The 2020 edition of the Excellence Recognition Awards organized by Global Excellence Communications (publishers of Global Excellence weekly magazine and www.globalexcellenceonline.com) held on Sunday 8th of November in Lagos.
Although, this year’s programme came at an unusual time and cost having first moved from its original date, March 22nd, due to the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic, to October 25th and then to November 8th as the #EndSARS protests spread and subsequently hijacked by violence, the 16th edition of the awards, nonetheless in its usual style, honoured personalities from various fields of endeavour for their consistently superior quality of achievements and dedication towards developing the society.
The event started with opening remarks by the chief coordinator of ERA and publisher-editor-in-chief of Global Excellence magazine, Mr. Mayor Akinpelu, who expressed regrets for the postponements while appreciating the recipients for their resolve to continue to pioneer new possibilities in spite of the challenges of the moment.
The awards had the presentation done in a four-category order. The first set had the Lagos State governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu as Governor of The Year; the deputy governor of Lagos State, Mr. Obafemi Hamzat as Deputy-Governor of The Year; the Lagos State House of Assembly as House of Assembly of The Year, and the chairman of Agege local government in Lagos State, Hon. AbdulGaniyu Kola Egunjobi as Local Government Chairman of The Year.
The second category of the award had the Chairman of UBA Plc, Mr. Tony Elumelu as Entrepreneur of The Year; the MD-CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu as Banker of The Year; the CEO of Africent Group, Amb. Juwon Razaq Lawal as Businessman of The Year, and Dr. (Mrs.) Folashade Okoya of Eleganza Group as Businesswoman of The Year.
The third set of the award had Finatrust Limited as Finance Company of The Year; the immediate past Rector of the Lagos State Polytechnic, Mr. Samuel Oluyinka Sogunro as Most Outstanding Rector of The Year; the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe as Government Official of The Year; and His Royal Majesty Oba Hameed Adekunle Oyelude Makama the Olowu of Owu Kuta as recipient for the Special Recognition Award for Excellence in Traditional Matters category.
The presentation of the fourth set of the awards started with Dr. Taiwo Afolabi’s SIFAX Group having the honour as Company of The Year, followed by Lagos Building Investment Company as Government Agency of The Year; Mr. Olugbuyi Ogunnaike Jnr. (Ice Box) for Special Recognition Award for Excellence in Events Management category, and Yaba College of Technology presented with the Special Recognition Award For Excellence In Education category.
The night continued with the performance by star music artistes led by ‘Gongo A So’ exponent, 9ice Abolore. Other notable artistes on the bandstand include Famous Igboro, HYZ, Muraino, Ehis, Dammy G, Oluwaseun, T-Play, Kool B, with DJs Mystic and Dandy Flex on the wheel of steel. The night was ably compered by star comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka 1st, who led other star acts like Ajele, Bash and Koffi through the fun and laughs moments.
Mindful of their 5-star rating, each of the sixteen awardees pledged while receiving their plaques of honour never to let the recognition slow them down in their pursuit of excellence and empowerment of the poor and unlucky individuals at different levels.
-Folorunsho Hamsat
