His Royal Majesty the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has honoured the Executive Vice Chairman of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, with the prestigious ‘Royal African Young Leadership Award’ based on his outstanding performance in the agency.
The latest honour came barely a week after the honouree received the Engineering and Innovation meritorious award at the Nigerian Excellence Awards in Public Service (NEAPS).
Oba Ogunwusi presented the award to the NASENI’s boss at the 4th edition of the Royal African Young Leadership Forum organized by the palace of the royal father to celebrate the achievements of outstanding young African leaders’ contributions to their communities and industries.
During the presentation, His Royal Majesty, the Ooni of Ife, commended the Halilu’s boss exemplary leadership at the agency, emphasizing how his visionary leadership and innovative approaches are propelling Nigeria towards a technologically and industrially advanced nation.
The royal father noted that Halilu’s outstanding performance remained a source of pride for Nigerian youths and crucial to Nigeria’s economic prosperity.
Oba Ogunwusi also expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for recognizing illustrious young Nigerians, listing other notable appointees as including the Director-General of SMEDAN, Mr. Charles Odii, the Minister of Youth, Dr. Jamila Ibrahim, and the Minister of Youth (State), Ayodele Wisdom.
The Ooni said: “These young men are part of the government of our dear country. I want to use this opportunity to celebrate you and appreciate the President for putting you into government, thereby making your individual contributions to the development of Nigeria.”
Commenting on the award bestowed on him shortly after the presentation of the plaque, the EVC/CEO of NASENI expressed gratitude for the recognition, saying that he is “honoured to receive this award from His Majesty, the Ooni of Ife. Previously, I admired the Royal African Young Leadership Forum Award on social media. Being acknowledged in this way underscores His Majesty’s commitment to recognizing and celebrating the positive impact individuals make in their respective endeavours.”
Halilu further emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts in driving technological innovation and industrial growth in Nigeria, and reiterated his commitment to continuing the sundry initiatives of NASENI to advance the country’s technological infrastructure and enhance its global competitiveness.
The Royal African Young Leadership Forum is an annual event that brings together dynamic young leaders from various sectors to discuss and promote sustainable development in Africa. This year’s theme, “Africa of the Future: Better Together,” reflects the forum’s focus on unity and collective progress.
As Halilu continues to make impact in NASENI, his recognition at the Royal African Young Leadership Forum underscores his commitment to Nigeria’s technological and industrial growth. His work greatly inspires the youth of Nigeria and contributes to the nation’s economic development.
Photo Caption
L-R: His Imperial Majesty, Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II; the Minister of Youth, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim; Director-General of SMEDAN, Mr. Charles Odii; and Minister of Youth (State), Ayodele Olawande Wisdom at the Royal African Young Leadership Forum held on Saturday in Ile-Ife, Osun State
