The Founder of Silverbird Group, Senator Ben Murray- Bruce, has said the emergence of Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki as the 2019 Extraordinary Personality is a testament to the governor’s trajectory in human capacity development, job creation, healthcare, education, agriculture and infrastructural development, among others.
Presenting the award to the governor at the Silverbird 2019 Man of the Year Awards in Lagos, Murray-Bruce said Obaseki is doing an incredible job in Edo State hence Nigerians voted him as their Extraordinary Personality.
He noted that Governor Obaseki is succeeding against all odds and continues to record achievements across all sectors of the state, adding, “I am a card-carrying member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), but the Silverbird Group is not involved in politics. We honour anybody and everybody who excels.”
“Governor Godwin Obaseki leading the great state of Edo is doing an incredible job and that is why he is being honoured here today,” he said
In his remarks, Obaseki said his selection as the Silverbird Group 2019 Extraordinary Personality award recipient was because he governs extraordinary people in the state.
Obaseki said, “I do not think I am an extraordinary person; I am a normal politician, but I govern extraordinary people. Edo People are extraordinary.”
He noted, “My 11,000 teachers under the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) programme, who are catering for over 300,000 children in public schools are extraordinary because our children are now learning. 50 teachers in the state will be volunteering with visiting Americans to build playground for children in public schools in Edo.”
The governor while describing the Oba of Benin as symbolic to the state’s rapid development, said the Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II is the source of the extraordinariness of all Edo People.
“I can see that every awardee has done something extraordinary to change our people. These are awards that are based on accomplishments of citizens in the arts, creative industry, military, politics and the financial sectors,” Obaseki noted.
Other awards bestowed on other Nigerians include Silverbird Man of the Year; Post Humous, Extraordinary Achievement, Lifetime Achievement, Financial Sector, Heroes, Special Achievement and Special Recognition.