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Emeka Oparah, Airtel Director Of Communication Honoured With Communication Practitioner Of The Decade Award.
Airtel Nigeria’s Director of Corporate Communications & Corporate Social Responsibility, Emeka Oparah, has been honoured with the “Communications Practitioner of the Decade Award”.
Oparah, who was honoured during the Communications Industry Evening, was described as a master of crisis management and one of the longest serving communication practitioners in a single organization in spite of several brand and ownership changes.
The event which held at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, last Friday (6/3/2020) was attended by advertising and communications practitioners drawn from different agencies as well as corporate and multinational organizations.
According to a citation read during the event, “Oparah became well-known during his days in Cadbury Nigeria even before joining Econet Wireless Nigeria currently known as Airtel Nigeria. A number of young practitioners today actually read Emeka Oparah as a book to manage crisis in their workplaces.”
“Indeed, no one currently in the industry today deserves this accolade more than Oparah. The category was therefore one of the easiest for the committee to deal with. Congratulations for winning this year’s Communication Practitioner of the Decade Award. In fact, you probably can also win it for the century”, it further stated.
Reacting to the award, Oparah, commended the award organizers and communications practitioners across the country for bestowing on him such a huge honor, saying that he was humbled by the gesture and greatly inspired to continue to contribute his quota to the development of the communications practice in Nigeria.
Said he: “Communication is the heart and soul of every human interaction and must, therefore, be purposively and professionally managed to achieve desired outcomes. I am committed to sharing my knowledge and experience with other practitioners, especially the young and upcoming professionals, so we can properly position the industry for its role in Corporate Leadership and National Development both now and in the future.”
In his current role at Airtel Nigeria, Oparah leads activities covering public relations, internal communications, corporate social responsibility, corporate events and sponsorship. His career spans the full scope of the communications industry, with over 29 years spent in journalism, advertising and public relations.
After graduating from the University of Nsukka in 1990, where he edited the famous campus newspaper, “The Record”, he spent the next four years working in Imo Newspapers and three other communications agencies namely Patike, a PR Agency and Candid and Richland, both Advertising companies.
He moved to Cadbury Nigeria PLC in 1994 where he spent eight years as media relations manager before transitioning to Econet Wireless Nigeria in 2002. Oparah who graduated top of his class in the Department of Mass Communications, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, also holds an Advanced Diploma in International Public Relations Management from The Management School, London.
*To The Great Architect of the Universe who has taken me from nothing to something from nobody to somebody, I bow in reverence and appreciation.
To all those who have worked with me, my bosses and subordinates, mentors and friends, whose support, guidance and good wishes brought me here, I thank you.
To my parents who literally borrowed from the shrine to see me through school, I’ll forever be indebted to you!
God bless you all!
Controversial singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, was on Monday arraigned before the Federal High Court in Ota, Ogun State, over criminal charges including assault and resisting arrest.
Confirming the development to our correspondent, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, said Portable was arrested and arraigned in Ota on Monday.
“Yes, he was arraigned and remanded yesterday,” Babaseyi said on Tuesday.
Portable’s arraignment followed a viral video that surfaced on Sunday showing him in handcuffs, shirtless and tearfully pleading while seated on a couch in what appeared to be a police holding area.
His arrest reportedly followed allegations of assault against actress and skit maker Omobolarinde Akinyanju, better known as Ashabi Simple, who is one of the musician’s baby mamas and the mother of one of his children.
In court, Vanguard reported that the prosecution alleged that the Zazu crooner attacked Ashabi, alongside some police officers and other individuals, at his bar in the Iyana Ilogbo area on New Year’s Day.
Other alleged victims named in the charge sheet include Ileyemi Damilola, Akinyanju Oluwabusayomi, Olowu Olumide, Demilade Ogunniyi and Ebuka Odah.
The prosecution further alleged that Portable stole a Mercedes-Benz E300 valued at ₦12 million, belonging to Ileyemi Damilola and associated with car dealer Wally Dex Auto.
During the proceedings, two siblings of Ashabi Simple testified as witnesses to the alleged assault, although Ashabi herself was absent from court.
Police also alleged that the singer obstructed and assaulted a female police inspector, Ogungbe Olayemi, while she was performing her official duties.
The presiding judge declined to grant the singer bail, citing the absence of the allegedly assaulted police officer in court.
The judge ruled that the officer must be present before a decision on the bail application could be made and consequently remanded Portable in custody, adjourning the bail hearing to January 19.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Police Command has ordered an investigation into a separate viral video allegedly showing the singer being assaulted while in custody.
The United States has delivered military supplies to Nigerian security agencies in support of ongoing operations in the country.
The United States Africa Command, AFRICOM, announced the delivery in a post on X on Tuesday.
“US forces delivered critical military supplies to our Nigerian partners in Abuja. This delivery supports Nigeria’s ongoing operations and emphasizes our shared security partnership,” AFRICOM said on X.
Nigeria in recent times has faced an upsurge of insecurity, with hundreds being kidnapped.
US forces launched airstrikes on terrorist enclaves in North-West Nigeria on Christmas Day.
Chief (Mrs.) Lucia Onabowale Onabanjo, the widow of Ogun State’s first civilian governor, Chief Victor Olabisi Onabanjo, has passed away at the age of 100.
Her passing was announced by her daughter, Ms Olubukunola Onabanjo, on Tuesday.
According to Ms Onabanjo, the matriarch of the Onabanjo dynasty died at the age of 100.
She said in a statement: “The family of Chief Victor Olabisi Onabanjo, former Governor of Ogun State, announces with deep sorrow, yet with gratitude to Almighty God, the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
“Chief (Mrs) Lucia Onabowale Onabanjo (1925–2026) was called to glory on Monday, January 11.
“We thank God for her long and fulfilled life, and for the enduring legacy of love, strength and faith she leaves behind.
“May her soul rest in perfect peace.”
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