The Catholic Herald Weekly, Nigeria’s oldest and longest surviving newspaper held its Centenary Lecture and Awards Presentation on Saturday, October 5, 2024 at ‘The Hall’, Victoria Island, Lagos under the distinguished chairmanship of Sen. George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). Mr. Christopher Tarka, Chief of Staff, Office of the SGF stood in for him.
Themed, “The Nigerian State: Transcending Challenges; Attaining True Nationhood,”, the Lecture was delivered virtually by the Guest Speaker, Most Rev. (Dr.) Matthew Kukah, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto. Five Discussants provided wide range of perspectives on the subject during the panel session moderated by a public analyst lawyer, Mr. Liborous Oshoma.
They include two distinguished legal practitioners, Mr. Femi Falana SAN and Prof. Mike Ozekhome SAN; an academic, Prof. Sir Chris Ogbechie, Dean of Lagos Business School. Others were Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Policy and Coordination and Very Rev. Fr. Raymond Anoliefo, Provincial Coordinator of Church and Society, Lagos Ecclesiastical Province.
The event was graced by the Special Guest of Honour, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, represented by Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, Hon. Minister of Youth Development; Guest of Honour, Most Rev. (Dr.) Lucius Ugorji, President, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), represented by Most Rev. (Dr.) Gabriel ‘Leke Abegurin, Catholic Archbishop of Ibadan and Host Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by Barr. ‘Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, Secretary to the Lagos State Government. The Chief Host, Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos also played host to an avalanche of dignitaries. Awards were presented to eminent Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in various aspects of human endeavours.
They include top industrialist, Mr. Femi Otedola (The Catholic Herald Centenary Man Award); Chief Executive of SIMS Nigeria Ltd, Chief Simeon Eyisi (Face of The Herald 100 Award); Founder of Lumen Christi Television Network, Sir Robert Soji Olagunju (The Catholic Herald Centenary Media Personality Award); Corporate Guru, Sir Steve Omojafor (The Catholic Herald Centenary Life Achievement Award), and Episcopal Vicar for Lagos Region, Very Rev. Fr. Julius Olaitan (The Catholic Herald Centenary Evangelism Award).
Other awardees were the Knights and Ladies of the Order of St. Mulumba Nigeria, Lagos Metropolitan Council (The Catholic Herald Centenary Humanitarian Award); Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (The Catholic Herald Centenary Public Service Award); Mrs. Bernadine Eloka (The Catholic Herald Centenary Most Supportive Catholic Woman Award) and Former Lagos Archdiocesan Laity President, Mrs. Geraldine Igboanugo (The Catholic Herald Centenary Lay Person Award).
