Gbenga Daniel, Teju Phillips describe The Sun Awards as great honour

Former governor of Ogun State, Senator Gbenga Daniel and renowned technocrat, Chief Mrs. Olateju Phillips, have described The Sun Awards as great honour and expressed gratitude for being among the recipients this year.

Senator Daniel and Mrs. Phillips spoke separately while accepting their nominations for Lifetime Achievement Award when the management team of The Sun Publishing Limited led by the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Onuoha Ukeh, presented award nomination letters to them.

Senator Daniel, who represents Ogun East at the Senate, said the award carries special weight because it comes from a newspaper that deliberately celebrates goodness and performance.

“All I can say is thank you for this great honour,” the senator said.

He congratulated The Sun for its consistent contributions to nation building through journalism, and for remaining one of the few national newspapers in Nigeria still publishing hard copies when many are running away from them because of the challenges of production and distribution.

The former governor said: “Consistently, over the years, you have gone out of your way to celebrate goodness and performance, and in that way you are contributing to positive national development.”

He urged The Sun to continue raising standards in public life by holding those in office accountable.

Earlier, The Sun MD said Senator Daniel had distinguished himself as an entrepreneur, governor and now senator.

He said that Senator Daniel’s political indoctrination started as an undergraduate at the University of Lagos, when he was chosen as the youngest member of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s select Committee of Friends, which later transformed into the Unity Party of Nigeria.

According to The Sun MD, the former Ogun State governor “in the 1990s became a crucial financial pillar for the National Democratic Coalition, supporting pro-democracy activism during the military regime of General Sani Abacha.

“You later joined mainstream politics ahead of the 2003 general election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party. With a grassroots-based campaign, you unseated the incumbent governor with a landslide victory and were successfully re-elected for a second term in 2007 as the Governor of Ogun State.”

Ukeh said Daniel was elected into the 10th Senate to represent Ogun East in 2023, adding: “As a senator, you have effectively translated your decades of engineering expertise and administrative experience into impactful legislative oversight. You have championed critical bills and motions focused on national infrastructure rehabilitation, economic diversification, and institutional transparency.

“You have utilised your position in the Senate to facilitate robust federal interventions for your constituency, securing funding for local road projects, supporting agricultural grants for rural farmers, and creating sustainable youth empowerment schemes designed to tackle unemployment across Ogun State.”

On her part, Mrs. Phillips, a former Chairman of LASACO Assurance Plc, said: “If you are a humble person, you may not know how great you are until this kind of occasion presents itself. I will continue to do everything that God has given me the opportunity to do. I didn’t do the things I did because I wanted you to come and nominate me for this award. I did them because I was endowed to do them.

“I thank God that I came, I saw, but I haven’t conquered yet. I still pray for a longer life and more contributions to society.”

While making a case for greater inclusion of women in the affairs of the country, Mrs. Phillips declared: “I’m glad you have given me this kind of opportunity, and I hope it will make way for more women to be recognised, particularly the ones coming after me. I’m glad to know that this nomination was done objectively and it has to do with a summation of so many aspects of life and the achievements one has made down the line.”

While commending Mrs. Phillips, Ukeh said she was chosen to receive the award because of her good works in private and public service as well as her enduring achievements as a motivator and mentor.

Ukeh told Mrs. Phillips that although she was born into affluence and royalty, being a descendant of the Olumegbon family of Isale-Eko on Lagos Island, and being the daughter of an international businessman, Ambassador Antonio Deinde Fernandez, and Princess Ibilola Lipede of the Lipede Ruling House of Abeokuta in Ogun State, “many people know you to be a modest and down-to-earth person who has worked hard to impact society.”

Outlining Mrs. Phillips’ accomplishments, The Sun MD said: “Over the years, you have contributed extensively towards public policy and administration, financial management, as well as corporate governance within and outside Nigeria, being a renowned management and financial consultant to many companies.

“You established yourself as a quintessential technocrat with a wealth of boardroom experience and exposure in private and public sectors. Your passion and dedication across sectors in the private sector earned you enviable positions in politics at state and federal levels.

