By Sam Otti
Chief of Naval Staff, Ibas Ibok-Ete Ekwe and the Emir of Bauchi, Adamu Rilwanu Suleiman bagged fellows of the Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered) recently. The Deputy Governor, Ogun State, Her Excellency, Mrs Yetunde Abosede Onanuga, the Deputy Comptroller of Customs, who is currently the Area Accountant, Nigeria Customs Service, Kaduna, Ibrahim Sadiq Ismaila and the foundation Rector of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Prof Onolaja Gabriel Babasola, were also among the new fellows.
Campus Sun gathered that out of the 258 eligible NIM members that were screened and presented for the award, only 166 made the final list. Also, Sir Oluremi Festus Omotoso, elder Oyeniyi Allen Alebiosu and Chief Ignatius Ijegwa Adaji, were awarded life members of the institute.
The President of the institute, Emeritus Prof Munzali Jibril, said the tradition of upgrading members to fellows started in February 1963. He noted that the painstaking and rigorous process of selection of awardees ensured that only those truly deserving got the award.
“A Fellow’s upgrade is not a destination or an end in itself. I, therefore, implore the recipients not to contented with just adding the designation (FNIM) to their names but to see it as a call to higher responsibility and service to the institute, the management profession and the nation,” he said.
Munzali urged the new fellows to devote more of their time, talent and treasure to the service of mankind, and as well make available their competencies and specialization to both the institute and the management profession.
In a lecture titled Re-branding the Nigerian Professional: From Goodness to Greatness, Prof Ben Chuka Osisioma of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, said the Nigerian professional manager must provide leadership. He urged managers to raise the bar and standard of professional discourse, and to remain skilful in practice and committed to the epitome of ethical conduct.
Osisioma stressed the need for professional managers to remain outstanding pacesetters and trail-blazers, who excel in the management of communication, relationships and self. According to him, such managers must remain at the cutting edge of unfolding and emerging developments in the profession and strive for greatness denominated in character, integrity, principles, values and good judgement.
Others conferred with the award include: Prof Olorunnisola Abel Olajide of the University of Ibadan, management consultant, Prof Olagoke Sabit Ariyo, and the former Managing Director/CEO, African Newspaper of Nigeria Plc, Oladele Matthew Uwarotimi. Also on the list were the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Ebonyi State, Dr Emmanuel Offor, the pioneer Director, Centre for Community and Rural Development (CCRD), UNIZIK, Mrs Nnabuife Ezimma Kate Nwadiogwa, the former Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Njoku Jude Ejike, among others.