By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor & Shuaibu Inalegwu
THE Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire could not but have been embarrassed with her difficult position few Saturdays ago at a ceremony to bestow the Zik Leadership Award on some distinguished personalities.
One of the major recipients was Governor Segun Mimiko of Ondo State who has come under fire from the top hierarchy of Orelope-Adefulire's Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN.
If the deputy Governor was embarrassed by her front position at the ceremony to honour the embattled Governor of Ondo State, Mimiko and his entourage were certainly not.
At the ceremony, the large entourage of supporters of the Ondo Governor from Ondo State danced and rejoiced over the latest honour to come the way of Iroko as Mimiko is popularly portrayed by his supporters.
Besides Mimiko, other Governors honoured with the Zik Leadership Prize were Governors Peter Obi of Anambra State and Ibrahim Shema, all of whom were awarded the prize for Good Governance.
Flanked by his wife, Olufunke as the citation was read, Mimiko was praised for his positive efforts in governance as remarkable efforts by his administration in improving the welfare of the citizenry were recalled.
Maternal and child care
Particularly commended on that day were his steps in boosting maternal and child care through the establishment of the now famed Women and Child Hospital, Akure and the improvement of the welfare of the state's workers with the payment of the highest minimum wage obtainable in the country.
Just a week before the event the governor had disclosed the state's commitment to pay a minimum of N22,000 to the least paid civil servant in the state.
Governor Obi who was also honoured did not mind acknowledging the strides he said Mimiko had made in the administration of Ondo State in the last three years.
(http://vml1.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/mimiko.jpg?9d7bd4) (http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/07/ondo-house-another-branch-of-iroko/mimiko-4/)Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko Acknowledging lessons he had learnt from his Ondo counterpart, Mr. Obi recounted how a friend of his was discouraged from getting a banking site in Akure, the Ondo state capital few years ago because there was nothing on ground to encourage such business then. "Now things have changed, Iroko has changed everything and I am learning from him," Mr. Obi said.
"Recently I brought my wife to Ondo state and I told her she should learn because there are so much to learn from Iroko in every area, is it Agric or Education where he has been winning awards every year? " Obi asked rhetorically.
While challenging fellow Governors to deliver on their promises, Governor Obi said: "Nigerians don't want to wait any longer, they have waited for too long, now is the time to meet their aspirations".
Remarking that "though things are changing now that the governors are working" Obi said for those who still want to do more, there is so much to learn from Mimiko because "Leadership and learning cannot be separated."
Also present at the event were the Ooni Of Ife Oba Okunade Sijuwade, several other traditional rulers, The Esama Of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedon the Lagos state deputy governor, Mrs Orelope Adefuilure and her Ondo state counterpart Alhaji Ali Olanusi among others.
A week after the March 17th event at the Civic Centre in Lagos, Mimiko was again the recipient of another award for good governance. This time, the award was from the Tribune Newspapers which honoured him alongside the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, business mogul Aliko Dangote and the Director-General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Commission, NTDC.
At the award ceremony in the Abuja Sheraton, Senator Mark was bestowed with the Public Officer of the Year award while Mimiko won the Governor of the Year, while Dangote got the Businessman of the Year award and Runsewe received the award of the Most Enterprising Director General of the Year.
The Managing Director of Tribune Newspapers, Rev. Sam Adesua in his opening remarks on that day said the awardees were picked through a careful and rigorous analysis of Nigerians in both the public and private sectors.
In her message, Yeye Oodua, H.I.D. Awolowo, described the awards as a means of oiling the wheels that drive the society.
"We must be willing and be seen to oil the wheels that drive the economy, the awardees are eminent Nigerians who have been adjudged to be giants among equals."
The chairman of the occasion and Former Senate President, Senator Adolpus Wabara described the occasion as an apt moment to honour the awardees all of whom he described as juggernauts.
He said, "Everyone here will agree with me that we are honouring juggernauts here today and all kudos must go to the African newspapers Nigeria plc the publisher of Tribune titles for doing a good job by recognizing true service.
"The awardees of tonight are shinning stars of the Nigerian firmament. This is why we have seen the calibers of winners whose integrities are beyond questions. We have a two time president of the Senate, Senator David Mark, the inventor of the doctrine of necessity which has helped to keep Nigeria as one united indivisible nation.
The special guest of honour at the occasion, Dr Mua'zu Babangida Aliyu, in his keynote address congratulated the recipients saying they deserved to be honoured for their distinguished services to humanity.
Mark, dressed in flowing Agbada and beaming with smiles to collect his award amidst cheers, warned those with evil intentions for the nation to have a re-think, because they would not be moving the nation forward. It was also a rare opportunity for the Senate President to shower commendations on the media.
"I want to commend the Nigeria media for its constructive criticism, but more importantly, let me commend the Nigerian Tribune in particular because it has embraced journalism of development by setting agenda for various strata of government. You are usually very critical of elected and appointed government officials where necessary, but those deserving of commendation also get a fair applause from you and you pat them on the back."
Mimiko dedicated the award to the people of Ondo State for giving him the opportunity to serve, pledging not to rest on his oars until the entire state is transformed.
The two awards by Mimiko are beside several other awards given the Ondo State Governor in recent months. The awards, however, are coming at a time that the Governor is receiving the most severe battering of his political life.
Invincible political prowess
Several friends have turned foes as the opposition ACN in the state sharpen its claws against the Governor ahead of the forthcoming gubernatorial elections where Mimiko is about to test his so far invincible political prowess against the steaming machinery of the ACN.
Mimiko's position is not enviable. He is secluded round about by Governors of a party which has openly declared war against him following the rupture of the alliance that preceded Mimiko's inauguration.
ACN national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu only recently disclosed in a newspaper interview that the ACN was determined to confront Mimiko for the gubernatorial for what he described as the Governor's decision to sidestep an agreement to join the party after the resolution of the judicial challenge that heralded his inauguration as Governor in 2009.
Given the difficult challenge ahead of the Governor as reinforced by his external traducers, the mementoes falling the way of the Iroko may only be a temporary prop. The good works at home will be the deciding factor.
Vanguard Nigeria