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PAGE 16—SUNDAY VANGUARD, NOVEMBER 27, 2022
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Olori Temitope Ogunwusi bags
Transparency Africa Award
Olori Temitope, one of the wives of
Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi
Ojaja II was, last week, conferred
with the prestigious Transparency Africa
Award for her numerous community
development and capacity building
activities.
Speaking during the investiture
ceremony at the Ile-Oodua Palace of Ile-
Ife, Ambassador Goriola Mosobalaje
described the Ooni’s queen as an epitome
of genuine African motherhood with a
heart of gold.
“This is beyond mere award, it is an
unquantifiable honour done to an
honourable royal personality for exemplary
lifestyle, philanthropic gesture and efforts
towards assisting the poor and vulnerable
members of our society”, Mosobalaje said.
“These she started with her prominent
non-governmental organization, Hopes
Alive Initiative (HAI), long before fate
brought her into royalty. Upon becoming
an Olori in Ile-Ife, she took her
humanitarian activities to another level
and we are here to applaud her for that.”
The Executive Secretary of
Transparency Africa, Ambassador Afi
Kunto, earlier in a letter, dated October
29, 2022 and written to nominate Olori
Temitope for the award described the
queen as a credible and transparent charity
ambassador who has run HAI, under the
chairmanship of Ooni Ogunwusi, in the
best global practices in line with their vision
to create a corrupt free Africa both in public
and private sectors for a better Africa.
In her acceptance speech, Olori Temitope
revealed that she learned and still learning
her leadership as well as humanitarian
gesture from Ooni Ogunwusi.
From right: Mrs Bisi Sotunde, Convener, BusyBee Excellence Awards; Mrs
Bisola Borha of Trendy BE Events (Winner, Industry Icon of the Year); Nneoma
Jide-Ebelendu and Kemi Odunsi-Ojiagbe.
BusyBee celebrates industry
icons in a night of glitz
The event business industry on
Wednesday night stood still as
Mrs. Bisi Sotunde, Managing
Director, BusyBee Group, held
guests spellbound in an occasion that
produced excitement and rewards for
creative excellence.
The event was put together by
Sotunde’s BusyBee Group and tagged
BusyBee Excellence Awards. Guests
across the nation made their presence
felt as they lived up to expectations with
different designers’ dresses and styles.
An annual event, this year’s theme
was ‘The Power of You’ and it featured
top experts at LSETF and international
event business.
In her speech, Sotunde said it was
necessary that someone stood up to
provide leadership in the industry that
had been looked down upon for several
years.
“This industry has provided hundreds
of thousands of jobs and it is a very
important sub-sector in the
entertainment and tourism sector”, she
stated
On the awards, the MD said the award
categories were in two parts: Well Waters
Garden Tribe (WWGT) and network
categories both of which deal with the
people within her community and the
industry.
According to her, the WWGT
was categorized into three
platforms, Most Resourceful,
Most Supportive and Most
Influential Members of the
Year drawn from the
community of events
professionally managed by
BusyBee Group.
The industry categories
were the Industry Leader of
the Year, the Young Event
Professional of the Year and
Excellence Recognition
Awards as well as the
Honorary Award for Industry
Icons. The Industry Icon of
the Year Award went to
Bisola Borha, CEO/Founder
of Trendy Bee Elite Event,
and the Excellence
Recognition Award of the Year
•Olori Temitope Ogunwusi
flanked by some of her guests
to Mrs. Olajumoke Oriloye of Manifold
Event and Rentals.
Borha, after receiving the award, said, “It
was amazing and inspiring to receive the
Industry Icon Award of the Year.
Oriloye, who, on her part, said she would
retire in a couple years, stressed that it was
refreshing to see how she was appreciated
for the work she was doing to earn a living.
Other award recipients include Stella
Naiya of Chillis Pot who emerged the Most
Influential Personality of the Year for her
influence and consistency among the
WWGT, Feyikemi Welsing of Sueno
Exqyuite Events, the Most Active Member
of the Year, Quality DJ Ralph, the Most
Improved Business of the Year, Nneoma
Jide-Ebedendu of Alessa Suave Events,
the Emerging Event Professional of the
Year, and Ann Onwuka of 3P Royal Event,
the Most Resourceful Member of the Year.
•Kayode Ajulo
My Urhobo, Isoko, Itsekiri story,
by Ganduje
…as gov, wife bag Olomu chieftaincy
titles
Governor Abdulahi Umar Ganduje and his wife, Professor loved them too.
Hafsat Umar Ganduje, with a retinue of associates, “Even after I left, we were still exchanging pleasantries. That is
stormed the Delta community of Olomu, last weekend, why I am in love with the Urhobo. I am in love with Isoko. I am in
where the Kano State helmsman and his wife were conferred love with the Itsekiri. What else do you need in Delta State? So,
with chieftaincy titles by the Ohworode of the ancient Olomu that particular impression is still in me to all Nigerians, irrespective
Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Ovie R. L Ogbon, Ogoni, Oghoro of tribe ethnicity, culture and religion. That is what it should be.
