Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has bagged the Governor of the Year award from Leadership Newspaper.
The award was based on his outstanding innovative leadership style and the immense developmental strides in Niger State in less than one year.
Speaking on behalf of other award recipients in the Governor of the Year 2023 category, the farmer governor re-emphasised the need for Nigeria to be productive.
He said Nigeria was blessed with abundant resources to feed itself and also export, pointing out that Niger State was taking the lead in terms of agriculture as it has attracted over a billion dollars in agribusiness investments.
The governor assured that with the robust agricultural policies in the state, Nigeria will have enough food to feed and export.
While commending the management and staff of Leadership Group for finding them worthy of the awards, Governor Bago pledged to justify the honour bestowed on them.
The governor then announced on behalf of the people and government of Niger State the donation of N250 million in academic scholarships to Auwalu Salisu, a Keke Napep driver from Kano who found and returned N15 million to a citizen of the Chad Republic.
He applauded the honesty and exemplary decision of Auwalu Salisu, adding that there were more of such people in society that needed to be identified and celebrated.
The Farmer Governor promised to name one street in Minna after Auwalu Salisu.
President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, who bagged the Leadership Person of the Year 2023, was represented by his Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alh. Mohammed Idris Malagi.
He acknowledged that Nigeria was in a difficult moment but that it will come out of it strongly as his administration will continue to make decisions that would be of great benefit to all, even as he appealed for more patience and understanding from Nigerians.
Governors of Benue, Katsina, and Oyo States, as well as Peter Obi, were also award recipients in different categories.
In his keynote address, the former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and founder of Sogato Strategies, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, spoke on the theme "Nigeria's Distress Economy: Which Way Forward" and stressed that bad governance, population crises, inadequate and unstable electricity, and a lack of strategy, among others, by successive administrations have been the bane of Nigeria's economic crisis.
He, however, made some recommendations to the federal government, such as the N20 billion bond to fund a strategic project comprising railway, housing, and agriculture; cut the cost of governance; respect institutions' independence; and think structurally, among others.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Leadership Group, Mrs. Zainab Nda Isaiah, said the award was to honour those considered to be well deserving of the awards in various categories.
While congratulating the awardees, she also commended them for their passion and zeal for the development of humanity and the nation.
Niger State had a powerful delegation, including serving federal and state lawmakers, members of the state executive council, and others.