ELUMELU DEDICATES DOCTORATE DEGREE TO NIGERIAN YOUTHS

Mar 01 2008

The Group Managing Director/CEO of UBA Plc Mr. Tony Elumelu was one of 3 distinguished Nigerians; Chief Mrs. Olutoyin Olakunri, the Chairperson of the Education Tax Fund and Engineer Ernest Ndukwe, the Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), who were awarded honorary doctorate degrees by the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) during the institution’s 37th convocation ceremony on Saturday March 1, 2008.

Whilst Mr. Elumelu bagged the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), Engineer Ndukwe, Doctor of science (DSC), Chief (Mrs) Olakunri was awarded Doctor of Public Administration (DPA).

According to the Vice Chancellor UNN, Professor Chinedu Nebo, the recipients were chosen in recognition of their immense contributions in their respective fields to national economic development. In her citation, Chief Mrs. Olakunri was eulogised for her leadership contributions in both the public and private sector where she has held key positions including Chair of the Education Tax Fund. Ndukwe was hailed for midwifing the GSM revolution in Nigeria in an open and transparent manner.

For his part the UBA boss, who is the youngest among the three recipients, was acknowledged for his stellar accomplishments in the Nigerian financial services industry, where he has proved his mettle as a visionary leader and a turn around strategist. Mr. Elumelu was cited as "one of the most influential corporate leaders in Nigeria, who epitomizes a new generation of prolific African entrepreneurs and an avid proponent of Public-Private-Partnership for nation building”. The research economist and banker was also given kudos for conceiving and managing the merger of Standard Trust Bank Plc and United Bank for Africa Plc; a union that has created the largest financial services group in West, Central & East Africa in just under three years.

Mr. Elumelu thanked the University for the prestigious award, and for being recognised along side such personalities like Chief (Mrs) Olakunri, and Engineer Ndukwe. He dedicated the award to the Youths of Nigeria, urging them to have hope, believe in themselves and remain steadfast to their dreams. “Hope and self belief are essential ingredients to success. Eschew bad behaviour, have hopes and remain focused in the pursuit of your dreams and you will surely succeed in whatever you chose to do by following a concrete line of action," he enthused.