Jonathan, Atiku, Saraki, Onu, Okonkwo win Okpara leadership awards

Obinna Odogwu, Awka

Former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar would be presented Gold Awards while 10 governors drawn from across the country would be honoured for exemplary leaderships at the centenary celebration of the late premier of the old Eastern Region, Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara, billed to hold in August.

The late Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and the former governor of Imo State,  Sam Mbakwe, would be presented with the posthumous Heroes Awards.

Also penned down for exemplary leadership award include President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo; former Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi; former Senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki; Ministers Timipre Silva and Ogbonnaya On; Ndoma Egba, and the Chairman of the Dome Entertainment Centre, Abuja, Dr Obiora Okonkwo.

First Republic Minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and Dr. Peter Odili were nominated for Lifetime Achievement Awards.

A statement jointly signed on behalf of the Organising Committee by son of the late premier, Chief Uzodinma Okpara, and the Publisher/CEO of Verbatim media group, Tobs Agbaegbu, said the event is to “immortalise the epitome of good governance.”

The committee stated that the programme line-ups would begin with a World Press Conference and leadership awards in July/August, followed by other activities, ahead of a grand finale in December 2020.

“All the activities are meant to further immortalise Okpara, the patriot, statesman of repute and uncommon administrator under whose tenure as Premier; the eastern regional government became one of the fastest growing economies of the world between November, 1959 and January, 1966”, the statement partly read.

The committee added that the idea of the awards to personalities was to acknowledge achievement and commend vision of Okpara’s core areas of excellence and ideals for adoption and emulation.

“There are no tears again but memories of the good legacies in family life and good governance that the Okpara era represented”, they said.