Idiagbon, Lawal ,Adesoye, Others Honoured Posthumously As  Police Officer, Corps Member, Student,  Others Receive Awards Of Excellence In Ilorin

Former Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, late General Tunde Abdulbaqi Idiagbon,  former Senate Leader, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki,  first Republic minister, Alhaji Yahaya Oriokoh , Chief Joshua Olawoyin, former Minister of Works, late General Abdulkareem Adisa, former governor Mohammed Alabi Lawal ,   Dr Alfa Saadu , who was the Galadima of Patigi ,  Chief Emmanuel Adesoye,  Alhaji Babatunde Kasumu ,  late  Rasidi Yekini and Dr Amuda Aluko   were among those who were honoured posthumously during the  awards ceremony organized by the Kwara state government which was held at the Atlantic event centre, Ilorin on Friday.

Mr Abdulahi Abdulmajeed’s speech set the tone for the occasion noting that it was designed to  honour the builders  and founders of the State of Harmony.

Abdulmajeed, who is the Group Managing Director of Harmony Holdings Limited, also  submitted that while the  Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq administration had come on board through the use of ‘otoge’ catchphrase, this, he noted, had since gotten changed to ‘o to pe’ as the governor has according to him  returned the state to the path of glory and made his government to be owned by the ordinary people. The governor , he added, has also continued to work assiduously to change things for the better in the state and  had continued to do what he was elected to do to ensure that Kwara works for all..

Giving his speech, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq congratulated the  award recipients noting that  the awards ceremony was held  to appreciate and  honour individuals and organizations who have made extraordinary contributions to the  development of the state calling  this  ‘a strategy to promote excellence’.

The governor, who hinted at the list  of the award recipients getting enlarged next year , also asserted that his administration has prioritized  good governance, respect for dignity of everyone  and  general capital development.

 Submitting that ‘we are not perfect’, Abdulrazaq also noted that ‘we need all the support we can get from everyone so that we can do more’.

‘On behalf of the government and people of this state, I congratulate all our awardees. The award is our token of appreciation for what you have done and continue to do make Kwara proud. This award is a strategy to promote excellence and patriotism in our state. It is also a dutiful effort to interrogate and put history in proper perspective. 

Kwara is a land of great people with impressive footprints, dead or alive; so the list of recipients of this award will widen in the next editions, God willing. 

Senior citizens, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, this administration represents the collective aspirations of our people for progress, development, equitable governance, and respect for the dignity of the human person. This has guided our steps through the past three and a half years. Our programmes, projects, and policies have been conceived to give everyone a fair shot. 

We are as focused on infrastructural and human capital development as we are on giving every segment of our state a fair share of what our resources can afford. We are also building a new political culture that respects self-reliance, industry, and healthy competition. 

Over the past three and a half years, we have invested so much to refocus the developmental priorities of our state. This has been tough in the face of global economic challenges. Regardless, we are proud of our strides across sectors. Measured against where we are coming from, indices of human capital development have never been so bright, verifiable, and relatable across Kwara State. Even so, we acknowledge the existing gaps and we are committed to beat our own records. 

We are not perfect. We therefore need you to continue to engage us in good faith so that we can continue to improve’ he said.

Kwara state APC Chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi  called the governor  ‘architect and builder’  of a new Kwara.

‘It is the beginning of a new thing and he  has given hope to the hopeless’ he said.

Prominent dignitaries  that attended the event include former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Alfa Belgore, Kwara state First Lady, Mrs Olufolake Abdulrazaq, Senator Umar Sadiq, Senator Lola Ashiru, Rep Raheem Olawuyi,  President Muhammadu Buhari’s  Special Adviser on Finance and the Economy, Dr Mrs Sarah Alade,  Chairman , Kwara state APC , Prince Sunday Fagbemi ,  Kwara Central APC senate candidate, Mallam Salihu Mustapha, Chairman of the State Campaign Council, Alhaji Fatahi Yahaya Seriki,   former Vice-Chancellor, FUT Minna, Professor Suleiman Adeyemi ,  Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, Oba Ismail Yahaya Alebiosu, Alhaji Raheem Adedoyin, Hon Bamidele Aluko, Hon Hassan Gegele and  Hon Kale Ajanaku .

The award recipients include those who, the organizers noted, had demonstrated a passionate commitment to public service and commitment to uplifting residents of Kwara state.

 Yahaya A. B  received the ‘Most outstanding contribution to judiciary’ award , Kareem Ahmed Olayiwola   – ‘Most Outstanding Contribution To The Legislature’,  Olatunde Oladokun –‘Most Tax- Compliant Individual’ , Mallam Muhammed Awal Ibrahim -‘Most Productive Farmer Of The Year’  , Radio Kwara- ‘Most Outstanding Media House’, Mrs. Isa Memunat Moyosore- ‘Outstanding Teacher  of The Year’  while Ibrahim Shukurat Ayoola  received the ‘Most Outstanding Online Media Personality’ award.

 Chairman ,  Kwara State Universal Basic Education , KWASUBEB, Professor  Shehu Adaramaja received the ‘Most Outstanding Political Appointee’ award, Olatayo Omorinsola Toyosi – ‘Most Impactful Corps Member’   , Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS)  – ‘Most Impactful  MDA’  ,  AbdulRahman Abisola Salamat -‘Best Student of Kwara state Origin’,   Dr Lateef Olaniyan  -‘Most Outstanding Kwara state Indigene In  The World’,  Landmark University – ‘Tax -compliant Organization’ , Bell Sickle Cell Initiative -Citizen Display of Excellence In Community Development’, Mekunu Agenda-  ‘Governor’s Choice award’ and  Abdul Olayinka Yahaya , a Chief Superintendent of Police, –‘Best Police Officer’.

Dr Lukman Kayode  Odejomi, UNICEF , Mrs  Hafsat Abdulkadir Ayo , Lanre Sanni, Offa Metropolitan Club, WHO and Action aid also received awards  under the ‘Friends Of Kwara’ category.

Kwarans , who received awards under the ‘ Lifetime Achievement’  category,  include Alhaji Jayigbade Alao , Mrs. Sarah Jubril , Professor  Saka Nuhu,  Alhaji Kamorudeen Yusuf, Mrs Sarah Alade, Professor  Ibrahim Gambari , Alhaja Muinat Shagaya , Alhaji Shaaba Lafiaji , former Senator Khairat  Gwadabe , Speaker Yakubu Salihu Danladi,   Alhaji Shehu Gafar and  Chief C.O   Adebayo.

Seven among the award recipients got car gifts while some others   got cash gifts and agricultural inputs .

  Winner of the ‘Best Student of Kwara Origin’ AbdulRahman Abisola Salamat , who is waiting to get mobilized for  participation in the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC programme,  has just graduated with  a first class honours.

Salamat , who has received a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree  in Agric economic from Kwara state University , Malete,  got five hundred thousand naira from the state government for winning  the ‘Best Student of Kwara state Origin’ award.

Salamat, who is  from Ile Guniyan, Ilorin,  told Team@orientactualmags.com  that  she will be starting a poultry farm  and would be raising more funds  in order to get it done in a big way-  Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980. Thank you