NAN pledges collaboration with NPL on new leadership identity, culture in Nigeria

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has pledged to collaborate with the Nigerian Prize for Leadership (NPL) to chart the course of a new leadership identity and culture in Nigeria.

NPL is an initiative of the Leadership Advancement Foundation, an Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) with the objective to challenge, inspire and motivate the younger generation of Nigeria to acquire purposeful leadership skills, tools and experience for sustainable human development and nation building.

NAN Acting Managing Director, Mr Ibrahim Mammaga, made the pledge when he received members of the NPL Governing Board led by its Chairman, Prof. Anya O. Anya,  in Abuja on Tuesday.

Mammaga said that NAN as an agency is  interested in the progress and development of Nigeria and would support as well as provide the platform for the success of the NPL.

“NAN will do everything possible to assist. Our mission, vision and policy states that we are for progress and development of Nigeria.

“NAN cannot isolate itself from this laudable initiative and we must be part of it because we know the essence,’’ Mammaga said.

Commending the initiative for considering NAN as a strategic partner, the Acting MD said that Nigeria needed credible people such as members of the NPL governing board to chart a credible way forward for the nation.

Speaking earlier, Anya described NPL as an intervention by some eminent Nigerians to chart the course of a new leadership identity and culture in Nigeria.

Anya added that the intervention of NPL was to raise a credible successor generation of leaders for the nation on a sustainable basis.

“In summary, NPL’s  mission is to institute and project a truly Nigerian leadership prize that will inspire Nigerians to lead a life lager than self, for community, nation and humanity.

“It is envisaged to be the highest, most reliable and prestigious single leadership prize in Nigeria.

“It targets Nigerians of all ages who have shown credible, exemplary, remarkable and sustainable success, prowess, creativity and skills in their various endeavours, through compelling personal, cooperate and social values,’’ Anya said.

He said that unlike other efforts, the NPL came with a prize money offered to support the winner’s future leadership activities, including, mentoring of young leaders.

He said that the NPL planned to achieve this through an annual prize award programme called  Protégé Leadership Programme as well as other prize elements called International Leadership Clinic and Exhibition.

“The Nigeria Prize for Leadership will be presented annually on Dec. 12, beginning from 2020.

“The prize comes with a prize money for the winner, which will be made public at the appropriate time,’’ Anya said.

The board chairman, however, sought NAN’s collaboration with the agency to raise credible future leaders for the nation.

“NAN and by extension the press are very important components in nation building as well as strategic stakeholders in the struggle and advocacy for leadership excellence in Nigeria.

“We consider it necessary to visit and brief you first about this initiative as we are set for the public.

“We consider NAN as one of our strategic partners and we look forward to your institutional and individual support, goodwill and solidarity.’’

The Vice Chairman of the Governing Board and former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Prof. Jerry Gana; former Foreign Minister, Prof. Joy Ogwu, a member of the board were on the delegation.

Others members of the board also on the delegation were former Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Women Development, Ms Onyeka Onwenu, Chairman of the Access Bank, Dr Dere Awosika.(NAN)