Ifejika, Onwumere, winners of Man of the Year award, praise The Sun

Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, The Sun Publishing Limited, Onuoha Ukeh (3rd right) with Dr. Jayne Onwumere, Group Managing Director, Property World Africa Network (PWAN) (3rd left) when he led a team to present a letter nominating her as The Sun Man of the Year 2024, in Lagos. With them are Editor, Daily Sun, Iheanacho Nwosu (right) and PWAN executives.

Chief Executive Officer of Brittania-U Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Catherine Uju Ifejika, and Group Managing Director of Property World Africa Network (PWAN), Dr. Jayne Onwumere, have described their emergence as winners of The Sun Man of the Year Award as an indication that women are being recognised for their invaluable contributions to nation building.

They gave assurance that the honour will serve as elixir to continue to work for the good of the society and humanity.

Mrs. Ifejika and Dr. Onwumere spoke separately in Lagos, when the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, The Sun Publishing Limited, Onuoha Ukeh led the company’s teams to present letters of award nomination to them.

Ifejika and Onwumere are among 36 Nigerians, who will be honoured at The Sun Awards celebration holding on March 1, 2025 in Lagos.

Ifejika, while dedicated the award to women, said that they are on the rise to takeover leadership positions from men.

She said that The Sun is one of the foremost indigenous newspapers that has been around for decades; and which has made impact, emphasising: “For you to have deemed it fit to give me this award, I deeply appreciate it. And I pray that God will keep the company to grow from strength to strength. This award is dedicated to women globally. We are now telling you that we want to take over.”

On her part, Onwumere, who expressed shock at her emergence as winner of the flagship category of The Sun Awards, praised the newspaper for its knack for objectivity and excellence

She disclosed that her motto in life is to always work hard, expressing appreciation that her efforts were being noticed and honoured.

While thanking The Sun Board of Editors for choosing her as winner of Man of the Year category, she said that the real estate business that has brought her to limelight once failed to the extent that for two and half years, she and her family didn’t have a place to stay.

Onwumere said: “In this life, we cannot stop thanking God. I want to thank you for considering me worthy for this honour. I wish my dad were alive to witness this.”

Earlier, The Sun MD ststed that the award to the two women was based on merit.

For Ifejika , Ukeh explained: “As the Executive Chairman and CEO of Brittania-U Nigeria Limited, you are the first and only woman to serve in that capacity in an upstream Exploration and Production (E&P) company in Nigeria. This reflects your exceptional leadership skills and contributions to the industry.

“Under your stewardship, Brittania-U has grown rapidly, carving out a significant presence across the energy sector. The company expanded its operations across multiple sectors of the oil and gas value chain, establishing several subsidiaries that provide vital services in hydrocarbon exploitation, drilling, subsurface engineering, shipping, and downstream trading.

“It is equally interesting to note that your leadership skills extend beyond corporate success. As an advocate for the empowerment of women in business, you have used your influence to promote gender equality and create opportunities for other women to thrive in the energy sector, setting an example for the next generation of female leaders, particularly in the fields of energy, law, and business.”

In the case of Dr. Onwumere , Ukeh described her as Amazon of real estate business in Nigeria.

He said: “When you started as a Co-founder of Property World Africa Network (PWAN), a real estate enterprise you established with your husband, Dr. Augustine Onwumere, some people thought that you didn’t stand any chance of becoming a successful player in the sector.

“Twelve years down the line, the small enterprise which started as the first real estate network marketing company in the world, has grown into a group of companies, raising top executives in the real estate network marketing segment of the market, creating job opportunities, empowering people and raising millionaires.”

He noted that through Onwumere’s emphasis on network marketing, particularly the 5×5 matrix approach, she has cultivated a robust network of over 300,000 independent real estate professionals, known as PWAN Business Owners (PBOs).

The Sun MD said that under Onwumere’s leadership, PWAN Group has grown rapidly into a network comprising more than 50 companies, setting unprecedented benchmarks in Nigerian and global business history.

Others who will receive The Sun Awards are Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, Governor, Sokoto State; Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Governor, Anambra State; Alhaji Mohammed Bago, Governor, Niger State; and Mr. Caleb Muftwang, Governor, Plateau State, who emerged as winners in Governor of the Year awatd category.

Also, Kogi State governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, will be honoured with the Political Personality of the Year sward, while the wife of Ebonyi State Governor, Mrs. Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru, will receive the First Lady of the Year Award.

Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Management, will receive the Minister of the Year Award.

In the Lifetime Achievement award category, Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Senator Aliyu Wamakko, former Governor, Sokoto State; Annkio Briggs, environmentalist and civil society activist; Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar, Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB); and Chief Joseph Ezeokafor, Chairman of Jezco Oil, are winners.

Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, MD, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC); Prof. Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, Registrar, National Examination Council (NECO); and Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service are winners of Publuc Service Award, with Mr. Walter Akpani, Managing Director, Providus Bank, as winner of Banker of the Year award.

In the business category, Ichie Ken Chimezie Nwankwo, Chairman, Bigly Group, and Chief Emmanuel Udechukwu, Chairman, Roxbury Leisure Homes Limited emerged as winners if Investor of the Year award, while Chief Polycarp Obiukwu, Chairman, Bolton White Group; Dr. Aisha Achimugu, President, Felak Concept Group; and Dr. Kennedy Okonkwo, GMD, NedComoaks Limited, won the Entrepreneur of the Year.

Chief Cyril Okoye, Chairman/CEO, Grape Tree International Limited; and Chief Chika Emenike, Founder/Chairman, Kotec Group, won the Industrialist of the Year Award.

In the Humanitarian Service Personality award category, Chief Michael Onuoha, CEO, AILES Group; Dr. Darlington Nwabunike, President, De Imperial Philanthropic Family; and Chief Habeeb Okunola, CEO, TILT Group, are winners, while popular socialite, Mr. Pascal Okechukwu (Cubana Chief Priest), who is also the Chairman, Hotel CP; and Dr. Dotun Sanusi, Chairman, Ilaji Hotels and Sports Resort, won the Hospitality Personality of the Year award category.

Two outstanding personalities, Mr. Seyi Adekunle, Founder, Vodi Group; and Mr. Jideofor Ezeofor, Founder, Zeof Excluzioni, are winners of Creative Personality of the Year award, just as fiery politician, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South; and notable lawyer, Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, will be honoured with the Courage in Leadership Award.

The Nollywood Personality of the Year Award goes to Dr. Emeka Rollas Ejezie, president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria; and Regina Daniels-Nwoko, actress & film producer.