Zik Prize 2020: I’ll spend every day in office working for the people – Sanwo-Olu

BY EMEKA EJERE

Lagos State governor,Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has described his emergence as winner of the 2020 Zik Prize in Good Governance as a thing of utmost joy and honour.

Sanwo=Olu, who stated this in Lagos on Sunday at the 26th edition of the prestigious Zik Prize Awards, reaffirmed that he would spend every day in office working for the people of Lagos on whose behalf he received the award.

The governor, who requested a minute silence in honour of the victims of the recent Ikoyi building collapse, described the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, as an iconic nationalist and erudite statesman whose life personified service.

He congratulated the Public Policy Research And Analysis Centre (PPRAC), organisers of the awards, for sustaining the scheme for a long period of 26 years, urging them not to relent in their good efforts.

Sanwo-Olu said,“It is a thing of utmost joy and honour to win an award named after Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, an iconic nationalist and erudite statesman whose life personified service.

“I accepted the award with a greater sense of patriotism and commitment to make the people we are elected to serve the centre of our administration in terms of policy conceptualisation and implementation.

“I will spend every day in office working for the people of Lagos on whose behalf I received the Zik Prize in Good Governance.”

Those who received the award in different categories included Governors Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State who were honoured with the Year 2020 Zik Prize in Good Governance, former President of the Senate, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim received the Political Leadership award, the President of African Development Bank (AfDB) Akinwunmi Adesina and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, who received the Year 2020 Zik Prize in Leadership.

The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh was honoured for the achievements in Public Service while the Group Managing Director of FBN Holdings Plc, Mr U.K. Eke and Pioneer MD/CEO, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Uche Orji were honoured in the Professional Excellence category just as a former First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Mrs Ekaette Akpabio bagged the award for Humanitarian Leadership.

Established in 1995 by the PPRAC, the Zik Prize in Leadership Award scheme, has evolved to become one of Africa’s most respected award schemes. Having been received by some of Africa’s most charismatic leaders including Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Jerry Rawlings of Ghana among others.