Obaseki nominated for THISDAY ‘Governor of the Year’ award

Godwin Obaseki, former governor of Edo state, has been nominated in the ‘Governor of the Year’ category for the THISDAY award. 

The annual award ceremony, organised by the THISDAY/Arise group board of editors, honours exceptional individuals.

The event, which will hold on January 22, 2025, will have as its theme: ‘When the Going Gets Tough… the Tough Get Rewarded!’.

The organisers said the award will be presented to “that governor who combines vision, passion, dedication and courage to make the lives of the people of his state better”.

Ogbeide Ifaluyi-isibor, ex-commissioner in Edo, said Obaseki’s achievements in various sectors, including education and healthcare, are highly commendable.

Ifaluyi-isibor described Obaseki as a man of vision with passion for excellence and unequalled zeal to impact the lives of his people.

“In his eight years of leadership of Edo, Obaseki’s milestone achievements in education, healthcare, innovation, tourism, agriculture, pension, city planning, security, science, civil service and corporate governance are laudable footprints that will stand the test of time,” he said.

“His landmark achievements in the creation of the Edo State Tier-3 Data Centre, which facilitated digital services management for government agencies, the deployment of Health Information Management System, Electronic Health Records and Telemedicine Services, helped to streamline healthcare delivery, improve patient management and extend healthcare access to rural communities.”

Mayozi John, a journalist in the UK, said Obaseki has been Edo state’s best governor since 1999.

John said Obaseki’s exceptional leadership, including digitisation of pension management and innovative education initiatives, sets a high standard for others to follow.

Other categories include ‘Titans of the Year’, ‘Man of the Year’, ‘Bank of the Year’, ‘Banker of the Year’, ‘Global Bank of the Year’, ‘Brand of the Year’, ‘Company of the Year’, and ‘Product of the Year’.

The award also honours ‘Senator of the Year’, ‘Representative of the Year’, ‘Government Agency of the Year’, ‘Investor of the Year’, and ‘Young Global Leaders’.