Mr Femi Oyelade, the Managing Director, Say it loud Limited, and Project Director, “Nigeria @ 60”’ Awards, says the project has been rebranded and renamed “Nigerian Citizens Special Awards (NCSA)”.
Oyelade told the the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Sunday in Abuja, that the rebranding of the project was to accommodate and recognise more Nigerians who had made positive impact in nation building.
NAN reports that the Nigeria @ 60 Special Award ceremony, was put together by the Ownership Sub-committee of Nigeria @ 60 Committee.
The ceremony was in collaboration with a media and digital communication firm, Say It Loud Limited, and chaired by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo.
It was planned as part of the Jubilee celebrations of Nigeria’s independence to honour 60 notable Nigerians, who had made immense contributions to national growth ‘and development.
According to Oyelade, the organisation has been receiving goodwill messages and commendations from the general public after it successfully executed the Nigeria @ 60 Special Awards (N60SA), in September, 2021.
He said that there were calls for the award to be made an annual event where Nigerians within and in diaspora, who had made impact in their various fields of endeavours, would be recognised and rewarded.
He added that the annual national awards was also billed to recognise Nigerians across Private and public sectors.
He listed such sectors to include business, sports, entertainment, information technology, agriculture, arts and craft, education, health, as well as lifetime achievement/posthumous awards) “We believe that this laudable project will further bring the people closer to the government, encourage Nigerians to do more positive acts that would benefit the nation, and also promote its image.“
We still have Nigerians, both old and young, within the public and private sectors, making positive impacts in nation building.
“This set of people must be recognised, publicised and rewarded in order to challenge and encourage others,” he said.
The project director said that NCSA would identify such individuals and spotlight their outstanding achievements within and outside Nigeria.
“It will strategically command the global recognition of Nigerians who are active game-changers, making substantial difference in their various sectors, ” he said.
He said that each nominated individual would be voted for via website www.nigeriaspecialawards.com Oyelade added that nominees would be independently vetted based on merit, substantial contributions to their category, and on popular vote.
“A follow-up screening session would also be conducted on nomination of each participant.“ There will be 10 categories of Awards, each having a specific subject area that would cut across the six Geo-political zones of the federation to promote Federal Character.”
NAN reports that the NCSA awards is slated for September. It has categories like, NCSA for Service to Arts and Crafts, for New Age Business Innovators, Service to Community, Service to Education, and NCSA for Service to Healthcare.
Others are NCSA for Service to Industry, Service to Sports, International Achievement, Entertainment and for Life Time Achievement/ Posthumous Awards. (NAN)
