Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that 26 Nigerians comprising journalists, professional and security personnel, were recently recognised by the
Nigeria Silent Heroes Awards for positively impacting humanity through their respective endeavours
For their silent contributions to the development of l society at large, 26 Nigerians were recently honoured by the Nigeria Silent Heroes Awards (NSHA). Held in Western Elomaz Hotel, Asaba in Delta State, the awardees comprised journalists, professionals in specialised fields including the oil and gas sector, as well as security personnel.
Themed ‘Celebrating Heroes of our Democracy’, the
creation of Razor Media Company, each awardee went home with a well crafted trophy imported from Manila, Philippines; a Hall of Fame Crystal Plaque, a framed certificate in an imported leather box and a medal of honour.
Some of the categories include silent heroes in policing and intelligence, SME Industry, hero of maritime business, prison reforms and inmates transformation, ICT development, telecommunication, transparent banking culture, hero of faith, social justice and worker’s welfare, as well as crime and disaster reporting.
Others are silent heroes in philanthropy, oil and gas sector development, developmental journalism, food security and agric development, hero in broadcasting, hero of Nollywood, school quality advocacy, amongst several others.
Out of all the awardees, the category for journalists stood out as only three made its way into the honour list. They include THISDAY Newspaper’s Features Editor, Mrs. Chiemelie Ezeobi, who bagged an award for developmental journalism; Sun Newspaper Deputy News Editor, Comrade Chris Oji for Crime and Disaster Reporting award), and News Editor of Television Continental (TVC), Babajide Kolade-Otitoju. They were honoured as heroes for their silent contributions to the development of society.
Other professionals include Managing Director of Rainoil Limited Mr. Gabriel Ogbechie, who bagged the Oil and Gas sector development award; the officer-in-charge of Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari, who bagged the Police and Intelligence award and was represented by Mr. Philip Rienienwa, the South-west Coordinator for IRT; and Mr. Dibie Oriekose, who bagged an award for Food Security and Agricultural Development.
In his welcome address, the convener of the event, Mr. Odita Sunday-Udemaguna, the Nigeria Silent Heroes Awards was anchored on a process of identification, recognition and celebration of those whose life activities have positively impacted humanity within or outside their immediate environment.
On what the silent heroes is all about he said: “The award Silent Heroes is all about celebrating excellence and achievements. We love all our deserving awardees. A lot of people are over celebrated, while hundreds of Nigerians doing very heroic things are under-celebrated. This is the reason I founded the Silent Heroes Awards Initiative, an NGO set up to celebrate unsung heroes.”
Hinting on the expansion of the platform to recognise unsung heroes in Africa he added, ‘’permit me to say that those we are celebrating were carefully nominated among millions of others given the outstanding contributions they have made over the years in their various spheres to add value to humanity.
“In all honesty, I must say that the awardees of today in their capacities and activities, particularly in the public space, have remained humble and not audacious in self-praise in spite of their outstanding achievements’’.
For the Managing Director of Northchina Construction Group Dr. Osadebe Osakwa who chaired the occasion, he charged the media to focus on ordinary people doing great things at all levels and not just politicians.
The highpoint of the event was the unveiling of the ‘’Silent Heroes’’ Magazine and the presentation of certificates to awardees, thus signaling an end to what was a beautiful and eventful ceremony as the comedy maverick cracked up the audience at intervals.
