OUTSTANDING PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
The story of our OUTSTANDING PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR award recipient is one that is characterized by many failures and disappointments.
In January of 1999, he was a squatter in Lagos and resorted to bike riding (OKADA) in order to make ends meet. By September of 1999, his grandmother got a clerical job for him at BRAWAL SHIPPING NIG. LTD. In 2000, he was promoted to a supervisor. Because of his honesty and commitment to work, he was to become the Company’s Operation Manager, but he left the company in early 2002, due probably to frustration. He thereafter worked in several capacities in the oil and gas sector without good success. He eventually established big oil and gas businesses, but lost several opportunities.
There is a saying that business opportunities are like buses, there always would be another one coming. When OUR OUTSTANDING PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR AWARD RECIPIENT finally formed TAJ Machinery Ltd, a Marine, Logistics and Dredging company with zero capital to pursue dredging activities, as miners would say, “he struck gold” in the sense that with the company added to list of his many oil businesses, he became prosperous. Today Taj has expanded into the Republic of Cameroon, Benin Republic and Cote D’Ivoire.
One of the reasons why he merits the award being bestowed on him in this hall today is that, as the CEO of a Foundation he established, our award recipient is known for playing active roles in humanitarian service. One of the most remarkable is that during the past lockdown due to the Covid 19 pandemic, he provided huge palliatives to Ndemili Community and Aboh Kingdom. Besides, he has continued to support indigent student, provide succor to widows, rehabilitated and reintegrated drug victims back into the society and continue to undertake medical bills of the less privileged. He recently co-sponsored the just concluded Delta State Sports Conference.
The name of the Foundation is TONY AMECHI FOUNDATION. And our award recipient is the CEO of the Foundation, High Chief Engr. (Dr) Tony Amechi.
