When Kaleidoscope, USA, honored Mohammad-Bande, Okoyen, Ogunlesi, Mbisiogu, others

President of the 74th General Assembly of the United Nations, Ambassador Professor Tijjani Mohammad-Bande, Consul General of Nigeria, New York, Hon. Benaoyagha Okoyen and Mr. Adebayo Ogunlesi, the Managing Partner/Chairman, Global Infrastructure Partners, Stamford, Connecticut, United States of America, are among distinguished personalities honored with different Awards at the grand finale of the Virtual 15th Annual Kaleidoscope Global Conference and Award program.

The event had as theme: “Post Covid-19 Impacts on Infrastructural Development in Nigeria” and the Award night climaxed a day that saw issues surrounding the development of Nigeria, especially as it concerns investment opportunities and funding platforms, being vigorously and passionately canvassed by Ministers, Governors, Consultants and experts in different areas as well as international investors.

Held on Saturday, September 19, 2020, the widely subscribed event was hosted by the Consulate General, New York led by Consul General, Hon. Benaoyagha Okoyen and put together by Kaleidoscope Business Project LLC headed by Deaconess Linda Middleton.

Several hours were well spent on fully informed presentations on investment potentials, with promises of rich returns on investment, covering such areas as agriculture, solid minerals, transportation, tourism, information technology and artificial intelligence with international consultants and investors throwing light on sources of funds for investments and the expectations of investors.

Among those who opened up on the boundless opportunities that exist in Nigeria to the international audience were Chief Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation, Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah, Minister of State for Solid Minerals and Steel Development, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Governors Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State, Simon Lalong of Plateau State, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and Abdul Razak of Kwara State.

Other Governors who were either present or represented at the Conference were those of Kebbi, Zamfara, Kwara, Ekiti, Imo and Lagos.

Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, spoke excitedly about what NIDCOM had been doing since inception and what it intends to do, inviting all to the Commission’s up coming investment program.

Dr. Anthony Egobueze of the Rivers State University, Nigeria also articulated issues relating to investments in the country very professionally.

At the end of the extensive business session, the Awards program was held with the eminently qualified Awardees being recognized in different categories for the remarkable deeds they have done.

Professor Ambassador Mohammad-Bande, who is Nigeria’s Permanent Representative at the UN was awarded the Kaleidoscope African Man of the Year, Hon. Okoyen received the Kaleidoscope Excellence Award while Mr. Ogunlesi was crowned the Kaleidoscope Man of the Year.

Other recipients include Ambassador Samson S. Itegboje, Nigeria’s Deputy Permanent Representative (DPR) to the UN who got the Kaleidoscope Leadership Award; Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who received the Kaleidoscope Personality of the Year Award and Mr. Festus U. Mbisiogu, Chairman, Blue Diamond Logistics, Guangzhou, China, who was honored as Kaleidoscope Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Equally celebrated were Hon. Gabe Okoye, Former Chairman, Gwinnett County, Atlanta, Georgia, USA who got the Kaleidoscope Leadership Award ; Ganiyu Dada, President, Kofa International Ltd, Nigeria (Kaleidoscope Industrialist of the Year); Hon. Benedict Ogugua Obiofuma of Ben & Tina Obiofuma Foundation (Worldwide Kaleidoscope Humanitarian Man of the Year Award) and Mr. Nicholas Ella, Consul (Trade & Investment), Consulate General of Nigeria, New York (Kaleidoscope Leadership Award).

The event was spiced up with some dancing and with Live special performance by ‘Tripppy’ (Izabelle Middleton).

Besides, the many strong seeds sown for international business cooperation between Nigerian government officials and international investors and consultants are expected to begin to germinate and bear fruits any time from now.

Pictures show some of the Awardees and other dignitaries that graced the Award ceremony.