“Three qualities define their essence: Courage. Innovation. Excellence.”
Trail blazers. The pathfinders. If you like, simply the Game Changers. It makes no difference. Three qualities define their essence: Courage. Innovation. Excellence.
With these defining characteristics, they changed our world, wrote their names in gold in our hearts and stamped their footprints in the sand of time. They are the 2016 The Sun Awards winners!
These men and women are the stars we have carefully selected for making the critical difference in our lives, for the critical difference in our lives, for changing the game, for affecting our environment, for impacting our society, for daring to stand out of the pack, for simply being different.
In the words of the iconic founder of Apple, Steve Jobs: “They are the ones who see things differently. They are not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is, ignore them: Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”
How true. Take the case of Lt-Col Mohammed Abu Ali. An officer of the Nigerian Army, Ali died fighting to make our country a safer place, ‘to push the human race forward,’ as opposed to the backwardness of the beasts from the wild called Boko Haram. For his gallantry and patriotism, Ali wins our prestigious Hero of the Year award, alongside fallen Nigerian soldiers in the North-East.
Take a bow Senator Ibikunle Amosun, governor of Ogun State. Step to the dais Barrister Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers State. The youthful Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara; the pragmatic governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari. They clinch our Man of the Year, Governor of the Year, Political Icon of the Year and Courage in Leadership Awards. Flip the pages for the reasons they have been found worthy of our prized awards.
Business mogul and socialite, Alhaji Razak Akanni Okoya; Delectable former Industries minister, Chief (Mrs) Nike Akande; renowned scientist and Bio-Chemist, Prof Anya. O.Anya; Economist and former National Planning minister, Kalu Idika Kalu; radical politician, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and banking legend, Otunba Subomi Balogun, are our Lifetime Achievement award winners. A list of heavyweights.
Sir Tony Ezenna, Mr Herbert Wigwe, Dr Cosmas Maduka, Chief (Mrs) Stella Okoli and Alhaji Tajudeen Owoyemi of Avalon Intercontinental, will be decorated in different business-related sectors, as Manufacturer of the Year, Banker of the Year, Investor of the Year, Business Person of the Year and Hospitality Firm of the Year, respectively.
The charismatic chairman of the League Management Committee, Shehu Dikko, will be honoured for the innovation and passion he has brought into the Nigerian football domestic league, which has elevated its rating at home and outside. He is the winner of our Sport Personality of the Year.
Olamide and Phyno, the duo rappers in indigenous Nigerian languages, and the talented Nollywood actor, Rita Dominic, are our Creative Personality and Nollywood Person of the Year award winners, respectively.
For The Sun 2016 Award winners, the words of Aristotle are certainly true: “Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution.” Indeed.