GROUP managing director and chief executive officer of the United Bank for Africa Plc, Kennedy Uzoka, has been announced as winner of the 2019 Zik Award for Professional Leadership.
Organisers of the award, Public Policy Research and Analysis Centre (PPRAC) also announced the executive vice chairman/chief executive officer at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Danbatta as co-winner.
The award was instituted 25 years ago in honour of the Nigeria’s first president, late Dr Nnamdi Azikwe, primarily to encourage and nurture leadership in and the Diaspora.
Uzoka and others were announced winners in a letter signed by the member advisory board, PPRAC, Professor Pat Utomi, and executive secretary, Mr. Emeka Obasi.
The letter reads: “The GMD/CEO of UBA Plc, Kennedy Uzoka, is a banker’s banker and an astute player in the Nigerian financial services sector. He has consistently led the bank to set a year-on-year track record of profitability, wealth creation and innovative financial products across its operations in Africa, despite global economic challenges.
“Uzoka continues to lead his team in chalking newer and higher credits by the day. Not even the current challenge of COVID-19 has been a dampener as the bank under his watch continues to scale new frontiers and post assuring results.â€
Other winners in various categories of public service, good governance, business, and professional leadership include the senate president, Mr. Ahmed Lawan; governor of Borno State Prof Babagana Zulum; governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa; governor of Oyo State, Mr. Seyi Makinde; the secretary to the government of the federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha and a renowned pharmacist, Mrs. Stella Okoli.
So far, the former Ghanaian President, Jerry Rawlings; a former Tanzanian President, Julius Nyerere; Tanzanian diplomat, Salim Salim; a former Namibian President, Sam Nujoma; a former South African and anti-apartheid hero, Nelson Mandela, among others have won the award.
The awards ceremony will be a celebratory event slated for Sunday, December 6, 2020.
