Entries have opened for the 2021 edition of the Nigerian Prize for Leadership (NPL), with a whopping N25 million set aside to be collected by anyone who wins the award.
According to the organizers of the award, nominees for the prize are expected to submit a brief justification for their nomination in not more than 250 words.
Contestants are also to provide detailed motivation for their nominations in not more than 2,500 words, to be considered for the contest, according to the NPL brochure given to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.
The winner of the coveted prize is also to get a medal of honour, plaque of excellence and sash of distinction as well as the N25 million prize money.
The NPL operates with a governing board of eminent statesmen, including Prof. Anya O. Anya, who is the Chairman of the board and Dr. Christopher Kolade.
Other members of the board are Sen. Ibrahim Ida, Prof. Jerry Gana and Prof. Joy Ogwu.
The vision of the NPL is to inspire Nigerians nationwide to live a life of selfless service for communities, the nation and humanity at large.
The prize recognizes outstanding acts of leadership, based on a clearly defined Nigerian paradigm at various levels of society and human interest, according to a fact-check on the activities of the NPL.
Speaking on the upcoming award, Anya said that the essence of the prize was to identify what leadership meant to Nigerians and to benchmark what should represent the image of a successful or a failed Nigerian leader.
”It is also meant to establish a new culture of leadership in Nigeria, groom credible successor-generation of leaders and ascertain how the paradigm could take centre stage in re-thinking leadership and re-energizing governance.’’
He said that the NPL had also introduced a Protégé Leadership Programme, targeted at young Nigerians between 21 and 35 years of age.
“The selection process begins with an intensive training programme of qualified youths as leadership ambassadors.
“Qualified ambassadors will enlist for a higher programme to qualify as NPL fellows and it is from the rank of the fellows that the final process is conducted to select the protégés.
“The protégés are attached as `apprentices’ to the NPL prize winner each year,’’ Anya added, recalling that entries for this year’s edition of the annual event opened on Sept. 15 and would close on Oct. 15. (NAN)
