The Chairman, CSS Group of Companies, Prof John-Kennedy Opara, and Chief Medical Director, Save-A-Life Group of Hospitals, Dr. Richard Okoye, have described their nominations as winners of The Sun Investor of the Year Award and Public Service Award for 2022 respectively as a priceless honour that would linger in their minds forever.
They said the awards have reinforced their beliefs in the Nigerian project, vowing not to give up in contributions to the growth of the nation.
Opara and Okoye spoke separately, in Abuja and Port Harcourt, when the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, The Sun Publishing Limited, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh, led a management team to present letters notifying them of the awards.
Opara, a former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Dr Okoye, a renowned medical doctor, who aims to move life expectancy in the country to above 70 years in a couple of years, using medicare, and 24 others will be honoured at The Sun Awards ceremony on January 28, 2023 at the Expo Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The duo said they were particularly enthused about their recognition as it did not come with any string attached.
Commending The Sun for finding CSS Global Integrated Farms worthy of recognition, Opara noted that awards of this nature go with demand for favour, but he did not experience such.
He said: “Nobody asked me to pay money, nobody asked me for this and that. That really means a lot to me because when you want to do something with me, if you start from that angle, I will lose interest.
“I must really say that we are deeply, deeply touched by what you have done.”
Opara said that he went to the CSS Integrated Farms project because of his desire to change the narrative in food security in the country.
He explained: “When you identify the problem you have as a nation and begin to work to proffer solution, the country gets better. We are where we are not because that is where we are supposed to be, but because many people have also failed, including the government, to take some steps to be able to do things properly.
“Nigeria produces about 97.3 million metric tonnes of cassava every year, followed by Thailand. Thailand is doing 31.5 million metric tonnes every year, followed by Brazil which is doing 21 million metric tonnes and followed by Indonesia with 20 million metric tonnes of cassava. If you look at this together, Nigeria alone provides more than 20 per cent of the world’s need of cassava, be are not earning anything from there. What we are earning is zero compared to where we are supposed to be.”
While saying that with farming Nigeria has no business with unemployment, Opara noted that if the country is able to utilise its gift from God, the country will be better for it.
In his own case, Okoye said the award came as a surprise because he never thought The Sun, with great reputation, would recognise him and his hospital.
He said: “I was initially having this mindset that we have not done enough to merit this award. But I count it as an honour and a respect for a reputable newspaper as The Sun to recognise this little we have been able to do.
“I must tell you it’s a motivation. This award shows that someone is somewhere watching what we are doing and appreciating what we are doing. So, we will need to do more.”
Saying that he had no pre-knowledge of the award, the medical doctor said: “I greatly appreciate the management of The Sun for this recognition, by making it in such a way that it is not something that one is saying you bribed your way. You did it in such an impeccable manner. I greatly appreciate it.”
The Sun MD, in his remarks earlier, said Opara and Okoye’s nominations were based on merit, saying that from what The Sun team witnessed in CSS farm in Nasarawa and Save-A-Life Hospital in Port Harcourt, “the future is already here.”
On Opara, he said: “The future in agriculture and food security in Nigeria is already here. With this kind of farm, the food security that we are talking about is a mission already accomplished.”
Ukeh, while thanking Opara for the foresight and the courage to venture into farming, explained that Opara was selected for the Investor of the Year Award because of his giant strides in agriculture, investing millions of naira to assist in the quest food security.
He said: “We are aware that as the Founder/Chief Executive Officer of CSS Group of Companies, owners of CSS Global Integrated Farms, you have a mission to bring unemployment in the country to as low as possible and to ensure that food becomes affordable across the country.
“When in 2018, you founded CSS Global Integrated Farms, it was with the goal of joining in the efforts at ensuring food security for the country. Under your watch, CSS Farms has successfully implemented the 7Ps business model of integrated farming where each unit serves as a raw material for the next unit by assessing the potential, planning, planting, producing, processing, packaging and protecting.”
On Okoye, The Sun MD said “You printed your name in gold in 2020, when you rejected an offer of $20 million from a corporate group in Dubai that wanted to acquire your Save-A-Life Mission project at a time you needed capital to fortify your health management business.
“Your refusal was as a result of your conviction that the project is going to have long-term benefits and opportunity for humanity, especially Nigerians.”
He said that against all odd, Okoye built a multi-billion dollar health facilities that has changed the story of healthcare in the country.
Ukeh stressed: “Your dream has always been to radically transform the health sector with medical innovations that seem impossible. A long time objective has been to increase the life expectancy of Nigerians, which is currently put at between 56 and 70 years, and to make Nigeria one of the choicest health toursim destinations in the world.
“Your amazing success story has been told to global audiences and remains a strong motivation to African youths. Your deep involvement in various medical fields did not deter you from authoring 25 bestselling books and becoming the presenter of popular Radio/Television Show, which runs in Nigeria and Ghana.
“We are aware that you have launched the first digitalized hospital in the world and set to launch the first digital Medical University and Research Institute, which will include, among other specialities, Medical Hardware and Software Technologies. You are also the founder of first medical application, DoctorSaveALive, that comes in different languages.”
Apart from Opara and Okoye, others who will also receive awards are, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Mallam Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (Man of the Year); Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State and Governor Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa (Governor of the Year); Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State (Courage in Leadership); Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State (Political Icon) and Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu (First Lady of the Year).
Other award winners are, General Overseer, Omega Power Ministries, Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere, Chief James Chijioke Ume, Chairman, Unubiko Foundation (Humanitarian Service Icon); Mr. Festus Mbisiogu, Chairman, Shanghai Engineering Works Limited, Lady Ada Chukwudozie of Dozzy Group (Industrialist of the Year); Barr Mrs. Ngozi Ekeoma, Managing Director, Nepal Energies Limited, Chief Benjamin Igwe (Entrepreneur of the Year) as well as Dr. Stanley Uzochukwu, Chairman of Stanel Group (Investor of the Year).
Also to receive awards are, Chief Kelvin Jumbo Onumah, Chairman of Sublime Group Limited (Hospitality Personality), Mercy Johnson-Okojie (Nollywood Personality); Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, Esama of Benin Kingdom; Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, ex-Anambra State governor; Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu, ex-Lagos State Deputy Governor; and Alhaji Sule Lamido, former Jigawa State governor (Lifetime Achievement).
Others are, Prof. Mohammed Sani Haruna, Executive Vice Chairman, National Agency for Science, Engineering Infrastructure; Dr. George Moghalu, MD, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA); and Mr. Olukayode Pitan, MD, Bank of Industry (Banker of the Year).