- Strengthening Archdiocesan Communication, Championing Women Empowerment
Among the distinguished awardees for The Catholic Herald Centenary, Mrs. Bernadine Ifeoma Eloka occupies a special place of honour. Indeed, she has been making significant contributions to the Church, with progressive initiatives in her various leadership capacities, notably as the immediate past President of the Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) of the Catholic Church of the Annunciation and presently as Deanery Coordinator, Catholic Women Organisation, Festac Deanery. However, she is among the honourees of The Catholic Herald Centenary, mainly because of her unflagging support for The Catholic Herald Weekly newspaper, women’s empowerment in her deanery and the larger society. She is one of the key individuals who have made possible the continuing operation of The Catholic Herald with donations that enabled the functioning of the newsroom. Her donations include workstations, comprising of an iMac and three desktop computers, and a laser jet printer amid paid editorial coverages.
Her contribution speaks volumes about her resourcefulness and disposition towards empowerment, qualities which she has displayed even in her position as Coordinator of the Catholic Women Organisation, where her leadership initiatives have been attuned towards improving the welfare of the women through economic empowerment. For instance, in June 2023, the Festac Deanery of the Catholic Women Organisation, which she coordinated, organised a product packaging and empowerment programme for less privileged women, especially women who do not have any work or business.
At the end of the programme, the organisation unveiled food products that were produced in its packaging centre. The unveiling ceremony at the Catholic Church of the Nativity, 6th Avenue, Festac Town, was attended by women from the 11 parishes that make up the Festac Deanery. It was a showcase of industry and productivity, and more importantly, the positivity of getting women empowered. Mrs. Eloka who spoke about the philosophy behind the project, said: “Festac Deanery is driven by the needy around us and the need to empower them and give them jobs, teach them how to fish, not just giving them fish, because we believe that by the time they start up with this little empowerment that we are giving them today, in a few months, they will be in the position to empower others.”
Her unwavering support for women’s empowerment is reflected in her various efforts to help women escape a life of lack and be empowered with skills and vocations that will lead to financial independence. In this regard, she is renowned for the consistent donation of working tools, such as sewing machines and other resources, to women in her Church and the deanery. Her disposition for empowering people is evident in her position as Vice President of Clarion Group of Companies, an organisation that employs over 200 Nigerians.
As a serial entrepreneur, she is perpetually driven to find new businesses. Among her chains of businesses are Savol Integrated Logistics Nigeria Limited; Vancapris International Limited; Blossom International Limited, Flourish Shipping International Limited; Sorrowful Mystery Nigeria Limited; and Luminous Mystery Nigeria Limited. By education, she is a seasoned biologist and an accountant. However, she is multidimensional and wears many hats as a chartered accountant, chartered arbitrator, chartered logistician and chain management expert. Bernadine Ifeoma Eloka is an alumna of four Nigerian universities, namely the University of Lagos, National Open University, Bayero University, Kano and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
Her trove of qualifications includes degrees in accounting and law, among others. A member of many professional bodies and fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Shipping and Port Management Academy of Nigeria, she has received various certifications from national and global institutions, including a Certificate of Efficiency from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and an Award for Operational Performance of the National Anti-Corruption Coalition from the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC). While she has received numerous awards for her humanitarian activities, by and large, she is recognised eminently for her efforts in the direction of job creation and youth empowerment in Nigeria.
Among her accolades are the Peace Ambassador of Nigeria, Distinguished Corporate Achievers’ Award for Excellence (Corporate News 2018), Certificate of Efficiency United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC 2021) and Award for Operational Performance, National Anti-Corruption Coalition (ICPC 2021). Eloka, the chairperson of the Board of Trustees, Angus Dei Home of the Little Child Jesus is defined by her flair for excellence and commitment to organisational goals. She has remained true to these attributes in how she discharged her responsibilities in the church and the corporate world. Her contribution to The Catholic Herald newsroom, Church and Society is deserving of recognition as the Most Supportive Catholic Woman.
Femi Otedola CON: The Catholic Herald Centenary Man
Set to receive prestigious Herald Centenary Man Award is a man who is the epitome of selfless service to humanity and who has demonstrated a genuine predisposition for the progress and development of his country, Mr. Femi Otedola, CON, Chairman, Geregu Power Limited, and Chancellor, Augustine University, Ilara-Epe, Lagos. Femi Otedola needs no introduction to the world. He is an entrepreneur, a philanthropist and the Chairman of Geregu Power Nigeria Plc and First Bank Nigeria Holdings Plc.
