In an unusual style and manner, Nigeria began the year 2013 on a very high note by making huge success in the field of sports as the Super Eagles of Nigeria took Africa by storm clinching the continents’ biggest football trophy against every expectations.
Just as the Super Eagles, led by Coach Stephen Keshi, continued to prove the greatness of Nigeria in the football arena and going ahead to qualify the country for another World Cup, so many other Nigerians are contributing their own quota in their own various and little ways to the development of the country in several fields of human endeavour but below are the list of the 20 Most Outstanding Nigerians in 2013 as declared by our panel of judges.
The giant stride of the Nigerian Railway corporation under the leadership of Engineer Seyi Sijuwade is more than remarkable. The railway sector of Nigeria has been considered dead but the new management of the Corporation has done more than imaginable to revamping the sector to the consternation and admiration of Nigerians.
Forbes magazine recently announced Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, the Honourable Minister of Agriculture as the Forbes Africa Man of the Year. A great feat confirming the progress the nation is making in the field of Agriculture and other related issues.
As a nation, we cannot but have our challenges and one of the greatest headaches of Nigerians both home and abroad has been the Boko Haram menace but after a very long battle and strategies the Nigeria military has shown more than enough wit and brawn in curtailing the nefarious activities of these miscreants. There is no gainsaying the fact that the military, deviating from the wholly military tactics, had employed more civil action in curbing the menace of this group thus the reason why the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika stands out as a colossus in bringing the activities of Boko Haram sect to its minimal level.
Our successes in the field of sports cannot be attributed to the athletes alone but also kudos must be given to the administrators namely the Minister of Sports, Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi and the Director General of the National sports commission, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, whose appointment has brought a lot of sanity and dedication to the sporting industry with commitment from the leadership.
The trio of Adeyemi Adesokan, Dr. Ola Orekunrin and Tolulope Sangosanya are also making the country proud as their names were conspicuous on the 20 finalists in the JCI 10 Outstanding Young Persons of the world program (JCI TOYP). The competition is a global program of JCI (Junior Chamber International), a global network of young active citizens with over 200,000 members in more than 100 national organizations of JCI.
The Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Musa Rabiu Kwakwanso was outstanding in 2013 in the administration of his state as he declared Free education from Primary to tertiary institutions for indigenes of his state, having it also on record as the most education friendly governor in the last few years.
Victor Moses the Liverpool FC player displayed what patriotism is when he laid aside every form of bitterness to feature for the country at the Africa Cup of Nations having lost his parents to the bloody hands of insensitive religious killers few years back.
The contribution of each individual on the list is of positive importance to Nigeria as a nation and that is the reason we will continue to celebrate them. They are our heroes.
20 MOST OUTSTANDING NIGERIANS IN 2013
Dr Akinwumi Adesina – Minister of Agriculture
Engr. Jide Adeniji – DG Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA
Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi – Minister of Sports and Youth Development
Stephen Keshi – Coach Super Eagles
Seyi Sijuwade – MD Nigeria Railway Corporation
Gbenga Elegbeleye – DG National Sports Commission.
Femi Adesina – Nigerian Guild of Editors
Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika – Chief of Army Staff
Victor Moses – Super Eagles/Liverpool FC
Sunday Mba – Super Eagles
Adeyemi Adesokan – Co-Founder, Pathogenica International
Mrs Sally Mbanefo – Director General, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation
Dr. Ola Orekunrin – Flying Doctors Nigeria
Primate Ademisokun Turton – President, Unification of C&S, Ondo State
Tolulope Sangosanya – Founder, LOTS of Charity Foundation
Alhaji Musa Rabiu Kwakwanso – Governor Kano State
Blessing Okagbare – Athlete
Nkiruka Uwakwe – Athlete
Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim Mini – MD/CEO Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation NDIC
Panshak Henry Zamani – Ice Prince
They all keep the flag flying…!
