The Lord’s Achievers Awards, an annual award ceremony organised by Nigeria’s finest premium spirit brand, Lord’s London Dry Gin, held its fifth edition on Saturday, 6th May, 2023 at the Landmark Event Centre, amidst pomp and pageantry, as young Nigerians making an impact across key sectors were celebrated for their innovative excellence.
The celebratory and recognition-based award was in 2019 established to recognise and celebrate young and exceptional Nigerians between the ages of 25 and 40, who have recorded notable success and made impact in their chosen fields. The theme of this year “Celebrating Innovative Excellence”, was inspired by the uncanny perseverance and resilience of Nigerian youths to chase excellence and impact their field through bold and daring innovation.
To celebrate five years of the inspirational platform for young Nigerians who bear the Lord’s London Dry Gin’s DNA, the organisers of the award unveiled the new Lord’s Achievers’ Plaque which represents: Authority, Quality, Precision, Elegance and Distinctiveness’. The new plaque which is a one-of-a-kind emblem was presented to the honourees by mentors who have impacted their innovative journey and inspired them to be excellent.
The honorees for this year were a diverse group of individuals from various organisations, recognized for their will to win, tactical resoluteness in business, and most importantly, their contributions to various fields, including technology, finance, entertainment, agriculture, and social impact. The award platform also brought back its special category, “Ladies of Impact’, recognising women who have made immeasurable impact through their work and innovations.
In his welcome address to guests, Stanley Obi, Director, Prime Business Unit at Grand Oak Limited, celebrated the honorees, explained the importance and symbolism of the new Lord’s Achievers Award’s plaque and also highlighted how Lord’s London Dry Gin through the Lord’s Achievers Award continues to influence and inspire others to contribute to the socio-economic development of the nation.
He said: “The new Lord’s emblem is a distinctive part of the brand’s image, representing the quality and heritage of the Lord’s London Dry Gin. It is a perfect representation of what majority of Nigerian youth want to have or be associated with – authority, status and premium association. All of which are synonymous to our honourees and the Lord’s London Dry Gin brand. The new plaque reinforces your impact as change-makers and validates your authority and expertise in your various leads. It makes you become the Lords that you really are.”
He continued by recognising the efforts of the honourees in birthing an impactful environment where social vices can gradually take a back seat as youths get even more inspired to be excellent and innovative like the achievers.
“Today, we recognise young, exceptional, and outstanding people who have recorded notable success and kindled within us a desire to contribute to national socio-economic development. We designed the Lord’s Achievers Awards because human capacity building is central to the development of any country, and the youth is at the centre of this. We also believe that recognition is a powerful tool for reinforcing positive behaviour – it sets off a ripple effect that can impact an entire value chain. Thus, when an inspirational youth is recognised for their impact, they are inspired to do more with raised hope and renewed vigour. More importantly, other potential changemakers are inspired to take steps and make a difference; this results in collective good and national sustainable development.” said Stanley.
The celebrated honorees of this year’s awards cut across all segments of the Nigerian ecosystem, as they challenge social issues and deliver innovative solutions. They are:
- FINANCE: Solape Akinpelu, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder at HerVest, a fintech pioneering inclusive finance for African women through goal-oriented savings, impact investing and credit for smallholder women farmers, women-owned and led SMEs in Nigeria
- TECH: John Amanam, Chief Executive Officer Immortal Cosmetic Art, which has served almost 200 clients from across the world, with about 100 waiting to take turns.
- SCIENCE: Kemisola Bolarinwa, founder of Nextwear Technologies, the first wearable technology startup in Nigeria designing and developing technology worn close to the body to solve health-related challenges, safety, and augment fashion.
- ARTS: Emmanuel Oyeleke, a visual artist, Tech Enthusiast and the Creative Director of Emmanuel Oyeleke Photography.
- AGRICULTURE: Akinkunmi Akinboade, CEO of Go-green Limited, a company that provides sustainable and environmentally-friendly solutions for businesses and individuals.
- FASHION AND LIFESTYLE: Tosin Ogundadegbe, Creative Visionary and Curator behind one of fashion established Image Brands , TheStyleInfideLStudios .
- LITERATURE: Tobi Eyinade, Chief Executive Officer, Roving Heights, who has has leveraged the power of the internet, selling books via Instagram and Facebook and building a community around RovingHeights by supporting Book Clubs around the country, stocking books and providing what is arguably one of the best customer service experiences in the country.
- SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Adenike Oyetunde- Lawal, Special Assistant to Lagos State Governor, and a GoalKeeper (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation), using Advocacy to push for and encourage the inclusion for persons living with disability in her country Nigeria.
- START UP: Ife-Durosinmi Etti, an Author, Entrepreneur and young global leader with over 10 years of management and leadership experience working in the fashion, marketing and manufacturing industries.
- ENTERTAINMENT: Johnny Drille, singer/songwriter, producer and engineer known for crafting emotive and heartfelt songs.
The Lord’s Achievers Awards also specially recognized five young women who have made valuable contributions through their respective fields of interest. They are: Temilade Salami, Climate education and communications professional. Also founder and Executive Director of “EcoChampions”; Adesuwa Iyare, Photographer specialising in street and documentary photography; Raquel Daniel, Social entrepreneur working in marginalised communities in Nigeria with a focus on children’s education; Abisoye- Ajayi Akinfolarin, Founder of Pearls Africa in 2014, an NGO focused on promoting the cause and advancement of vulnerable young girls and women in Africa; and Tomie Balogun, Founder and current CEO of Twelve, a digital financial wellness company that provides its services through digital communities, gamified education and technology.
Amar Agada, Brand Business Manager, Lords London Dry Gin, expressed the brand’s gratitude to the honorees, resource partners, fans and their entire team, and also reiterated the brand’s commitment to inspiring greatness.
He stated, “The successfully concluded fifth edition of the Lord’s Achievers Award is just another testament to Lord’s London Dry Gin’s resolve to keep celebrating and recognizing the greatness in our youths. As a brand that embodies the spirit of innovation and excellence, we are passionate about celebrating the Nigerian spirit of excellence and perseverance. We will continue to empower and support individuals who are making a difference in their communities, and we hope to inspire others to strive for greatness and make a positive impact in their communities and beyond.”
The star-packed event was hosted by the dynamic duo of Etim Effiong and Eku Edewor, who kept the guests entertained throughout the night with their wit and charm.
The Lord’s Achievers Awards continues to chart the course for a new generation of impact-makers and community-builders whose activities inspire others and cause a ripple effect of transformation.
