A business conglomerate, Nzenweofor Group, has offered a lifetime monthly grant of half a million naira as incentive to the designer of Nigeria’s flag, Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi. By the gesture, the beneficiary-statesman will be earning a total of N6million per annum for life with immediate effect.

It was also gathered that two months allowances amounting to one million naira was already disbursed to the elder statesman.

The group’s chairman, Chief Ndubuisi Nzenweofor, disclosed this on Saturday during the Golden Heroes Awards held at Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Abuja as grand finale of a weeklong programme which includes roundtable discussions on education, health, job creation and security. The events were powered by the group. Discussants critically and extensively looked at the protracted national issues with proffered pragmatic solutions to policymakers.

Notable speakers included Naomi Momodu; Marcus Singleton, an American business development consultant; Chizaram Ucheaga; Tochukwu Anyachebelu; Niyi Adesoye; Ernest Timothy; ’Dayo Benjamins-Laniyi and Jide Ojo, among others alongside numerous contributors and participants. The four-day interactive session was indeed explosive.

Also remarkable at the event was presentation of prizes to winners of competitions in various categories held during the week. The categories cover barbers, make-up artists, hair-dressers and footballers with first prize of N500,000 each; second prize, N300,000 each and third, N200,000 each. However, football competition got the highest price tag of N1million as star-price while N500,000 and N300,000 went to the first and second runner-ups respectively.

The award ceremony which climaxed the event had in attendance a former Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Dame Pauline Kedem Tallen, politicians, businessmen, Nollywood artistes, including Segun Arinze, Zack Orji, Ramsey Nouah as well as other awardees and their fans. Others are Pa Akinkunmi who was adorned with green and white muffler, Alhaji Danladi Pasali; National Coordinator, Buhari Campaign Organization and Hon Promise Orji, amongst others.

The Military Widows Association (MIWA) was not left out as its delegates, alongside some of their children led by MIWA President, Mrs. Veronica Aloko and BOT Vice Chairman, Dr. Aisha Lemu turned out in numbers at the event.

It will be recalled that the association received a donation of 500 bags of rice (50kg) alongside a cash donation of N3 million from the group penultimate week as succour to the families of deceased soldiers for Sallah celebration.

Chief Nzenweofor noted that the group’s gesture was for all intents and purposes to recognize some Nigerians who exceptionally through diligence and steadfastness distinguished themselves in their respective careers thereby adding values one way or the other to the economy, and in addition, to strategically inspire and boost youths’ morale for determined positive actions and hard work.

Nzenweofor added that despite the financial implications, the group will continue to pioneer helpful initiatives yearly towards improving the standard of living of people, and therefore enjoined other stakeholders to follow suit as a social responsibility mechanism. In particular, the group’s boss reiterated on the plights of deceased soldiers’ families being neglected to be languishing in abject poverty despite their huge contributions to national security which he described as inhumanity to man.

Update news