He is one of the fixtures of the Forbes billionaire list and has appeared on this prestigious rich list in 2009, 2014 and, most recently, in the January 2024 ranking. Otedola is a role model and an inspiration to Nigeria’s community of entrepreneurs at home and abroad. A history of his entrepreneurship adds up to a profile of a man who is consistently oiling the wheel of the Nigerian economy, from his initial formal entry into the oil and gas sector with Zenon to his acquisition of African Petroleum, which transformed into Forte Oil, and his latter investment in the power sector through Geregu Power generation company.
Aside from these companies, which are business behemoths in their own right and time, his ownership of CentreForce Ltd., an investment company, Swift Insurance and SeaForce Shipping Company Limited, among others, made him one of the country’s foremost employers of labour and owners of businesses that create large employment opportunities for Nigeria and help sustain thousands of livelihoods in the country. Otedola is renowned for his humanitarian efforts.
He gives silently, generously and consistently to causes, uplifting society’s most vulnerable and securing their future. His philanthropic gestures and commitment to the development of education in Nigeria, in particular, speak volumes of his large heart and the milk of human kindness in him. The most notable example is his financial support towards the establishment and development of Augustine University, Ilara-Epe, Lagos.
Very Rev. Fr. Julius Olaitan: The Catholic Herald Centenary Evangelism Award
- Leading light of digital evangelism
The Very Rev. Fr. Julius Olaitan is well-known as a Catholic priest in Lagos and its environs, where he has served in various capacities and where he is currently the Episcopal Vicar, Lagos Region, Archdiocese of Lagos, and Parish Priest, Regina Mundi Catholic Church Mushin, Lagos. However, beyond Lagos and Nigeria, more Catholics and Christians benefit from his priestly vocation through his Daily Reflections broadcast on social media.
is homily, which begins with the familiar line “Dear friends in Christ, welcome to our daily reflection…” resonates every day on WhatsApp and other social media platforms. Remarkably, he has not missed a day’s broadcast of the Daily Reflection in the past eight years and nine months since the maiden broadcast on December 8, 2015. As the Director of the Lagos Resource Centre during the COVID-19 pandemic, he brought his resourcefulness to bear. At a time when the lockdown restriction kept the faithful away from the Church, he started the daily broadcast of Holy Mass, recorded and sent out every morning. His efforts expanded the scope of evangelism to the Catholic faithful, not only in Nigeria but around the world. Without any doubt, Fr. Olaitan is easily the standout candidate for The Catholic Herald Centenary Evangelism Award.
In the age of the new media and its deployment for evangelism, Fr. Olaitan performs a leading role in shaping the country’s religious digital landscape. Today, he has enhanced a religious virtual space where Catholics and non-Catholics connect for their morning devotional prayers. In the borderless space of social media, he expounds the teachings of Christ; he leads his listeners through the Mass readings; he provides commentaries on Catholic liturgy, and offers reflections on life issues and prayers.
His audiocasts and videos – short, fast-paced and engaging – afford the lay faithful the necessary ‘moment with God’, shore up their faith and imbue them with strength to push through the day. Aside from his tech-savvy side, Fr. Olaitan has a record of continuous service as a priest. Ordained a priest at 27, his 26 years of priesthood has been devoted to duties in critical positions, such as Dean of Lagos Island Deanery and Episcopal Vicar, Lagos Region.
Sir Steve Omojafor KcSS OON: The Catholic Herald Centenary Lifetime Achievement Award
- A Corporate Giant, an Epitome of Service to Church and Society
Sir Steve Bamidele Omojafor is a devout Catholic who was at childhood a Mass Server and is now a Papal Knight. At 78 years old, he remains steadfast in his service to the Church, particularly, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos. For over four decades, he has remained constant, an eminent figure in the workings of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos as well as in the Nigerian economic sector.
Considering his distinguished service to the Church and his contribution to national development, as well as his reputation as a Papal Knight, The Catholic Herald Board of Editors voted him for the Lifetime Achievement Award. His credentials as a major force in the country’s marketing communication sector are unassailable. Omojafor, however, is more than a marketing communications guru. He was, for a long time, Director and, later, Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc. He has served as Director and Chairman in several companies in Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone, including Audio Visual First, a Lagos-based film production company.
