By Eze Chukwu
The Advisory board of the Public Policy Research and Analysis Centre (PPRAC), has named the President of Zambia, His Excellency Hakainde Hichilema, as the winner of Year 2021/22 Zik Prize in Political Leadership.
Also named as winner is the President, AFREXIM Bank, Prof. Benedict Okey Oramah, who bagged Year 2021/2022 Zik Prize in Professional Leadership.
Equally on the list is the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki,named as the Year 2021/2022 Zik Prize Good Governance.
The Chairman, SIFAX Group, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, was in addition, named the Year 2021/22 Zik Prize in Entrepreneurial Leadership.
On the list also is the wife of the immediate-past Governor of Lebbi State, Hajiya Aisha Atiku Baguda, who bagged Year 2021/2022 Zik Prize in Humanitarian Leadership.
A statement by Prof. Pat Utomi
Head, Selection Committee, PPRAC, stated that the Leadership Awards, instituted in 1995 in honour of the first President of Nigeria and Commander of the Armed Forces, the late Rt. Hon. Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, recognises and encourages outstanding leadership on the African Continent and in the Diaspora.
He said that the awards could not hold last year as a mark of respect following the passage of two members of the Advisory Board: Prince Emeka Obasi, erstwhile Executive Secretary and Prof. George Obiozor, in March and December, 2022, which is why this edition is a combination of winners across year 2021 and 2022.
The statement stated that President Hichilema: “distinguished himself as a great shining light, not only to his South African nation, Zambia, but the black race.
“An example in sheer doggedness and perseverance, the 61-year-old Zambian farmer, businessman and now politician, contested five previous Presidential elections between 2006 and 2016, before emerging victorious at the 6th time of asking in 2021.
“Despite inheriting an economy dangerously spiraling out of control and prevailing global challenges, H.E Hichilema has in two years remarkably halted the slide and ushered Zambia’s economy back to the path of growth, restored long-term debt sustainability and reinvigorated Zambia’s economy, making it one of the fastest growing economies in the continent.
“Zambia is ranked the 8th most competitive country in Africa on the Global Competitiveness Index and whilst in its recently released report, Forbes Magazine ranked Zambia the 7th best country with the ease of doing business among 54 African countries”.
For Prof. Oramah, President who is currently serving a second five-year term in AFREXIM Bank, they stated that “he has remarkably piloted Africa’s premier multilateral financial institution to deliver on its mandate of boosting economic expansion in Africa by financing and promoting intra-and extra-African trade. and accelerating industrialization.
“A key promoter of AfCFTA as Africa’s pathway to industralisation, he championed the introduction of a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA.
“He has also led the onboarding of 500 of the continent’s 600 regulated commercial banks into its Afreximbank Trade Finance Facility (AFTRAF) placing it in the vortex of the most extensive bank messaging network on the continent”.
PPRAC noted that “the scale of the bank’s intervention in support of African countries at times of global crisis is unprecedented.
“It introduced in year 2020 the Pandemic Trade Impact Mitigation Facility (PATIMFA) with disbursed funds at more than US$7 billion and in year 2022, the Ukraine Crisis Adjustment Trade Financing Programme for Africa (UKAFPA), a US$ 4 billion programme of credit facilities to manage the impacts of the Ukraine crisis on African economies and businesses”.
Gov. Obaseki was acknowledged as having “brought his wealth of experience in the private sector to bear in addressing the issues of governance in Edo State.
“In the space of 7 years, his make Edo Greater Again agenda has accomplished tremendous success in public administration, repositioning the civil service and the transformation of the state’s failing education sector.
“By implementing wide scale transformation projects, particularly the deployment of cutting edge technology in training and equipping Edo teachers with modern skills to deliver sound and qualitative teaching, The EdoBest project success has inspired Lagos to create the EkoExcel scheme,” the statement said.
Dr. Afolabi, was described as “a leading business behemoth with diversified interests in maritime, tourism and hospitality, energy, aviation, oil and gas, haulage and logistics.
“While many businessmen are hesitant to invest in the nation’s murky and unpredictable business waters, Afolabi’s indomitable and diehard nature to frontally confront all obstacles has helped him to succeed in ventures where others before him had failed.
“From being a trailblazer, his brainchild, SIFAX Group has in just over three decades become a household brand in the country, especially in the maritime, hospitality, haulage and logistics industries”.
Hajia Aisha Atiku Abubakar, former 1st lady of Kebbi state, was described sas “a consummate humanist and philanthropist who has over the last 14 years been a ‘hope giver’’ to thousands of otherwise hopeless citizens of the country.
“She has since 2009 set up the Mass Literacy for Less Privileged and Almajiri Initiative (MALLPAI), an NGO that has quietly gone about its business of enhancing the quality of life of Nigerians by supporting and empowering initiatives that improve access to health, education and agricultural opportunities”.
PPRAC listed some previous winners such as President J.J. Rawlings, President Nwalimu Julius Nyerere, Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, President Sam Nujoma, Dr. Nelson Mandela, President Yoweri Muzeveni, President John Agyekum Kufuor, Dr Pius Okigbo, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, Otunba Subomi Balogun, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Alhaji Ahmed Joda and Dr Akinwumi Adesina.
The formal presentation ceremony of the Zik Prize Awards, will hold on Sunday 19th November, 2023 at the Eko Convention Centre, Lagos.
