Governor Bassey Edet Otu of Cross River State will tomorrow Thursday, August 22, 2024, be formally recognised as the winner of the ‘Excellence in Governance, Service with integrity’ category of the 2024 Michael Okpara Leadership Awards.
The organising committee for the 2024 edition of the Premier’s Leadership Lecture and Programme had penultimate week announced winners of the various sets of the Premier’s Prize billed to hold tomorrow at the Yar’Adua Centre in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja by 10am.
At the event, organised by the Michael Okpara Foundation and Verbatim Media Group, Governor Bassey Otu who, according to reports, will be honoured with the highest leadership prize and prestigious gold plaque award for good governance is expected to deliver a keynote address.
The planners of the event said Otu was considered for the leadership award as a result of his “integrity in public service policy and good governance leadership style, which has brought widespread infrastructural development and accountability in resource management, is in line with Dr Okpara’s template.”
Conveying the governor’s nomination, the organisers further stated: “In recognition of your success story in governance, barely one year in your 4 years tenure as Governor of Cross River state where Dr Okpara’s footprint of success exists at present, the Advisory Board and Organizing Committee of Dr Michael Okpara Leadership Award programme, hereby nominate you for Okpara Leadership Award (The Premier’s Prize 2024) Gold Plaque Award Category.”
A statement said to be released yesterday and signed by Chief Uzodimma Okpara, Chairman of Michael Okpara Foundation and Tobs Agbaegbu, Publisher of Verbatim Media Group indicated that apart from Otu some governors along with other eminent personalities, comprised of lawmakers, business tycoons, captains of industries, top-notch professionals, philanthropists and a number of Nigerians in the diaspora, will equally receive different categories of the Michael Okpara Leadership Award at the occasion.
The Premier’s Prize, is an award in honour of Dr. Michael Okpara of blessed memory, the legendary politician who reigned as Premier of the erstwhile Eastern Region of Nigeria, between 1959 and 1966.
The Cross River State Forum of Special Advisers said the Michael Okpara Leadership award to be bestowed on Otu is a testament to the fact that the world is aware of the monumental achievements and developmental strides of the performing governor within one year and few months in office.
In a goodwill message to the governor, signed by its Chairman, Barrister Ekpenyong Akiba and Secretary, Barrister Gilbert Agbor, the Forum, averred that “The conferment of the prestigious Leadership Award Premier’s Prize 2024 for Excellence in Governance, Service with Integrity by the Michael Okpara Foundation on our amiable Governor, points to the fact that the world itself is a witness to great socio-economic turnaround in Cross River state under the watch of our unassuming mentor.
“His Excellency, it is on this premise that we, members of the Special Advisers Forum, rejoice with you on this milestone honour. The sky will not be your limit, Sir. Bravo! The People First Governor.”
