By Sisaa Agboh
It was the American author who was best known for his inspirational book, Life’s Little Instruction Book,Horace Jackson Brown Jr.,better known as H. Jackson Brown, Jr. who said: Don’t work for recognition, but do work worthy of recognition! So, it was for the Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Alex Ayoola Okoh when the Management and Board of Editors of Independent Newspapers unanimously voted him as the paper’s 2021 Public Sector CEO of the Year.
In nominating the DG, BPE for the award, the Newspapers said it was in recognition of “your exceptional leadership qualities and contributions to the growth and development of the Bureau of Public Enterprises. The BPE under your watch has left concrete milestones in the privatisation and liberalisation of the Nigerian economy. Yours is a model of verifiable achievements which are in line with the philosophy of this award: Celebrating trailblazers and exceptional Nigerians”.
True to the spirit of the award, Okoh on taking over during his first appointment as the Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) on Thursday, April 13, 2017, left no one in doubt that it was not going to be business as usual at the Bureau as he charged every staff to be dedicated to duty to achieve the desired goal.
He said his administration was poised to sustain the positive image of the Bureau while at the same time, strive to change the negative perception held by some people about the BPE in the execution of its mandate. Okoh promised to step up the post-privatisation monitoring activities of the Bureau to ensure that owners of privatised enterprises live up to the covenants they signed with the Bureau so that Nigerians could derive maximum benefits from the privatised enterprises.
He, thus, developed a new vision for the Bureau which hinged on two pillars of —Rediscovery and Repositioning. The rediscovery pillar, the DG said would lead the Bureau to retrace and redefine its core values and reclaim its culture of professionalism, knowledge, competence, integrity and transparency. The repositioning pillar, on the other hand, aims to set the Bureau on a path that would help it engage with the future effectively and with confidence, to guarantee that its objectives are achieved.
In his continued efforts to carve a new niche for the Bureau, the award recipient has ensured collaboration with key Stakeholders/Ministries Departments and Agencies(MDAs) by introducing a range of strategies for collaboration and partnerships with the Bureau’s key Stakeholders to develop effective working relationships with them and help a range of stake-holders—allies and opponents, public and private sector, communities and individuals—to develop a better understanding of the issues and challenges involved in achieving objectives of the Federal Government’s Privatisatisation, Commercilaisation, Concession, Public Private Partnership and Economic Sector reforms on a variety of scales.
Thus, when organisers of the Award decided to confer on him, the 2021 Public Sector CEO of the Year Award, it did not come as a surprise because his performance is worthy of recognition.
Therefore, on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at the Convention Centre of the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos when the DG, BPE mounted the rostrum with other notable Nigerians who had distinguished themselves in various fields of endeavour to receive his award, it was pomp and splendour. Okoh, in his usual quiet mien and disposition, was well decked in an Italian suit to the admiration of all.
With smiles beaming all over his face with intermittent strobes from cameramen, at 8:50pm, when the Editor of Daily Independent, Mr. Don Okere stepped forward to hand the iconic award to Okoh, there was thunderous ovation from the crowd, amongst them, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.
Speaking shortly after the Award, Okoh said: “You can see how I am smiling. I am just so excited. I am so happy that the work we are doing at BPE has been recognized and given such recognition at a National Platform and to be honest, I think it could not have been possible without the contributions, efforts, cooperation and collaboration of every staff of the Bureau of Public Enterprises. Once again, I dedicate this award to all of us at BPE”.
In his welcome address, the Managing Director of Independent Newspapers Limited, Mr. Steve Omanufeme said the 2021 edition of the awards “focuses on people with exceptional performance in their chosen profession and walks of life” and that is why it was themed: Celebrating Trailblazers.
He said the Newspapers’ Board of Editors specifically embarked on a thorough and painstaking assessment from which the distinguished award recipients were selected, adding that “today, we are here to celebrate you all for your services to Nigeria (our Country), in your chosen fields. Indeed, you all have a rich resume of achievements worthy of emulation”.
Thirty-one individuals and corporate organisations, including ten governors, serving ministers and parliamentarians were honoured at the occasion.
Agboh is from the Stakeholders & external Relations Unit of BPE.
