Personality in Focus
Princess Modupe Ozolua Bags US President’s Lifetime Award
Modupe Ozolua, a serial entrepreneur, philanthropist and princess of the Benin Kingdom from Sabongida Ora, Edo State, Nigeria has received a lifetime achievement award from the United States President Joe Biden. The award presentation took place on Sunday in Houston, Texas.
According to Princess Ozolua’s publicists, Hamiltonstyle News & Views, “This is a great reward for Princess Modupe Ozolua’s lifelong commitment to helping humanity, as she received last Sunday, an award certificate and letter from the White House, personally signed by President Joe Biden.”
A Nigerian-American, Ozolua owned her first business in Los Angeles, California at the age of 21 before pioneering cosmetic surgery in Nigeria in 2001 at the age of 27 years. She has dedicated the last 19 years of her life to numerous charity milestones.
In 2003, she founded Empower 54, a US 501 C3, a non-profit organization which provides humanitarian aid in health, education and empowerment of women, girls and refugees; especially disadvantaged Africans across the continent. Late Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu was the Patron of Empower 54.
Prior to her latest honour by the seal of the US President, Princess Ozolua’s last 19 years of dedication to humanity have earned her many accolades, including One of Africa’s Leading Female Entrepreneurs by Elle Magazine (2015); One of 50 African Women Who Shape the African Continent, Elle Magazine (2016); Official Proclamation for Service to Humanity, City of Atlanta, Georgia, USA (2016); and Letter of Commendation for Service to Humanity from Governor Nathan Deal, Georgia, USA (2016).
Others are: Official Proclamation Declaring October 10, 2019 Princess Modupé Ozolua’s Day in Houston, Texas, USA (2019); Letter of Commendation from Mayor Sylvester Turner, City of Houston, Texas for Princess Ozolua’s Humanitarian Activities (2019); and One of Africa’s 100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria (2022). Ozolua’s latest US President’s award was presented on Sunday, February 19, 2023.
Responding to the honour done her by President Joe Biden, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, in a letter to Ozolua, signed by its Special Duties Head, Soso Muhammed, wrote: “Congratulations on the amazing news. The award is the recognition of your hard work, humility and commitment in your service to humanity.”
Former Presidential Spokesperson, Doyin Okupe has reportedly passed away.
TheNewsGuru reports that the senior adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan and, recently, the Director-General of Peter Obi’s 2023 Presidential Campaign died at 71, after a long struggle with cancer.
In October 2023, Okupe was hospitalized with prostate cancer and was flown to Israel for treatment.
However, it was learnt that his condition did not improve as expected.
Okupe had a history of prostate cancer, first diagnosed 16 years ago, and a later bout with sarcoma in his right shoulder.
Following his milestone achievements as Chairman of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), the Chairman/CEO of Executive Group, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan has been officially announced as the Patron of the Police advocacy initiative in Lagos State, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP can report.
The POCACOV is the Nigeria Police Force advocacy initiative to help young people avoid cultism and other vices. It uses advocacy, awareness, and sensitization to help young people avoid vices by conducting community outreaches to schools, inner cities, rural areas, and urban centres. It also helps to rehabilitate and reintegrate those who have been cut in the web of cultism, crimes, and social vices.
It would be recalled that Dr. Ayo Ogunsan took up the Chairmanship job about a year ago and was able to use his grand standing as the Board Member of Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), prime supporter of security news beat association National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), and leadership of non-profit initiative, AKEM Foundation to champion his work and various impacting activities in the past one year. This is why POCACOV through its National Coordinator, ACP Olabisi Oluseyi Okuwobi on behalf of the Inspector General of Police announced his official elevation into the role of Patron of POCACOV in Lagos State.
The United Nations POLAC International Peace Advocate, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan expressed his gratitude to the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun and the National Coordinator, ACP Okuwobi for the new role and promised to give direction to the new Chairman, Mr. Moses Oladimeji which will lead to improved performance of POCACOV in Lagos.
‘I will keep raiding our communities with love. We will give them food, shelter, etc. Police will do the Police work but I will do the policing of love’, Ogunsan affirmed.
This piece is contributed by Oki Samson
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Shamsedeen Ogunjimi as the new Accountant General of the Federation after a rigorous selection process.
A statement by Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), Bayo Onanuga said his appointment, approved on Tuesday, takes effect from 7th March 2025, the same day the incumbent Oluwatoyin Madehin will retire.
Ogunjimi, 57, was first named as Madehin’s successor last December.
“A selection committee later chose him through a competitive, rigorous, and merit-based process involving Directors of Accounts in the Federal Civil Service. The committee conducted the process through three stages: a written assessment, an ICT proficiency test, and oral interviews.
“The selection process underscores President Tinubu’s commitment to promoting transparency, excellence, and competence in key public service positions,” the statement read in part.
Ogunjimi graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy.
He also obtained a Master’s in Accounting and Finance from the University of Lagos.
He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.
President Tinubu congratulated Ogunjimi on his appointment, and urged him to discharge his duties in the service with integrity, professionalism, and dedication to Nigeria’s service.