He is also renowned for his philanthropic activities, as manifested in his tireless involvement in many non-governmental organisations, including Bloom Cancer Care and Support Centre and National Association of Handicapped Persons where he has been a trustee. He is also associated with the National Society for the Blind and National Cancer Prevention Programme, among others. Affectionately called Omo Jesu (Son of Jesus) by friends, Omojafor’s accomplishments extend to the Church, where he utilises his talents and resources to serve God and humanity.
He has served two Archbishops in various capacities, but notably as Chairman of the All Purpose Committee, the highest ranking committee that organises Archdiocesan events such as Chrism Mass, Ordinations, Papal Honours’ investiture, Birthdays and Episcopal ordination anniversaries of the Aarchbishops, among others. Sir Omojafor is currently the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Augustine University, Ilara-Epe, a position in which he has devoted time and energy since 2015 to drive the institution to greater heights.
KSM & LSM: The Herald Catholic Centenary Humanitarian Award
- KSM: Taking humanitarian activities to extraordinary heights
- LSM: Adding prolific feminine touch to high-impact philanthropy
A twin Catholic organisation well-known for its charitable work in modern-day Nigeria is the Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM) and its feminine arm – Ladies of St. Mulumba (LSM). A Catholic family fraternal service organisation whose main goal is to protect and promote the Catholic faith through education, charity, and service. Their Lagos Metropolitan Councils are, especially renowned for exceptional support for the Church, vulnerable members of society and the less privileged. At a time when the country is grappling with multidimensional poverty, KSM and LSM of this topnotch metro council have shifted gears to maximise the impact of their various humanitarian efforts.
The broad spectrum of inclusive and rare humanitarian activities they engaged in, deservedly earned them the honour of being joint winners of The Catholic Herald Centenary Humanitarian Award. One of the cardinal values of the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba is “being sensitive to the needs of the poor and giving succour to the destitute, the disadvantaged and the oppressed in society.” Under its present leader, Sir Don Ezeh (the eighth MGK elected in October 2021), KSM Lagos Metro has redoubled its drive, which has seen the rapid expansion of membership with the intake of an average of 250 members every year; and such growth has been channelled to broaden and deepen the scope of its humanitarian works.
As the MGK, Sir Don Ezeh came into the position with 27 years of experience in top business management in the Shell Group. Like KSM Lagos Metro, LSM Lagos Metropolitan Council also enjoys the benefit of strong and committed presidents, since its inception, including Lady Victoria Uzoigwe (2007-2013); Lady Monica Eigbe (2013-2019); and Lady (Dr.) Ify Mbelede (2019- 2022). Under its current President, Lady Juliet Damian-Osuigwe, a retired banking professional turned top-notch caterer and renowned giver, the Council has deepened its tradition of charity despite the country’s challenging economic matrices. It leverages its vast network, across the 32 Sub-Councils and over one hundred zones, in various communities of both states, to continuously provide food aid, health care, education and clothing to the needy while also supporting parishes’ activities.
In recognition of the remarkable transformation they have brought to humanitarian services in Nigeria’s South West region (particularly, across Lagos and Ogun states), The Catholic Herald Board of Editors voted for KSM and LSM as joint winners of its Centenary Humanitarian Award. The Board of Editors recognises the awesome efforts of their respective Metropolitan Grand Knight and Metropolitan President in sustaining the legacy of charity and driving the councils to open new vistas at a time when the country is in dire need of succour.
Mrs. Chizube Geraldine Igboanugo: The Catholic Herald Centenary Lay Person
- A Laity Matriarch Who is Purposeful and Indefatigable in Service
The name of Mrs. Chizube Geraldine Igboanugo is prominent among the lay faithful, known for hard work and commitment to the service of the Catholic Church. She has held several leadership positions in the Catholic Church, notably as the first inaugurated Chairperson of the FESTAC Deanery Laity Council and the immediate past President of the Lagos Archdiocesan Laity Council.
Given her prominence as the second female Chairperson of the Lagos Archdiocesan Laity Council, and one of the laity matriarchs in Nigeria, plus the fact of her endless service and impactful leadership, it is not out of place, therefore, that she came into contention as The Catholic Herald Centenary Lay Person. The award, after all, honours lay leaders who have made landmark contributions to the promotion of core values of laity development, and Igboanugo is eminently qualified. Igboanugo’s love for volunteering for service manifests in her consistent membership and progression in many committees of the Catholic Church and institutions.
