- Govt. Officials, Military Chiefs, Traditional Rulers, Captains Of Industry Make List
The Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) has conferred its highest honorary professional title on 102 illustrious Nigerians, in recognition of their exemplary leadership, professionalism, moral uprightness and meritorious contributions to the continuous coexistence and development of the country.
At the event which held on Thursday at the Muson Centre, Lagos, the country’s foremost management institution said besides serving as a form of appreciation, the recognition also comes with a statutory task of engaging the recipients for a national assignment.
The assignment, it was explained, is to examine the plethora of developmental challenges facing the country, from Economy, Security, Unemployment, Education and National Values and Ethics, and provide practicable solutions, leveraging on their leadership experiences, professional competences, and unblemished records of outstanding impacts in their respective endeavor.
The awardees are leaders with impeccable track records in their various fields of endavours. They include Ex-lawmakers, Military Chiefs, Traditional Rulers, Captains of Industry, Financial and Risks Management Experts, among others.
The list includes 73 Males, 29 females, features Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, Minister of State for Budget and National Planning; Rt. Hon. Sheriff Francis Orohwedor Oborevwori, Speaker of the Edo State Assembly; Itanyi Okechukwu Crescent, former Deputy Governor of Enugu State; Senator Gbenga Ashafa, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Federal Housing Authority (FHA); Major-General Adekunle Adigun Adesope, Chief of Accounts and Budget for Defense Headquarters; and Col. (Dr.) Pauline Olubunmi Aburime, a Dental/Maxillofacial Surgeon and Director, Dental Services, Nigerian Army Headquarters.
Others include His Imperial Majesty, Eze Kelvin Ngozi Anugwo; Engr. Gidari-Wudil, Tasiu Sa’ad, National President, Nigerian Society of Engineers; Mrs Awani Kanayo, an astute banker and Executive Vice President, African Export Import Bank (Afreximbank), leading the bank’s efforts in implementing its Itra-African Trade and Industrialisation Strategies; and Bature-Dikki, Fulera Sambo, Director at the Industrial Training Fund (ITF).
Interrogating their individual pedigree, this reporter found out that Mrs. Joke Bakare, one of the fellows, for instance, was the pioneer Retailer of Pharmaceutical Drugs in Nigeria, an entrepreneurial initiative that has helped make quality and affordable life-saving drugs available to ordinary Nigerians.
Ditto for Tasiu-Sa’ad, the 33rd President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, an electricity regulatory and technical expert, who has exemplified himself for helping to transform the country’s electricity generation, transmission and management efficiently, through his transitional sojourn at NEPA/PHCN/TCN. The Power System Protection, Energy Control, and Metering Consultant, was reputed for leading a team on the development of technical codes and standards like the Grid Codes, Distribution Code, Metering Code, Smart Metering Regulation, Guideline for the Certification of Metering Services, and related matters.
The story is also the same for Professor(Mrs.) Ogbo Anastasia Ifechukwudebelu, an Academic Scholar, Researcher and Mentor, who has made multiple developmental imprints on humanity through her engagement as a consultant for the United Nation’s International Children’s Emergency Fund; United Nations Development Organisation Programme; Coordinator for Researchers on Contemporary Issues in the Business Cycles (RCIBC), a University of Nigeria’s intellectual think tank body. She was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s 2014 Most Hardworking Academic Staff in the Faculty of Business Administration;
In his remarks, the President, Major-General Abdullahi I. Muraina (Rtd), explained that in order to leverage on the competences and outstanding leadership records of the Fellows for the good of the management body and the country’s, Approval had been received to constitute them into faculties.
According to him, the faculties are Leadership and Governance; Technology and Communication; Education and Social Development; Finance, Accounts and Management Audit; Planning, Economics and Management, Safety, Health and Environment Management.
He explained that statutorily, “the faculties are expected to identify issues and challenges in areas related to their disciplines, propose studies of such issues with a view to making policy recommendations to government via the Institute’s public policy advocacy initiative.”
While demanding diligence and meticulousness from the team, urging them to leverage on technology for unbiased research, evidential fact-finding, and data and trends analysis among others, the NIM President said the assignment is a litmus test for them.
According to him, “I implore you to take this assignment very seriously. We encourage you to hold virtual meetings in your various faculties and send recommendations to Management on issues to be addressed. This is an important aspect of the Institute’s objective of contributing to the management of the country’s resources in order to promote its development and the well-being of its citizens.”
He said, “from this day forward, each of you is required to devote more of your time, talent, treasure and thinking to the service of the Institute and nation. I enjoin you to place your competencies and specializations at the disposal of the Institute as you might be called upon to be of service to her in your area of professional calling as the need arises.”
In his lecture, the Guest Speaker, Mr. Godwin Odah, former Managing Director, Union Assurance Plc and Chairman, National Working Committee on National Strategic Working Plan (2021-2025), said it was time for the organized private sector and the players to begin to think beyond profit-making but how to use their human capital resources, investment, networking capacity and capability among others, for the betterment of the country.
Speaking on the topic, “The Role of Fellows in the Task of Accomplishing the Objectives of the Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered),” Odah admonished the NIM Fellows to continue to embody the principles of Integrity, Transparency and Accountability in their respective lives, the same management and leadership ethos the institute represents.
He said the advice became timely because of the current trajectory of “rampant corruption and mindboggling theft of our common wealth by individuals and groups in positions of power and authority in our country.”
According to him, “we should endeavour to provide a refreshing change by creating oases of integrity, transparency and accountability in our individua l spheres of activity. These oases over time hopefully will metamorphose into huge oceans that will change the narrative such that the country can once again aspire to the achievement of her full potentials.
“Fellows of NIM are expected to demonstrate the finest managerial qualities and attributes that should be benchmarks for younger and aspiring managers of the Institute. Those qualities that are associated with management professionalism should manifest in their day to day activities,” he added.
