OKHIRIA: THE CHAMPION’S FEATHER IN HIS CAP
It was a night packed full with glitz and glamour. The sky was bright. The littoral ambience of Eko Hotels and Suites sprinkled some droplets of water that only made the evening cooler. Inside one of the halls in the hotel complex, was a galaxy of dignitaries who were all colourfully dressed to compliment the atmosphere of radiance. It was the award night of Champion Newspaper. The brand had bubbled up again, penultimate Friday, with sparks of promise and excellence.
The list of the awardees was long. It was a parade of men and women, young and not-so-young leaders who had impacted society and carved a niche for themselves. One of them was Engineer Fidet Okhiria, the Managing Director of Nigeria Railway Corporation.
Okhiria was accompanied by Francisca, his wife, and a host of friends and colleagues who had thronged the venue to add glamour to the award night.
With the presence of sitting and former state governors like the dancing governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, the Lagos State governor and Chief Host of the event, Babajide Sanwo-olu (never mind that he came late), plus former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke and representatives of Ogun State governor, Nasarawa and Benue State governors, it was a night that promised lots of fun and content. The presence of the likes of the prized nonagenarian, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, the anti-hard drug czar and Chairman of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig Gen Buba Marwa, the Director General of National Council of Arts and Culture, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, amongst others, further helped to thicken the mix of dignitaries at the event.
One after the other, the awardees were invited on stage as their abridged profiles were read out, as a justification of their qualification for their awards that night.
TheloudandprolongedapplausethattrailedtheprofileofEngineer Okhiriafurtherhelpedtoconfirmthe“ImpactfulLeadershipAward” of the newspaper house being conferred on the NRC Managing Director that night.
It is not certain if there is yet any certification in the Engineering sectorwhichtheManagingDirectoroftheNigerianRailwayCorporation (NRC), has not received. He is a fellow to and chartered member of more than six Engineering bodies. The Champion Newspaper award is thus seen as yet another colourful feather in the cap of the Managing Director of the NRC, whose tenure was recently renewed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Described as “a workaholic“and one with strong commitment to excellence, Okhiria is celebrated for being behind the resuscitation of the hitherto moribund Nigerian railway service. Under his watch and supervision, powered by the determination and commitment of the former Minister of Transportation, Rt Hon Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, the comatose Railway service in the country was revived and got buzzing again.