An example of this is to be found in her leadership metamorphosis as Welfare Secretary, Vice President and President of the Lagos Branch of the Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja, PTA (2006-2011). As a testament to her service, she has over 30 awards of recognition, excellence and leadership. These honours came majorly from associations, deaneries and societies in the Archdiocese of Lagos.
Her dynamic leadership as Chairperson (2018-2022) enhanced the growth of the Lagos Archdiocesan Laity Council. In partnership with SIGNIS, Archdiocese of Lagos, in 2019, her leadership had been instrumental to the mobilisation of lay leaders and lay representatives for the commemoration of the first Lagos Archdiocesan Communications Week and the inaugural Communications Week in the Catholic Church of Nigeria.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.): The Catholic Herald Centenary Public Service Award
- Anti-drug czar creating Utopia for Nigerian youths
Brig. Gen. Mohammed Marwa (retd.) is a man whose name resonates as a personification of excellence in public service, from as far back as his days as the Military Administrator of Lagos State. Now, as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, he has impressed Nigerians again with his administrative acumen, which is reflected in the turnaround of the otherwise moribund anti-narcotic agency that now commands global respect.
The retired military general has consistently distinguished himself as a top public servant with uncommon character, passion for excellence and commitment to service. At various organisations where he served Nigeria, his stewardship brought maximum benefits to the country. It is not difficult, therefore, to pick him as a candidate for the Centenary Public Service Award of The Catholic Herald. Marwa’s visionary leadership and achievements in just three years at the anti-narcotic agency brings back the sweet memory of the military officer who stood head and above his peers in public administration in the late 1990s.
As a military administrator, he was unarguably the best of the pack, a recognition that was sealed with Newswatch’s “Nigeria’s Man of the Year 1997.” Many believed Lagos was his magnum opus until he emerged at NDLEA, where he is setting a new paradigm of how to deliver in public service. The statistics are testaments to the Marwa turnaround at NDLEA: From January 2021 to July 2023, NDLEA arrested 52, 901 drug trafficking offenders (including 50 barons), and got 9, 034 convicted on various jail terms, including three life sentences. A Marwa-led NDLEA also seized 7.6 million kilograms of illicit drugs in three years.
The cash and drugs seized by the agency were estimated to have been worth N958 billion, while 948 houses, vehicles and other assets were forfeited by drug traffickers. The agency also destroyed 1,057.3 hectares of cannabis farms, and within the period, also counselled and rehabilitated 33, 453 drug users.
Sir (Chief) Simeon Eyisi: Face of The Herald 100
- Philanthropist for Church, community and country
In the league of Nigeria’s philanthropists, Chief Simeon Eyisi, the Chairman and CEO of SIMS Nigeria Limited, occupies a prominent place. As a business leader and industrialist, he not only inspires others with his grass-to-grace narrative that exalts the virtues of hard work, vision and perseverance; he also sets examples for others on the necessity for altruism in the Church and community. What’s more, his life teaches that entrepreneurship is a service to the country. His support for the Catholic Church through the weekly advertorial he places in The Catholic Herald weekly newspaper is a mainstay for the publication and the Directorate of Social Communications of the Archdiocese of Lagos.
As a well-known Catholic entrepreneur with remarkable achievements in the country’s philanthropic and business sectors, Chief Eyisi tops the list of The Herald 100, an award category that recognises 100 Catholic personalities of the Archdiocese of Lagos who render trailblazing selfless services to the Church and mankind. A philanthropist of repute who is highly regarded for his business acumen, Sir Eyisi built SIMS from a small enterprise into a pagoda of business success.
Today, the company is the official regional representative of several world class electronics, including such household names as Samsung and Panasonic and other prestigious brands like Royal, TCL and Sukam. On the religious front, Chief Eyisi, a member of the esteemed Knights of St. Mulumba and Papal Knight of St. Sylvester, single-handedly built the Parish House, the official residence of Priests, at St. Michael Catholic Church, Eziaja, Neni. He also contributed immensely to the training of at least two Reverend Fathers in the various Dioceses, parishes and religious formations that he has been associated with directly and even remotely. In the social sphere, he has brought about some notable developmental and cultural activities in his hometown, notably the construction of several roads and installing streetlights.
