The League of African Development Students (LEADS) has awarded the Mr. Smith Ezenagu the prestigious LEADS Africa’s Patriotic Personality Awards for the year 2020.
The awards, according to Osisiogu Osikenyi, the Head Advocacy of LEADS, Africa for the conferment of LEADS Africa’s Patriotic Personality Awards, the award was in recognition of Ezenagu’s commitments to Africa’s quest for development and self reliance.
Ezenagu, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), ESSO Property Limited, received the honour which in the previous years was conferred on outstanding personalities in Africa, like, Dr. James Mwangi, CEO, Equity Mortgage Bank of Kenya; Apostle, Professor Johnson Suleiman, Omega Fire Ministries; Professor Mabel Imbuga, former VC, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology, Juja via Nairobi; Hon. Nathaniel McGill, Chief of Staff to the President of the Republic of Liberia. Others previously honoured included Professor David John Francis, Chief of Staff, Minister of Republic of Sierra Leone and Roland Chitotela, the Minister for Works & Infrastructure, Republic of Zambia, among others.
LEADS is the umbrella body for all Democratic Students Unions in Africa which started in 1985 at the Bayero University, Kano which is now present in over 25 countries in Africa.
According to LEADS, “in doing this, we seek to find ourselves role models and emerging brands in various sectors as we found ESSO Property Limited in the Real Estate Sector”. In his comments, Patrick Tankou, President and head LEADS delegation who spoke in French said the award was in recognition for his efforts in developing real estate in Africa, encouraging the youths to be lawful and upright in their pursuit of wealth.
In the same way, the Secretary General, LEADS, Osisiogu Osikenyi said, “the reason for the award is because the awardee has by all ramifications shown that he is a model all youths should emulate. For him to receive this awards shows that his efforts in developing real estate in Africa is commendable”.
In his response, Ezenagu said, “I am really happy. I thank you for finding me worthy for this award even as I don’t know what I did specially that attracted this award. However, whatever it is, that I have done, I promise to get more dedicated and double the effort”. He urged the youths to be more hardworking as no good achievement comes easy.