Executive Chairman and Founder of XL Africa Group Limited, Mr Charles Nwodo Jnr, was among dignitaries recently honoured by the Starlite Newspapers with different awards of excellence.

The event was the newspaper’s second annual award and lectures series held at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The theme was “Economic Diversification and the Self-sustainability options for Enugu State.”

Also honoured at the event were Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State and Governor Yahaya Bello, Kogi State. Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Prof Charles Arinzechuwkwu Igwe, was also in the list of awardees.

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Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, Mr Harrison Ogara, said the awards were presented to the individuals as recognition of excellent leadership and contributions to the growth of Nigeria’s economy through cross-sectoral private sector activities in Nigeria and across West Africa.

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“It is important to identify people who have contributed immensely to the economic growth of this nation,” the publisher said.

Ogara also charged Nigerians to identify sustainable options for economic diversification and to seek ways through which these options could be domesticated to develop other streams of income for the country as well as its citizens.

Speaking at the event, the chairman of the occasion, Prof. Osita Ogbu noted that the theme of the occasion was coming at a time when diversification for structural change was needed. He said: “There is need for diversity to provide a cushion for the turmoil in Nigeria as it will help build a resilient economy.”

In his keynote address, Chief Nnia Nwodo said it was imperative to develop skills, activate local potential, and expand production capacity for economic growth and self-sustainability. He decried the negligence of farm produce by the state and federal governments, noting that such produce had the potential and capacity to improve the economy of Nigeria. He stated that “there is need for reorientation of ideas that will make us grow as a people and as a nation.”