The 2024 edition of Dr. Michael Okpara Leadership Lecture and Awards annually held in Nigeria, in honour of the Right Honorable (Dr.) Michael Iheonukara Okpara, Premier of the former Eastern Region of Nigeria has been scheduled to hold in Abuja on Thursday, August 22, 2024 at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre.
Organizers of the program, the Michael Okpara Foundation and Verbatim Media Group said in the statement that the event will feature, ‘’a lecture on contemporary issues of leadership in Nigeria; the unveiling of architectural design for Okpara Leadership Centre, and investiture ceremony for presentation of The Premier’s Prize (gold plaque award ) to a cross section of Nigerians at home and in the diaspora who distinguished themselves in various categories of leadership positions in the public and private sector of the Nigerian society, and in business and philanthropy.’’
The statement jointly signed by Uzodinma Okpara, son of Okpara, on behalf of Okpara foundation, and Tobs Agbaegbu, Publisher of Verbatim Media Group, explained that the upcoming event, a leadership promotion program ‘’seeks to encourage and celebrate quality leadership, good governance, development at all levels of society, philanthropy and integrity in service delivery: the core attributes and achievements that stood out the person and government of His Excellency, Dr. Michael Okpara, great politician, former member of the Eastern House of Assembly , and Premier of the Eastern Region of Nigeria,1959-1966.’’
Giving greater insight on the personality of Okpara in whose honour the leadership promotion program was instituted, the event organizers explained that Okpara was among the finest of his generation who modelled good governance ‘’as was evident in the power of his example, the breadth of his vision, the thrust of his developmental strides and the shining example of his personal integrity.’’
They explained also that it was on account of the Okpara “magic,” (what he himself called Pragmatic Socialism), agriculture and industrial revolution took center-stage in the region. ‘’This attracted the attention of the international community, with Harvard University Press (HUP) describing the Eastern Region as one of the fastest growing economies in the world at that period’’ the organizers said.