Borno, Oyo, Delta govs, UBA GMD, 5 others to receive Zik leadership prize

The Public Policy Research and Analysis Centre (PPRAC) has announced recipients for the 2019 Zik Prize in Leadership Awards.
Making the announcement on Thursday in Lagos at a virtual conference, a member of PPRAC advisory board, Prof. Pat Utomi, said the board had an exhaustive appraisal of nominees before settling for the winners.
Kennedy Uzoka, GMD/CEO, of UBA Plc, Ibukun Awosika, Chairman, First Bank Plc., Ahmed Lawan, Senate President, and three state governors are among the awardees.
Uzoka was listed in the business leadership category alongside the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Danbatta.
The organisers said Uzoka is being awarded for his outstanding achievements as a revolutionary banker in the Nigerian financial services sector.
“He has consistently led the bank (UBA Plc) to set a year-on-year track record of profitability, wealth creation, and innovative financial products across its operations in the African continent despite global economic challenges.
“Kennedy Uzoka continues to lead his team in chalking newer and higher credits by the day. Not even the current challenge of COVID-19 has been a dampener as the bank under his watch continues to scale new frontiers and post assuring results.”
Also in the professional leadership category is NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman/CEO Umar Danbatta, who is being recognised for driving Nigeria’s industrial revolution and knowledge economy through telecommunications.
“Today, telecommunications contribution to GDP has grown by 70% between 2015 to 2020, whilst broad band penetration has leaped from 8% to 42% in same period. His leadership has enhanced transparency and innovation in the sector, such that recently NCC was acknowledged by International Telecoms Union (ITU) as one of Africa’s foremost Telecoms regulator”, Utomi stated.
In the good governance category, three state governors, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, Engr. Oluseyi Makinde of Oyo and Prof. Babagana Zulu of Borno, are being recognised for towering above their peers to deliver democracy dividends to their people.