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Elderstatesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and Managing Director, Platinum Mortgage Bank, Emmanuel Mbaka, have praised The Sun for the professionalism and impartiality in selecting its award winners.
While expressing happiness for being singled out for honour, Iwuanyanwu and Mbaka, who wo-uld receive Lifetime Achievement award and Banker of the Year award respectively, said The Sun Awards are worthy recognitions.
The duo and 24 others would formally receive their awards on Saturday, May 7, 2022 at a ceremony holding at Expo Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Speaking separately when the Mana-ging Director/Editor-in-Chief, The Sun Publishing Limited, Onuoha Ukeh, led Management teams to present letters announcing their emergence as winners, in Owerri and Abuja, the duo lauded The Sun for always remaining steadfast in the pursuit of excellence.
The highly elated Iwuanyanwu said he couldn’t have been happier in his life, being recognised by one of the best newspapers in the country.
He said: “I thank you very much for finding me fit to receive this award. It is not easy to emerge out of millions of Nigerians. I feel very grateful to The Sun for this award.
“I have achieved a lot, both for my state and my country which most people are not even talking about again. I owned the Iwuanyanwu Football Club now Heartland, which brought so much glory to Nigeria. I originated so many things in the engineering field. I was part of the success story of Imo Airport (Sam Mbakwe Airport). I thank The Sun for recognising some of these contributions of mine to honour me.”
In his own submission, Mbaka said he found it a great privilege to be one of the recipients of the prestigious The Sun Awards.
The Platinum Bank boss, who noted that this is the first time he would be getting an award from the media, said he was impressed that The Sun did due diligence before nominating him as the Banker of the Year for 2021.
He noted that over the years, he has been contributing to national development, especially in areas of banking and housing.
Mbaka said: “It is, indeed, an honour and a privilege to be nominated for this very important award as the Banker of the Year 2021. In all honesty, this is the first time I am receiving an ward from the media.
“One would appreciate the fact that the organisation has done well with this award. I wouldn’t want to say so much, but to thank the Management for this very honour.
“I make great efforts to contribute to the country’s development. What propels me most is the results that I am getting. I am quite happy that at least for once an organisation like The Sun silently, on its own, was recording this and felt convinced that I diverse an honour.
“I want to say thank you. I appreciate this very rare honour that you are giving to me. I appreciate that. I thank the entire Management of The Suu for this honour.
Earlier, The Sun MD highlighted why Iwuanyanwu was nominated for the award, citing the elder statesman’s social economic and political contributions to the country.
He said: “You are an accomplished civil engineer, consummate industrialist, business mogul, astute politician, sports enthusiast, media entrepreneur and philanthropist par excellence. You have excelled in virtually all fields of human endeavours.
“In engineering, you imprinted your name in gold as you designed an Ocean Barge with a composite section of empty oil drums which was able to carry a pile driver used for the construction of pile foundation in the deep sea. As a young civil engineer, you were part of those who built the Enugu Airport and equally took part in the design and production of the first rocket missiles produced in Nigeria, which carried war heads up to eight miles, using local materials. You have also carried out a lot of studies on production of various explosive armaments.
“We are also aware that in politics, you have equally earned your mark.. You ran for the office of the President of Nigeria at different times and also held several political offices in government. Until 2021 when you retired from active politics, you were a member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a party you coordinated its campaign for the South-East zone during the 2003 presidential election.
“As a sports enthusiast, you founded the Iwuanyanwu National Football Club of Owerri, now Heartland Football Club, which won several national and international championships.
“It is in recognition of these achievements and several others that The Sun Board of Editors considered you eminently qualified to receive The Sun Lifetime Achievement Award.
For Mbaka, Ukeh said he was chosen as The Sun Banker of the Year Award for 2021, after a painstaking selection process.
On why the choice was made, he said: “As a pioneer managing director and chief executive officer of First Generation Homes Services and Loan Limited, you turned around the mortgage industry, with well over 5, 000 houses developed and accessed by contributors to the National Housing Fund Scheme.
“Among the companies you have nurtured to greater heights are Trademore International Holdings Limited, which has made a mark in the real estate sector, developing many estates across the country.
“Your bank has developed many estates in Abuja and other cities with an arrangement for the beneficiaries to pay monthly the mortgage arrangement.”
Apart from Iwuanyanwu and Mbaka, the other award winners, are Gov Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State and Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu, Chairman, BUA Goup (Man of the Year), Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State (Governor of the Year), Dr. Ahmad Lawan, Senate President (Political Icon), and Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State (Courage in Leadership).
Also to be honoured are Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, MD, First Bank Nigeria Limited (Banking Icon of the Decade), Senator Uche Ekwunife and Mrs. Toyin Saraki (Humanitarian Service Icon); Dr. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour & Employment and Hon Chibuike Amaechi, Minister of Transportation (Public Service Icon), wife of Abia State Governor, Dr. Nkechi Ikpeazu (Most Supportive First Lady) and star actress, Destiny Etiko (Nollywood Personality).
In the business categories, the following are also winners: Emmanuel Iheagwazi, Chairman, Climax Lubricants Industries and Chief Ebuka Okafor, Chairman, Vixa Pharmaceuticals Limited (Industrialist of the Year), Dr. Charles Mba, Chairman, CDV Properties & Development Limited and Chief Okey Nzenwa, Chairman, Pan-Marine Investment Limited (Investor of the Year) as well as Chief Benson Madubuko, Chairman, De Chico Group (Entrepreneur of the Year)
Other winners are High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Chief Bisi Akande and Col. Sani Bello (retd) (Lifetime Achievement), Daniel Igali, Bayelsa State Commissioner for Sports (Sports Personality) and Augustine Okoro, chairman, Corinthia Hotel & Suites (Hospitality Personality).