“In politics, you played key roles in the emergence of some of our past and present leaders. In 1999 and 2003, you were appointed Chairman, Inaugural Ball Committee for Senator Bola Tinubu; in 2007, you became Chairman of the Campaign Fundraising Committee and Chairman, Inaugural Ball Committee for Governor Babatunde Fashola. Again, in 2011, you became a member of the Remi Tinubu Campaign Organisation; and in 2015, you were appointed to serve on the Presidential Campaign Fundraising Committee for Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, among several other roles.”

Among the headline winners is Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, who emerged Man of the Year. The Governor of the Year award goes to Governors Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Uba Sani (Kaduna) and Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi).

Hajiya Huriyya Dauda Lawal, First Lady of Zamfara State, wins First Lady of the Year, while the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi, will receive the Courage in Leadership Award.

Opeyemi Bamidele, Senate Leader, and Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, are among the awardees. Senator Abdulaziz Yari, former Zamfara State Governor, emerges Political Icon of the Year, while Hon. Muktar Aliyu Betara, a member representing Borno State, will receive the House of Representatives Member of the Year award. In entertainment, music star Chinedu Izuchukwu Okoli (Flavour) wins Creative Icon of the Year.

The Minister of the Year award goes to Alhaji Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, and Dr. Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education.

Aside from Senator Gbenga Daniel and Chief Mrs. Maria Olateju Phillips, other distinguished Nigerians who will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Awards are Archbishop of the Church of God Mission International, Most Rev. Margaret Benson-Idahosa; former Anambra State Governor, Senator Jim Nwobodo; and former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdulahi Ganduje.

Those to receive the Public Service Personality Award include Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); Mr. Sonny S. T. Echono, Executive Secretary of TETFund; and Dr. Kunemofa Asu, Director of Finance and Accounts, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The Real Estate Icon Award goes to Mr. Samuel Ajose, CEO of Levitikal Group, and Dr. Mrs. Rebecca Omokamo Godwin-Isaac, CEO of Homadil Realty.

Group Managing Director/CEO of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Mr. Oliver Alawuba, is named Banker of the Year, while Access Bank Plc wins Bank of the Year. The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), under Chief Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, will receive the Parastatal of the Year award.

The Entrepreneur of the Year award goes to Chief Joseph Ukeji, Chairman of J.I. Ejison Group International Ltd; Mr. George Obi, Chairman/CEO of Fidel Associates Limited; and Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed, Founder/CEO of Binani Group of Companies. Chief Sunday Ephraim Ezeobiora, Chairman of Sunchi Integrated Farms Limited, and Chief Anthony Obele, CEO of Mekens Integrated Nigeria Limited, are named Investors of the Year.

The Industrialist of the Year award will be received by Chief Williams Agbo, Founder/Chairman of Willson Group; Chief Ikenna Ekeagu, CEO of Blueworld Cosmetics; and Dr. Badamasi Burji, Group Managing Director of First Class Refreshment Limited. Chief Kester Okike Agwu, Founder/CEO of Tastia Restaurants, and Chief RemiChris Nwagbo, Chairman of BON Octagon Hotel, Abuja, emerge as Hospitality Icon award winners.

The Sports Personality of the Year award goes to Chief Leo Edochie, a renowned golf promoter and Chairman/CEO of Solotone Global Ventures Limited. Chief Friday Nwabueze Umeh, Founder of Ofiafuluego Foundation, and Chief Abraham Ikechukwu Otti, CEO of Allied Victory Nigeria Ltd., win the Humanitarian Service Icon Award, while HRM Alexander Uzo Onyido, the Igwe of Ogidi, will be honoured as Royal Father of the Year.

This year’s edition also marks the return of the Nigerian Hero Award, which goes to Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke, the autistic Nigerian Guinness World Records holder whose record-breaking artistic achievements and advocacy have brought global attention to Autism Spectrum Disorder. The Young Achiever Award will be received by Mr. Chima Christian, Co-founder of Teva Foods Limited.