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By Vera Wisdom-Bassey
Chief Executive Officer of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mohammed Marwa, has called on parents and Nigerians to join hands and rebuild the country.
Marwa, who was the chairman of the Champion newspaper award that took place at the Convention Centre of Eko Hotels and Suites on Victoria Island, Lagos, said: “We need to recover Nigeria from the drug scourge and say no to drugs.”
He said illicit drug scourge in the country had continued to destroy youths, families and communities and called on parents to set the right examples and pay more attention to their children by bringing them up properly like in the times of old.
The NDLEA boss said illicit drug scourge aided kidnapping, banditry and other crimes and urged parents to bring up their children properly.
According to Marwa all the awardees deserved the awards, because the purpose of awards, he said, is to encourage the citizens to do more in their areas of expertise and callings and to let Nigerians and the entire world know there is reward for hardwork.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman/chief executive officer of Nigerian in Diaspora Commission who received 2023 Excellence in Service Award, said: “Lets work together to make Nigeria great, Nigeria is a great country, among the best in Africa, we don’t have another country, ‘don’t japa, pada’,” she said.”
Managing Director of Champion Newspapers Ltd., Nwaduito Iheakanwa, said the awards were about Nigerians’ responsiveness to the things that held the citizenry together.
“For Nigeria to get better and bigger, we will need more of this calibre of people and institutions that we set out to honour this evening because they constitute an integral part of the best.”
“My simple message to us is that Nigerians should assiduously face issues of good governance and set aside politics and political meandering,” she said.
She encouraged journalists not to be discouraged but rather imbibe the culture of ethical values.
“Ethical and moral values are important in the industry. If one must make it, we should not put them in the background but begin to practice the new culture of social values which is gradually decaying the journalism industry.
“Never give up, if you fail at first, keep trying and one day, you will get it right, keep using the same method, ‘cause one day you will get it right,” he said.
No fewer than 43 Nigerians, including Marwa that clinched the Champion Man of the Year Award, and institutions received awards for their efforts, dedication, tenancy of purpose and sacrifices in advancing Nigeria nation.