1. “What you (the Olomu community) have done today is to further
The monarch, who doubles as the Chairman, Urhobo solidify and make that policy a reality in Nigeria. There is no doubt
Traditional Council in Delta State, conferred Ganduje with about this chieftaincy title. There is a history behind it. When the
the title of Olorogun Ejerukugbe of Olomu which literally late General Oneya was posted to Kano State to serve as military
means ‘Let’s work together’ while his wife’s Olorogun administrator after the demise of the former military administrator,
Omarmoraye of Olomu simply translates to ‘Good woman’. Col. Mohamed Wasei, through an air crash, I was a Commissioner
The installation ceremony took place amidst pomp at the under Col. Mohamed Wasei. And when Oneya was posted to
royal palace of the Ohworode in the presence of a large turnout Kano to be a military administrator, he dissolved the cabinet but I
of chiefs of Olomu Kingdom, top government officials from was reinstated and we became so close because Oneya, we used
Kano State, family members of Ganduje, politicians and wellmeaning
members of Olomu Kingdom, home and in the became so friendly with us. He was a very hard-working chief
to call him Abubakar, because Kano people loved him so much,
Diaspora.
executive.
Ganduje, after receiving his title, described the moment as “I worked with three different military administrators.
historic.
Unfortunately, all of them are late now. I maintain a good
He said, “Today, history has been made, which is necessary relationship with their families, all of them. And a living example is
for the development of our country. I could recall when a former the one from here, Gen. Oneya.
Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, created and “I maintain a good relationship with his son too up till now.
implemented the National Youth Service Corps. It was a policy “Late Gen. Oneya, and late General Obada were my mentors.
used to institutionalize national integration in Nigeria. General Obada was the Minister of Works under Shehu Yar’Adua
“Effectively, in 1973, I was a student at Ahmadu Bello when he was Head of State.
University when the NYSC was introduced. Many of us who “In order to keep the relationship up to date, I appointed the son
were students reacted negatively then.
of the late administrator as my Senior Special Assistant. And later
“But some of us, who were young students, demonstrated in in order to take the relationship to a higher level, I promoted him
favour of the National Youth Service Corps not even knowing to Special Adviser in charge of Lagos Affairs. So your Royal Majesty,
that it was a real policy to institutionalize national integration”. you can see how Nigeria can be promoted for national integration”.
Ganduje continued “When some of us were posted to the Speaking in the same vein, Anthony Oneya, son of late General
northern part of this country, we protested, saying we must be Dominic Oneya, commended Ganduje for his open door policy
posted to the southern part of this country.
and for extending hands of fellowship across the Niger, noting that
“I was lucky enough to be posted to then-Bendel State and the governor appointed him as his Special Adviser in 2018.
I had my NYSC in 1975 in Oleh, Isoko. Therefore, I respect the “I work with the Governor as SA on Lagos Affairs. What that
Urhobo, Isoko and Itsekiri.
means is that I represent the people of Kano State in Lagos. I am
“Most of the time, we used to come to Warri, then the a non-indigene of Kano, he deemed it fit to bring me in to represent
commercial capital of the Delta area. It was so motivating. the people of Kano State. What it does is that it unifies us as
“Many people were coming to see us as northerners, to pray Nigerians”.
for us, to greet us, some bringing various types of food to us free Also speaking, Muhammad Garba, Kano State Commissioner
of charge.
for Information, described the occasion as “an indication that Nigeria
“It was at that time I knew plantain, big banana. Some were needs to be one”.
bringing snails, goat and ‘Ukodo’. Really they loved us and we
Kayode Ajulo gets uncommon
attention from Buckingham Palace
For his avid belief in the famous line
that a man who is good at what he
does will stand, not just before men
but before Kings and the mighty ones,
fashionista law expert, Dr Olukayode
Ajulo, had long imbibed attitude that
could make one refer to him as a
perfectionist. He’s not satisfied
with little measure, rather, he
goes all out for whatever he’s
involved in, and the result of
such attitude is evident in the
flourishing manner his career
has turned out. Ajulo has
become a reference point in
handling briefs to a successful
end, just as accuracy of his
interpretations and predictions
over national issues, law related
ones particularly, has also
made his thoughts to be much
sort-after.
On another hand, the city dude
possesses other qualities, among
which is being courteous.
He’s elevated being courteous to a level
that having a personal relationship is
not a requirement for him to reach out
to deserving individuals on the right
occasions. Constituted authorities and
revered entities are not exempted from
such gesture. Such gestures have
however attracted and endeared the
influential dude to respected
personalities and venerated institutions.
It was in line with this tradition of his
that his London firm sent an official
message to condole with King Charles
III of England at the instance of the
passing on of his mother, the late Queen
Elizabeth 11. Of course the gesture was
simply out of principle, but alas, it was
a pleasant surprise when King Charles
III, days ago, acknowledged and
responded to the message. King Charles
III sent a card he personally engraved
with kind words, for a reply. For excited
Ajulo, he finds the message from the
Buckingham Palace a very thoughtful
and kind gesture to treasure.
•Ganduje
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