will spur him and the staff of the Commission to work even more towards the fulfilment of the Commission's mandate of ensuring the delivery of world-class telecommunications services to the people of Nigeria.
It will be recalled that on April 28, 2017, the Management of TELL Magazine, led by Mr. Nosa Igiebor, paid a visit to NCC to convey to Danbatta the fact of his nomination as the CEO of the Year 2016 where Mr. Igiebor described NCC as an "Island of Excellence in Public Service". The Management of TELL Magazine also informed Danbatta that the Award will be presented to him in June 2017.
Other recipients include His Imperial Majesty, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, OJAJA II, Ooni of Ife, who received MAN OF THE YEAR Award; His Highness Muhammad Sanusi II, also a recipient of MAN OF THE YEAR Award; Mrs. Aisha Buhari, wife of the President - WOMAN OF THE YEAR Award; Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu - NATIONAL ICON OF DEMOCRACY Award; His Excellency Kashim Shettima, Governor of Borno State - GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR; His Excellency Ben Ayade, Governor of Cross River State, who also received the GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR Award; Muhammad Babandede, Comptroller General of Immigration - OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVANT OF THE YEAR; and Leo Stan Ekeh, Chairman of Zinox Computers - LIFE TIME PIONEEEING ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR.
Others who also received different categories of awards are Dangote Cement, PRIVATE SECTOR ORGANISATION OF THE YEAR; Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, PUBLIC ORGANISATION OF THE YEAR, Bank of Industry, BANKER OF THE YEAR; and Air Peace, DOMESTIC AIRLINE OF THE YEAR. Dr. Dakuku Peterside, Director General of NIMASA; and Mr. Allen Onyema, Chairman/CEO Air Peace Limited received the awards on behalf of their respective organisations.
The event was also spectacular because of the Award of ALL-TIME NATIONAL HERO OF RULE OF LAW & HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY conferred on Late Gani Fawehinmi; and the ALL-TIME NATIONAL ICON OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH conferred on Dele Giwa, Founding Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch Newsmagazine who died through a parcel bomb delivered to him in his home on October 19, 1986. The post-humous awards were received by their families. Mrs Funmi Giwa, the Late Giwa's widow received on behalf of the Giwa family while Mohammed Fawehinmi, Mrs Ganiat Fawehimmi and Mrs. Basirat Fawehinmi-Biobaku, the Late Fawehinmi's son, wife and daughter respectively received the Award on behalf of the Fawehinmi family.
Mrs. Buhari's award was received on her behalf by Dr. Hajo Sani, a Special Adviser to the President, while Mr. Dale Alake, accompanied by Her Excellency Adejoke Orelope-Adefilure, former Deputy Governor of Lagos, received Tinubu's award on his behalf. The Award to Babandede was also received on his behalf while Prof. Ivara Isu, Deputy Governor of Cross River State received the Award on behalf of Ayade.
The Ooni of Ife and Governor Shettima seized the opportunity of the event to call on all Nigerians to embrace peace and eschew every form of violence, hate speech and drumbeats of war.