By Christopher Oji
A United States-based Nigerian engineer, Mrs. Stella Okengwu, has been honoured with the Joe Biden Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award.
Okengwu was one of the four personalities who were honoured by the former U.S. President, before handling over to his successor, Donald Trump.
Also honoured during the ceremony were: Michael Flynn, Dr. Alveda Thomas and Catalina Stube.
The honour came at a time when Okengwu’s efforts to champion the investment of $250 million in the Nigerian economy by Nigerians in the diaspora is facing a threat in her own homeland.
She has been instrumental to hundreds of Nigerians in the diaspora subscribing to repatriation of hundreds of millions of dollars back into the country through the Winhomes Global Estate scheme.
The scheme is, however, under threat following the diversion of the Lagos-Calabar Highway in Okun Ajah, which is under construction, by officials of the Federal Ministry of Works.
Nigerians in the diaspora have already instituted a suit challenging the diversion of the road in Okun Ajah, citing the adherence to due diligence.
They accused the Federal Ministry of Works of disregarding the 2006 Gazetted Alignment and instead favouring law-breakers who built on the earmarked section of the road.
Meanwhile, Mrs Okengwu has expressed her determination to continue to support the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu .
She called on President Tinubu to consider the plight of the hundreds of Nigerians in diaspora whose investments were at risk, by intervening in the diversion of the Lagos-Calabar highway at Okun Ajah.
Engr. Okengwu noted that the President’s intervention would encourage other Nigerian abroad to invest in the country.