The Chairman of Chrome Group and Founder, Sir Emeka Offor Foundation (SEOF), Sir Emeka Offor, has hailed The Sun annual award, saying it is a prestigious recognition.
Offor gave the commendation when the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, The Sun Publishing Limited, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh, led a team to present to him notification letter for the conferment of Humanitarian Service award on him for 2019.
Offor and 27 other award winners will be showcased at The Sun Awards Lockdown Edition celebration coming up before the end of the year.
Other winners of The Sun Awards are: Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom State and Governor Bello Mohammed of Zamfara State (Man of the Year); Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State (Governor of the Year); Governor Samuel Ortom (Courage in Leadership) and Governor Kayode Fayemi (Political Icon of the Year).
Others are wife of Anambra State governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Ebelechukwu Obiano (Most Supportive First Lady); Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, MD, Sterling Bank (Banker of the Year); Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology (Outstanding Performance in Government); Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, DG, National Council of Arts and Culture and Hadiza Bala-Usman, MD, Nigerian Ports Authority (Public Service); Mallison Ukatu, CEO, Nipso Porcelain and Nkechi Obi, chairman, Techno Oil (Industrialist of the Year); Dr. Obiora Okonkwo, chairman, United Nigeria Airlines & Dome Entertainment and Asiwaju AK Onawofokan, chairman, Coleman Wire & Cables (Entrepreneur of the Year).
Also the following are winners: Iconic actresses, Patience Ozokwor and Sola Sobowale (Nollywood Personality of the Year); Alhaji Ahmadu Musa Kida, president, Nigerian Basketball Federation and Chief Anyansi Agwu, chairman, Enyimba Football Club (Sports Personality of the Year); Bro Felix Obuah, chairman of Krisdera Hotels & Resort & founder, Go Round Football Club and Barr Chief Jackson Agbai Abbah, chairman, Dover Hotels (Hospitality Person of the Year); star musician, Burna Boy (Creative Person) and Ekene iwuoha (Nigerian Hero).
For Lifetime Achievement award, the following are winners: Mallam Mamman Daura, Prince Arthur Eze and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.
Offor, who had been involved in the eradication of polio in Nigeria and other countries through the SEOF, said the award was a call to duty and motivation to do more for humanity.
“I would like to thank the Board and Management of The Sun Newspapers for this prestigious award. I feel humbled and very honoured that I am being recognised during my lifetime with this prestigious award. I thank you,” Offor said.
An elated Offor said he was dedicating the award to members of his family for all the sacrifices they have made, including the love and support they have given to him in the discharge of humanitarian services.
He said the award is also for members of the SEOF team, more than 3,000 widows in the SEOF Widows Cooperative whose constant prayers and support brought a lot of accolades to the foundation.
Thanking President Muhammadu Buhari for felicitating with him on the occasion of the presentation of the award, he said: “This award is a call to duty; this award means that we need to do more and I am projecting that we will continue. We have done very well in the area of education. We started with health about two years ago and we have the intention of replicating what we have done in education in health. Hardly will you go to any higher institution in this country, federal, state or private, industries, colleges of education, polytechnics that you will not find our materials donated by the SEOF.”
Earlier, Ukeh said The Sun was honouring a man of many parts, a successful businessman, a philanthropist and a polio ambassador.
Ukeh recalled the role played by Offor to have Nigeria exited from the list of polio-infested nations.
He said Offor’s selection for the award was based on merit because of his achievements in humanitarian service.
The Sun MD said: “You have over the years, shown great concern for the plight of the common man and humanity in general. Through Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, a non governmental organisation established in 1990, you have lifted many, providing support in the areas of human capacity development, skill acquisition and the establishment of a small and medium enterprises and cooperative societies.
“It is on record that at various times, the foundation has partnered with international groups like the Books for Africa, Rotary International, Mainz Hospital Research and many others to execute philanthropic projects in areas of youth empowerment programme, widows cooperative programme, education programme, health service programme and infrastructure development programme.”
On Offor’s effort to boost the health sector by donating medical equipment and supplies to hospitals across the country, Ukeh said this has “in no small measure enhanced the determination of the federal government in the provision of quality healthcare service to its citizens. These efforts have in no doubt, attracted global recognitions and honours, including as Rotary International Polio Ambassador to Nigeria and International Humanitarian Award in Biloxi, Mississippi, USA, by Andrew Young Foundation Inc, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A., among others.”
